MEN WHO regularly carry a mobile phone could have their sperm count reduced by as much as 30 per cent. Those who place their phone near their groin, on a belt or in a pocket, are at greatest risk, new research has revealed.
The findings are the latest yet to suggest male fertility could be affected by the radiation emitted by mobile phones.
The study by Hungarian researchers found the sperm that did survive exposure to mobile phone radiation showed abnormal movements, further reducing fertility.
Jamaica is the leading cell phone market in the Caribbean Region with some 1.9 million subscribers in a population of 2.6 million. The cellular industry is big business with Cable & Wireless and Digicel as the main suppliers.
At the Fertility Unit if the University of the West Indies, one researcher who did not wish to be named told Outlook that he had noted low sperm count rates among Jamaicans. He said that research into the effects of cell phone usage on male fertility rate might be something to be pursued in the near future.
Fabian Williams, Digicel marketing representative said, "We have heard about it, but obviously more research needs to be done to get at the facts, the truth. We have many users who, in terms of normal health, appear to be fine."
More research needed
A senior executive of this company also pointed out that more research is needed.
An Oceanic Digital representative said that company had "no comment". Attempts to reach Cable and Wireless were not successful.
The Hungarian Researchers, Imre Fejes and colleagues from the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Szeged in Hungary said that heavy mobile phone user had sperm counts that were up to 30 per cent lower than non-cellphone users.
The team studied the mobile phone use and sperm counts of 221 men over a 13-month period. They asked male subjects how long they had owned a mobile phone and for how many hours they carried it with them in stand-by mode. Subjects were also asked how much time they spent on calls each day. The researchers drew comparisons between heavy cell phone users and non-users.
The researchers said they found that not only did using the phone affect sperm count and the motility (speed of movement) of human sperm, but simply having it switched on in a pocket was enough to cause harm. To date, it has been assumed that low-power transmissions posed no health risk.
Full details of the study was formally presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference in Berlin on Tuesday June 29.
- Outlook Team
