An international team of researchers has found a significant decline in sperm counts over the years in many countries globally, including India.

Sperm count is not only an indicator of human fertility but also that of men’s health, with low levels being associated with increased risk of chronic disease, testicular cancer and a decreased lifespan, the researchers said.

The decline reflects a global crisis related to modern environment and lifestyle, with broad implications for the survival of the human species, they said.

The data shows, for the first time, that men in those regions share the significant decline in total sperm counts (TSC) and sperm concentration (SC) seen previously in North America, Europe and Australia.

The study shows an accelerated post-2000 decline in TSC and SC globally.

The study shows an accelerated post-2000 decline in TSC and SC globally.

“India is part of this larger trend. In India, due to availability of good data (including 23 estimates in our study, one of the countries with the richest data),

we have more certainty that there is a strong and sustainable decline, but it’s similar globally,” Professor Hagai Levine of Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, told PTI.

“Overall, we’re seeing a significant worldwide decline in sperm counts of over 50 per cent in the past 46 years, a decline that has accelerated in recent years,” Levine said.