Original Research Article
Year: 2016 | Month: February | Volume: 3 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 56-61
Environmental and Occupational Risk Factors in Relation to Male Infertility
G. Sudha1, KSN Reddy2
1UGC-Post Doctoral Fellow, 2Assistant Professor,
Department of Anthropology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
Corresponding Author: G. Sudha
ABSTRACT
Background: Male infertility refers to the inability of a male to achieve pregnancy in a fertile female. Male factors accounts for 40-50% of infertility in human. Male infertility is commonly due to deterioration in the sperm quantity and quality.
Objectives: To determine the environmental risk factors on decreasing male fertility in Tirupati town of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh.
Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study in which 523 infertile men were selected by convenience sampling and were evaluated.
Results: Individuals, who were applying pesticides, have a greater risk for infertility as they were directly exposed to the pesticides and other chemicals. More percentage (39.19%) of males is infertile when they have both the habits of smoking and alcohol. the impact of exposure to toxins on men shows sperm damage and low sperm count
Conclusion: Male infertility is a multifactorial disease process with a number of potential contributing causes. Lifestyle and dietary choices, pesticide residues, and xeno-estrogens all may adversely affect spermatogenesis. Steps should be taken to create an environment of awareness regarding the issue and male partner should be investigated first thereby reducing the negative social impacts.
Key words: Environmental factors, Infertility, Alcoholism, Occupational exposure.