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A study published in Human Reproduction looks at a recent decline in sperm motility among donor candidates.
Prof Alison Campbell, Chief Scientific Officer, Care Fertility, said:
“This is a fascinating study of over 6000 potential sperm donors which raises important questions about why a significant decline in sperm quality has been observed in recent years, by the donor sperm banks.
“It is disappointing that the researchers were unable to access health or lifestyle data from the potential donors as their hypothesis; that the decline in sperm numbers and motility may be associated with lifestyle changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, could not be explored.
“Research has previously shown that sedentary work can impact sperm quality. The researchers proposed that this, which likely increased during and post lockdown, as a possible cause.
“The sperm donor numbers, consistency of semen analysis and the study being multicentred, bring rigour to this research but more work is needed to understand the possible causes of the findings and to consider whether this effect is also seen in wider and international populations.”
Prof Chris Barratt, Professor of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, said:
“Studies to date have poorly investigated sperm motility but this study has done a good job. This data is important as it shows, on a large sample set with high quality methods, that we should be focussed on sperm quality, rather than sperm quantity.”
‘Recent decline in sperm motility among donor candidates at a sperm bank in Denmark’ by Emilie Lassen et al. was published in Human Reproduction at 00:01 UK time on Wednesday 5 June 2024.
DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae115
Declared interests
Prof Alison Campbell: “No real declaration but minor shareholder in Care Fertility, which has an in house donor sperm bank.”
Prof Chris Barratt: “No direct COI.”