Sperm counts have dropped by a almost third in 10 years
Mon Jan 5, 5:53 AM ET Add Health - AFP - Yahoo!
LONDON (AFP) - Male sperm counts have fallen by almost a third since 1989, with factors such as drinking and obesity possibly to blame, according to a British study.
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AFP/File Photo
A fertilized human embryo after it was injected with sperm. A British study found that male sperm counts have fallen by almost a third since 1989.(AFP/File/Marcel Mochet)
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A survey of 7,500 men who attended the Aberdeen Fertility Centre in northern Scotland between 1989 and 2002 brought alarming findings, researchers said Monday.
Analysis of sperm samples showed that in men with what is considered a "normal" concentration of sperm -- defined as over 20 million sperm per millilitre of semen -- the average sperm count fell by 29 percent.
This "must cause some concern and needs to be explained", said Dr Siladitya Bhattacharya, who led the research project.
"There could be a number of lifestyle factors which could play a role in this," he said.
"It just highlights the need for research to discover what these reasons might be, as well as the need for further studies elsewhere in the country to see if they support our results."
Drug use, alcohol, smoking and obesity have all been linked to a decline in sperm counts, as well as pesticides and other chemicals in the environment.
In 1986, Scotland was affected by the fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, but Bhattacharya said it was "almost impossible" to say for certain whether this or any other individual factor was to blame.
It could also not be concluded that there had been a fall in male fertility, as factors other than just sperm count played a part, he added.
"There has been an increase in men seeking treatment for male infertility, but whether this is due to a significant increase in this condition or because men are more aware of new techniques which have been developed to help them, we cannot say."
Online Auctions Dominant Consumer Fraud
NCL’s Internet Fraud Watch Sees Record Number of Internet Fraud Complaints in 2002
WASHINGTON , DC — Consumers made a record number of complaints about online scams to the National Consumers League’s Internet Fraud Watch last year, with complaints about online auctions rising dramatically. The amount of money lost topped $14 million, with more than $13 million in losses in the online auction category alone. “Clearly, consumers need to learn how to protect themselves from crooks on the ‘Net,” said IFW Director Susan Grant.
The IFW received 36,802 complaints in 2002, more than double the 15,864 filed in 2001. Online auctions ranked #1 at 90 percent of the complaints, compared to 70 percent in 2001. The other complaints in the top five were: general merchandise sales (5 percent); Nigerian money offers (4 percent); computer equipment and software (.5 percent); and Internet access services (.4 percent).
Grant offers this advice for online auction bidders:
· Check the seller’s feedback rating if that information is available on the auction site. While a positive rating is no guarantee that you won’t have a problem, a negative rating is a danger sign.
· Look for information about insurance and understand the terms. Some auction sites offer insurance protection, but coverage is limited to set amounts, there is usually a deductible, and there may be exclusions; for example, you may not be able to make a claim if you purchased something from a seller whose feedback rating was negative at the time of sale.
· Pay the safest way. If you pay the seller directly with a credit card, you can dispute the charges if the item never arrives or was misrepresented. You don’t have that right if you use a third-party online payment service, even if you use your credit card to put the money into your account with the service. However, your credit card issuer may still be willing to help you.
· Use an escrow service for purchases that aren’t covered by insurance or your credit card dispute rights. The difference between an escrow service and other online payment services is that the escrow service doesn’t pay the seller until you confirm that you got what you were promised.
Beware of fraudulent escrow services, though. “Con artists are now pretending to be escrow services and pocketing money from consumers who thought that they were protecting themselves,” said Grant. NCL has new tips at www.fraud.org on choosing and using escrow services. “It’s especially important for consumers to make sure they’re dealing with a service that is licensed and bonded,” said Grant. More information about the IFW’s 2002 statistics is also available on the Web site.
Consumers can report suspected Internet fraud by using the online form on at www.fraud.org or calling toll-free, 800-876-7060. That information is transmitted to local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
