Pollution Bias In India Emerging As Key Factor To Male Infertility, Linked To 11% Sperm DNA Damage: Study

A comprehensive study by Indira IVF has identified a direct correlation between rising atmospheric toxicity and male infertility, revealing that men living in highly polluted regions (AQI >151) experience an 11% decrease in normal sperm integrity compared to those in cleaner environments.

The research paper, titled 'Evaluating the impact of environmental pollution on sperm DNA Fragmentation: A retrospective cohort analysis,' highlights that as the Air Quality Index (AQI) escalates in industrialised cities, there is a corresponding “boom” in male infertility. The study introduces the concept of “pollution bias”, highlighting that worsening air quality is linked to higher levels of abnormal sperm and a steady decline in normal sperm counts.

To ensure high diagnostic standards, the study followed World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. The analysis showed that in areas with lower pollution (AQI 50–100), 69.3% of sperm samples were normal, while 30.7% were abnormal. As air pollution increased, normal sperm levels fell. In moderately polluted regions (AQI 101–150), there was an 8.8% drop in normal sperm compared to cleaner areas. The decline was greater in highly polluted zones (AQI above 151), where normal sperm levels decreased by 11%. Overall, the data shows a clear link between worsening air quality and declining sperm DNA health, particularly in regions with moderate to high pollution levels.

Gynaecologist Dr. Kshitiz Murdia, CEO & Whole-Time Director, Indira IVF Hospital Limited, said, “The implications of these findings extend beyond challenges related to conception. Prolonged exposure to environmental toxins can affect sperm DNA integrity, which may also have a bearing on foetal development, placing air pollution within a wider reproductive and developmental health context. In this study, patients were categorised based on sperm DNA fragmentation scores, with normal defined as less than 25% fragmentation and abnormal as greater than 25%, allowing us to closely assess how varying air quality levels impact sperm chromosome integrity. Our observations suggest that rising air pollution levels can serve as a reliable indicator for disturbed sperm DNA fragmentation, significantly impacting Sperm DNA integrity, particularly in high-pollution urban centres.”

Said Dr. Vipin Chandra, Chief of Clinical and Lab Operations, Indira IVF Hospital Limited, “We analysed a statistically significant cohort of 3,222 men aged 21 to 40 across 120 Indira IVF centres nationwide. Rather than focusing on conventional semen parameters such as sperm count or motility, the study specifically examined sperm DNA integrity. This enabled a more precise assessment of how exposure to air pollution directly impacts the genetic structure of sperm, offering deeper insight into an often-overlooked contributor to male infertility.”

By linking rising AQI levels with measurable DNA fragmentation, the findings identify air pollution as a key contributor to impaired sperm DNA health. The researchers further note that the increasing burden of male infertility observed in recent years aligns closely with prolonged exposure to poor air quality.

Source:

https://www.rbmojournal.com/article/S1472-6483(24)00257-8/abstract

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