London - One in three men don’t know that drinking too much can harm their fertility, a poll reveals.
Almost half were also unaware of the effect of obesity or age on sperm quality.
And a third said they smoked regularly despite the risks to their ability to help start a family. The survey found that many men underestimate the health factors that reduce fertility or are unwilling to discuss them with their GP or partner.
The poll of more than 2 000 men by Nuffield Health and charity Infertility Network UK found that almost a third said they had suffered fertility issues.
Of these, almost 60 percent admitted it had harmed their relationship, one in three said it had hit their work and 40 percent said it affected their mental health.
About 55 percent were unaware that sexually-transmitted infections could cut fertility, while 49 percent did not know that sperm cells suffer more genetic faults as they get older. Susan Seenan, of Infertility Network UK, said: “Men are half of the fertility equation – they experience the pain and grief of struggling to become parents too. However, the male perspective can be overlooked.”
“The survey reveals that nearly half of all men feel there is not enough support and information for men about fertility issues and we hope to address this.”
One in six couples are thought to face problems conceiving. In about 40 percent of cases, the man is either the sole or a contributing cause of infertility.
Daily Mail