Association of Environment and Occupations Factors With Semen Quality in Male Partners of Couples Trying to Conceive

Abstract

Background: Sperm quality can be easily influenced by environment and occupations factors. Yet, due to complexity and diversity of factors we are facing in everyday life, there are difficulties in collecting patients’ information in the outpatient department, which factors might influence sperm quality then lengthen TTP remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to discover potential semen quality related environment as well as occupation factors, and assist clinical decision making.Methods: A total of 465 men were recruited from the pre-pregnancy consultation clinic in Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center between June 2020 to July 2021, which were aged 31-43 years, and we have collected their semen analysis results. Environment and occupation information was collected by questionnaires. Logistic regression was applied to evaluate the association of semen quality with environment and occupation factors.Result: We found that living close to (<2km) high voltage line (283.4×106/ml vs 219.8×106/ml, P=0.030) and large substation (309.1×106/ml vs 222.4×106/ml, P=0.015) will influence sperm count. Experienced decoration in the past 6 months was also a significant factor to sperm count (194.2×106/ml vs 261.0×106/ml, P=0.025). Living close to (<2km) chemical plant will affect semen PH (7.5 vs 7.2, P=0.001). Domicile close to (<2km) a power distribution room will affect progressive sperm motility (37.2% vs 33.3%, P=0.030). Using computers will affect both progressive motility sperm (35.9% vs 37.6% vs 35.9% vs 28.6%, P=0.047) and sperm total motility (58.5% vs 56.5% vs 56.0% vs 41.0%, P=0.009).Conclusion: Our result suggested that some of the environment and occupation factors: computer using, living and working surroundings (voltage line, substation and chemical plants, transformer room), and housing decoration may association with low semen quality. But no association we found of TTP with environment and occupation factors.