{"id":204161,"date":"2017-10-11T11:57:24","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T11:57:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/lowered-sperm-counts-may-be-a-time-bomb-for-the-human-race\/"},"modified":"2017-10-11T11:57:24","modified_gmt":"2017-10-11T11:57:24","slug":"lowered-sperm-counts-may-be-a-time-bomb-for-the-human-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/lowered-sperm-counts-may-be-a-time-bomb-for-the-human-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Lowered sperm counts may be a time bomb for the human race"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul class=\"mol-bullets-with-font\">\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Sperm counts have halved in the western world over the past four decades<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Fertility rates are plummeting and an increasing number of couples rely on IVF<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Hormone-disrupting pesticides sprayed on food may be to blame for the trend<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Fertility changes are occurring too rapidly for genetic alterations to be at fault<\/strong><\/li>\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Expert says &#8216;inconvenient&#8217; questions need answering as we have waited too long\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"author-section byline-plain\">By<\/p>\n<p>Alexandra Thompson Health Reporter For Mailonline<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"byline-section\"><span class=\"article-timestamp article-timestamp-published\"><br \/>\n  <span class=\"article-timestamp-label\">Published:<\/span><br \/>\n  18:30 EDT, 10 October 2017<br \/>\n<\/span><br \/>\n | <span class=\"article-timestamp article-timestamp-updated\"><br \/>\n  <span class=\"article-timestamp-label\">Updated:<\/span><br \/>\n  18:30 EDT, 10 October 2017<br \/>\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"share-facebook\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-twitter\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-pinterest\"><\/li>\n<li class=\"share-gplus\">\n      <span class=\"g-interactivepost\"><br \/>\n        <a><\/a><br \/>\n      <\/span>\n        <\/li>\n<li class=\"share-email\">\n<p>                <span class=\"wai\">e-mail<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/li>\n<li class=\"share-icons\" id=\"shareLinkTop\">\n            <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>     <span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"count-number\">          19<\/p>\n<p class=\"count-text\">View <br \/> comments<\/p>\n<p>    <\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Declining sperm counts and doubling rates of testicular cancer  could be a ticking time bomb for the human race, a leading scientist claims.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Sperm counts have halved in the western world over the past four decades, which, alongside rising testicular tumours, could be behind plummeting fertility rates and couples&#8217; increasing dependency on IVF, according to Professor Niels Skakkebaek from the University of Copenhagen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Hormone-disrupting pesticides sprayed onto everyday food may be too blame as the changes are occurring too rapidly for genetics to be at fault, he adds. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Professor Skakkebaek said: &#8216;Alterations in our genome cannot explain the observations as changes have occurred over just a couple of generations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Modern lifestyles are associated with increased exposure to various endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as pesticides that may be harmful to  humans even though exposure to individual chemicals is low.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-9d16faf5b292d473\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" height=\"528\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Declining sperm counts  could be a ticking time bomb for the human race, scientists claims\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-9d16faf5b292d473\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/17\/4532AF7A00000578-4966944-image-a-94_1507651272644.jpg\" height=\"528\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Declining sperm counts  could be a ticking time bomb for the human race, scientists claims\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Declining sperm counts  could be a ticking time bomb for the human race, scientists claims<\/p>\n<ul class=\"rotator-panels link-bogr1 linkro-ccox\">\n<li>\n<p>  <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/16\/45327DFD00000578-0-image-m-92_1507648810862.jpg\" width=\"62\" height=\"60\" \/><span>Women who consume more than one sugary drink a day while&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/16\/4532703800000578-0-image-a-60_1507648121320.jpg\" width=\"62\" height=\"60\" \/><span>Parliament set to debate controversial vaginal mesh which&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/16\/45321ACF00000578-0-image-a-6_1507648822739.jpg\" width=\"62\" height=\"60\" \/><span>My sudden synesthesia: Woman describes how she went blind&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<p>  <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/15\/4531E3B100000578-0-image-m-44_1507645293779.jpg\" width=\"62\" height=\"60\" \/><span>Searching for Halloween costumes could give you HEAD LICE&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"mol-factbox-title\">WOMEN WHO CONSUME SUGARY DRINKS WHILE HAVING IVF CUT THEIR CHANCES OF CONCEIVING\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Women who consume sugary drinks while having IVF cut their chances of conceiving, new research reveals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Drinking more than one sugary beverage a day reduces a woman&#8217;s chance of having a live birth after IVF by 16 percent, a Harvard University study found.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Having just one sugary drink a day lowers the chance of successful IVF by 12 percent, the research adds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Sugary drinks also reduce the number and maturity of a woman&#8217;s ovarian cells, as well as lowering the amount of high-quality embryos, the study found.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Previous research suggests sugar stimulates the release of stress hormones that affect the health of the reproductive system. Eggs and embryos may also fail to thrive in high blood glucose environments.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\"><span class=\"mol-style-medium health-ccox mol-style-bold\">&#8216;Pesticides may be harmful to humans&#8217;\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Professor Skakkebaek said: &#8216;What could be causing such disturbing trends? The short answer is that we do not know.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;However, data suggesting that the incidence of testicular cancer has more than doubled in recent decades leaves little doubt that we should look into environmental causes, including lifestyle effects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Alterations in our genome cannot explain the observations as changes have occurred over just a couple of generations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Environmental exposures can come through food, water, skin, and work and home environments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">He said: &#8216;Both wildlife research and experimental studies suggest that modern lifestyles are associated with increased exposure to various endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as pesticides that together may be harmful to wildlife and humans even though exposure to individual chemicals is low.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;However, little has been done to explore their potential effects on semen quality and testicular cancer.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\"><span class=\"mol-style-medium health-ccox mol-style-bold\">&#8216;We have already waited too long&#8217;\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Professor Skakkebaek said: &#8216;In particular, studies of maternal exposures in pregnancy and the subsequent reproductive function of their sons are needed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Should we be worried about our future ability to reproduce ourselves, as some media coverage has claimed?<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;This inconvenient question makes sense when we look at what is going on in fertility clinics all over the world &#8211; more and more children are now born after in vitro fertilisation, intracytoplasmic sperm injection and insemination with partner or donor sperm.&#8217;\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Simple research questions urgently need answers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">He added: &#8216;What is the role of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals in reproductive trends? What is the role of lifestyle factors, including recreational drugs?<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;Why is the incidence of testicular cancer increasing among young men of reproductive age?<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;We have already waited too long. &#8216;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Professor Skakkebaek&#8217;s comments appear in the British Medical Journal. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>            <!-- ad: http:\/\/mads.dailymail.co.uk\/v2\/us\/health\/none\/article\/other\/inread_player.html --><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"social-links-title\">Share or comment on this article<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"bigLinks sc-icns cleared\">\n<li class=\"share-facebook\">\n<p>                                    <span class=\"wai\">e-mail<\/span><br \/>\n                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"share-icons\" id=\"shareLinkBottom\">\n<p>                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n<li class=\"social-stats social-stats-pipe\" id=\"shareCountBottom\">\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"addCommentButton\" class=\"add-comment\">\n<p>                                <\/a>\n                            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"rotator-panels\">\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/11\/01\/195F061B00000578-0-image-a-86_1507682914459.jpg\" alt=\"Almost 700,000 people's personal details may now be in the hands of criminals after more than 15million in the UK were targeted by hackers\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">More than 15million Britons were hit by credit agency&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/13\/453161C100000578-0-image-m-21_1507638578201.jpg\" alt=\"Culture Secretary Karen Bradley, pictured in Westminster in March, referred the Sky takeover bid to Ofcom and the competition and Markets Authority to investigate\u00a0\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Broadcasting regulators investigating Murdoch&#8217;s proposed&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/16\/45328BF500000578-0-image-a-146_1507650709156.jpg\" alt=\"The study , commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment and led by environmental chemists from Eawag, looked at metals disposed of in 64 Swiss wastewater treatment plants\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Gold flush: Study finds 43kg of the precious metal and&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/17\/4531C1E800000578-0-image-m-80_1507651295833.jpg\" alt=\"The youths refuse to leave the shopkeepers store on numerous occasions and decide to square up to him\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">&#8216;Get out of my shop!&#8217; Yobs urge shopkeeper to hit them&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/17\/4530222A00000578-0-image-m-196_1507651588764.jpg\" alt=\"Father Laurence Soper, 74, a former abbot of Ealing Abbey in west London, skipped bail and flew to Kosovo when he was accused of sex offences\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Roman Catholic priest, 74, &#8216;withdrew \u00a3182,000 from his&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/16\/11A08176000005DC-0-image-a-179_1507647656773.jpg\" alt=\"BBC news chief\u00a0James Harding (pictured) is to stand down from the role after five years.\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">BBC news chief James Harding who defended corporation&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/11\/09\/4538925800000578-0-image-a-3_1507710369401.jpg\" alt=\"The joy of\u00a0Lee Davies and Carryanne Copestick at winning \u00a3100,000 on the lottery turned to pain when armed men burst into the home and stole jewellery and iPhones\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Couple who went public with \u00a3100,000 National Lottery win&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/17\/4532D87200000578-0-image-a-12_1507653359979.jpg\" alt=\"Lib Dem MP Layla Moran (pictured) admitted taking drugs at a protest to get cannabis legalised for medicinal purposes today\u00a0\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Lib Dem MP says &#8216;I DID inhale&#8217; as she admits smoking&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/15\/4531666900000578-0-image-m-59_1507645649958.jpg\" alt=\"Straight A student Mubashir Jamil, 22, is alleged to have worked in an Amazon warehouse to save up to become an ISIS fighter willing to carry out a suicide attack in the UK\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Straight-A student &#8216;worked as Amazon warehouseman to save&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/13\/45313BDC00000578-0-image-m-24_1507637042511.jpg\" alt=\"Video shows two white 4x4s driving along a heard of Tibetan antelope on October 4\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Tourists are fined \u00a312,000 for chasing terrified Tibetan&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/21\/0529136D000003E8-0-image-a-6_1507665630915.jpg\" alt=\"The American-owned firm faced questions from a select committee today, with politicians hearing from a driver who earned just \u00a36 an hour\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">We don&#8217;t know if our drivers get the minimum wage, Uber&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/11\/00\/3CF84D3000000578-0-image-a-31_1507676789171.jpg\" alt=\"Every day 35million plastic bottles are sold in the UK, with many ending up as rubbish or litter instead of being recycled\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Plastic bottle and drink can deposits could save councils&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/11\/02\/4535EE3500000578-0-image-a-23_1507686752766.jpg\" alt=\"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists that Metin Topuz (pictured) is a spy and vows to eliminate 'internal threats'\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Turkey&#8217;s President Erdogan escalates feud with US by&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/22\/4534EE2E00000578-0-image-a-5_1507670384115.jpg\" alt=\"Water firm United Utilities has been fined \u00a3300,000 for contaminating tap supplies to more than 700,000 people (file photo)\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">United Utilities is fined \u00a3300,000 for contaminating tap&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/14\/45300B7D00000578-0-image-m-42_1507642405522.jpg\" alt=\"Claire Anderson spotted shirtless Connor McGarrigle being turned away from a Glasgow night club. She gave him a pyjama top so he could get in. The pair later snapped a picture together\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Kind-hearted clubber saved a shirtless fellow reveller\u2019s&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/10\/18\/4532D23300000578-0-image-m-12_1507654820489.jpg\" alt=\"The youths seemed completely oblivious to the danger they were placing themselves in on top the famous Seven Sisters Cliffs\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Foolish tourists are seen larking about on a crumbling&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/11\/01\/4535B4A400000578-0-image-a-46_1507681372841.jpg\" alt=\"A Department For Transport report out yesterday has urged councils across Britain to put up more bollards and benches as a way of deterring terrorists from committing vehicle attacks\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">&#8216;Put up bollards and benches to deter terror&#8217;: Ministers&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<li class=\"new shallow-ac mini link-bogr6 linkro-wocc\">\n<p>              <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/10\/11\/09\/4538624500000578-0-image-m-19_1507709126241.jpg\" alt=\"An Indonesian company has developed edible packaging in a bid to eliminate waste\u00a0\" width=\"154\" height=\"115\" \/><span class=\"wocc bdrcc\">Have your packaging and eat it too: New edible substitute&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/a>\n          <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/f.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/furniture\/comments\/articles\/btn_add-your-comment.png\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/f.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/furniture\/comments\/articles\/icon_comments_74.png\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Comments <span class=\"readerCommentsCount\">19<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>\n\t    Share what you think\n          <\/p>\n<ul id=\"rc-tabs\" class=\"js-links dm-tabs cnr5 cleared\">\n<li class=\"dm-tab dm-tab-on bdrgr5 cnr-bdr wogr5 link-wox js-active\">\n        <span class=\"xogr5 tl\"><\/span><br \/>\n        <span class=\"xogr5 tr\"><\/span><br \/>\n        Newest<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n<li class=\"dm-tab bdrgr5 ow-igr2-bx cnr-bdr xogr2 link-gr5ox\">\n        <span class=\"xogr5 tl\"><\/span><br \/>\n        <span class=\"xogr5 tr\"><\/span><br \/>\n        Oldest<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n<li class=\"dm-tab bdrgr5 ow-igr2-bx cnr-bdr xogr2 link-gr5ox\">\n        <span class=\"xogr5 tl\"><\/span><br \/>\n        <span class=\"xogr5 tr\"><\/span><br \/>\n        Best rated<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n<li class=\"dm-tab bdrgr5 ow-igr2-bx cnr-bdr xogr2 link-gr5ox last\">\n        <span class=\"xogr5 tl\"><\/span><br \/>\n        <span class=\"xogr5 tr\"><\/span><br \/>\n        Worst rated<\/a>\n      <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The comments below have not been moderated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"bold pad5 wogr5 rc-info\">\n      The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.\n    <\/p>\n<p>  <\/a><\/p>\n<p>      <a id=\"newcomment\" name=\"newcomment\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>              <span>Close<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual.<\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>              <span>Close<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual<\/h2>\n<p>  We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. 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Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sperm counts have halved in the western world over the past four decades Fertility rates are plummeting and an increasing number of couples rely on IVF Hormone-disrupting pesticides sprayed on food may be to blame for the trend Fertility changes are occurring too rapidly for genetic alterations to be at fault Expert says &#8216;inconvenient&#8217; questions <a class=\"read-more-link\" href=\"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/lowered-sperm-counts-may-be-a-time-bomb-for-the-human-race\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-204161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=204161"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204161\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=204161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=204161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}