Jobs linked with male infertility

Apart from providing source of income a man's job could be the reason behind infertility. Researchers from the National University of Singapore have evaluated 640 men whose wives were unable to conceive and were attending an infertility clinic. Among these men, the researchers identified 218 who had no known cause for their infertility. These men were compared with 227 men whose wives were pregnant at the time of the investigation. The men included in the study filled out questionnaires that assessed lifestyle habits such as smoking, occupation and exposure to chemicals known to affect the sperm count. They also underwent semen analysis. The research team found that men employed as engineering technicians, finance analysts, corporate and computing managers and teachers were more likely to be infertile than men in other professions. Teachers were nearly eight times more likely to be infertile, while finance analysts were almost five times more likely to be infertile than other men. Engineering technicians and corporate and computing managers had nearly triple the risk of infertility. On the other hand men who worked in service and clerical jobs were the least likely to be infertile. The investigation also revealed that men who smoked were nearly three times more likely to be infertile. However a clear cause of infertility is found in only one in five infertile men. There was no explanation for the findings, but it was noted that psychological stress, higher work demands and possible electromagnetic field exposure could be contributory factors for infertility. More studies are still needed before definitive conclusions can be made.