Men who used mobile phones regularly had an 8% decrease in motility or the ability to swim forward towards the egg. Sperm viability or the percentage of sperm that were alive as well as the sperm concentration was also negatively affected.

Study author Dr Mathews said: “Given the enormous scale of mobile phone use around the world, the potential role of this environmental exposure needs to be clarified. This study strongly suggests that being exposed to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation from carrying mobiles in trouser pockets negatively affects sperm quality. This could be particularly important for men already on the borderline of infertility, and further research is required to determine the full clinical implications for the general population.”

Previous research has shown that using a computer affects sperm quality. If your computer is on your lap, within 1 hour the testicles will be heated above what is considered safe. This increased temperature causes damage to the sperm. This is another form of electromagnetic radiation.

Studies back as far as 2007 have shown a clear link between mobile phone exposure and poor sperm health. The more a mobile phone is used, the greater degree of abnormally shaped sperm and the less able they are to swim forward.

So what do you do? Tell your man to get his phone out of his trouser pocket and use a radiation reducing mobile phone cover such as Cell Safe.