比特派最新版本|fertility

作者: 比特派最新版本
2024-03-09 19:49:12

FERTILITY中文(简体)翻译:剑桥词典

FERTILITY中文(简体)翻译:剑桥词典

词典

翻译

语法

同义词词典

+Plus

剑桥词典+Plus

Shop

剑桥词典+Plus

我的主页

+Plus 帮助

退出

剑桥词典+Plus

我的主页

+Plus 帮助

退出

登录

/

注册

中文 (简体)

查找

查找

英语-中文(简体)

fertility 在英语-中文(简体)词典中的翻译

fertilitynoun [ U ] uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/fəˈtɪl.ə.ti/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/fɚˈtɪl.ə.t̬i/

fertility noun [U]

(PEOPLE/ANIMALS/PLANTS)

Add to word list

Add to word list

(of animals and plants) the quality of being able to produce young or fruit

(动植物的)生殖力

a fertility symbol

生殖力的象征

declining fertility rates

下降的生育率

更多范例减少例句He runs a fertility clinic.She was prescribed fertility drugs to stimulate her ovaries.She's a leading fertility expert.She began fertility treatment at the clinic three years ago.It is thought that environmental toxins are destroying fertility.

fertility noun [U]

(LAND)

(of land) the quality of producing a large number of good quality crops

(土地的)肥力,肥沃度

the fertility of the soil

土壤的肥力

fertility noun [U]

(IMAGINATION)

literary (of the mind or imagination) the quality of producing a lot of unusual and interesting ideas

(头脑)奇思妙想的能力

(fertility在剑桥英语-中文(简体)词典的翻译 © Cambridge University Press)

fertility的例句

fertility

Depending on the geographical situation, the nature of infected hosts and the sites of infection, cysts may have different fertility rates.

来自 Cambridge English Corpus

None the less, it is vital that unusual fertility patterns are highlighted, even if the causes remain unclear.

来自 Cambridge English Corpus

The scheme outlined in this report shows how a quick and complete fertility investigation of the couple can be carried out in 2 months.

来自 Cambridge English Corpus

It is unlikely that this heralds a decline in the total fertility of these cohorts.

来自 Cambridge English Corpus

Yet, soil fertility will be the most important constraint for organic rice production.

来自 Cambridge English Corpus

The decline of fertility during the war contributed to the further expansion of the percentage of employed persons.

来自 Cambridge English Corpus

It is therefore important in demographic research on fertility to measure precisely the length of amenorrhoea.

来自 Cambridge English Corpus

Specifically, as economic growth proceeds, individuals making economically rational fertility decisions reduce birth rates and check population growth endogenously.

来自 Cambridge English Corpus

示例中的观点不代表剑桥词典编辑、剑桥大学出版社和其许可证颁发者的观点。

C1

fertility的翻译

中文(繁体)

人/動物/植物, (動植物的)生殖力,繁殖能力, 土地…

查看更多内容

西班牙语

fertilidad, fertilidad [feminine]…

查看更多内容

葡萄牙语

fertilidade, fertilidade [feminine]…

查看更多内容

更多语言

日语

法语

土耳其语

加泰罗尼亚语

in Dutch

阿拉伯语

捷克语

丹麦语

印尼语

泰语

越南语

波兰语

in Swedish

马来语

德语

挪威语

韩语

in Ukrainian

意大利语

肥よく, 多産, 肥沃(ひよく)…

查看更多内容

fertilité [feminine], fécondité [feminine], fertilité…

查看更多内容

verimlilik…

查看更多内容

fertilitat…

查看更多内容

vruchtbaarheid…

查看更多内容

خُصوبة…

查看更多内容

úrodnost, plodnost…

查看更多内容

frugtbarhed, frodighed…

查看更多内容

kesuburan…

查看更多内容

ความอุดมสมบูรณ์…

查看更多内容

tình trạng màu mỡ, khả năng sinh sản…

查看更多内容

płodność, urodzajność…

查看更多内容

bördighet, fruktsamhet, fertilitet…

查看更多内容

kesuburan…

查看更多内容

die Fruchtbarkeit…

查看更多内容

fruktbarhet [masculine], fruktbarhet…

查看更多内容

비옥함…

查看更多内容

родючість, плодючість…

查看更多内容

fertilità…

查看更多内容

需要一个翻译器吗?

获得快速、免费的翻译!

翻译器工具

fertility的发音是什么?

在英语词典中查看 fertility 的释义

浏览

ferrule

ferry

fertile

fertile ground for something idiom

fertility

fertilization

fertilize

fertilizer

fervent

“每日一词”

flexitarian

A flexitarian way of eating consists mainly of vegetarian food but with some meat.

关于这个

博客

Forget doing it or forget to do it? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (2)

March 06, 2024

查看更多

新词

stochastic parrot

March 04, 2024

查看更多

已添加至 list

回到页面顶端

内容

英语-中文(简体)例句翻译

©剑桥大学出版社与评估2024

学习

学习

学习

新词

帮助

纸质书出版

Word of the Year 2021

Word of the Year 2022

Word of the Year 2023

开发

开发

开发

词典API

双击查看

搜索Widgets

执照数据

关于

关于

关于

无障碍阅读

剑桥英语教学

剑桥大学出版社与评估

授权管理

Cookies与隐私保护

语料库

使用条款

京ICP备14002226号-2

©剑桥大学出版社与评估2024

剑桥词典+Plus

我的主页

+Plus 帮助

退出

词典

定义

清晰解释自然的书面和口头英语

英语

学习词典

基础英式英语

基础美式英语

翻译

点击箭头改变翻译方向。

双语词典

英语-中文(简体)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

英语-中文(繁体)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

英语-荷兰语

荷兰语-英语

英语-法语

法语-英语

英语-德语

德语-英语

英语-印尼语

印尼语-英语

英语-意大利语

意大利语-英语

英语-日语

日语-英语

英语-挪威语

挪威语-英语

英语-波兰语

波兰语-英语

英语-葡萄牙语

葡萄牙语-英语

英语-西班牙语

西班牙语-英语

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

半双语词典

英语-阿拉伯语

英语-孟加拉语

英语-加泰罗尼亚语

英语-捷克语

英语-丹麦语

English–Gujarati

英语-印地语

英语-韩语

英语-马来语

英语-马拉地语

英语-俄语

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

英语-泰语

英语-土耳其语

英语-乌克兰语

English–Urdu

英语-越南语

翻译

语法

同义词词典

Pronunciation

剑桥词典+Plus

Shop

剑桥词典+Plus

我的主页

+Plus 帮助

退出

登录 /

注册

中文 (简体)  

Change

English (UK)

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

हिंदी

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

关注我们

选择一本词典

最近的词和建议

定义

清晰解释自然的书面和口头英语

英语

学习词典

基础英式英语

基础美式英语

语法与同义词词典

对自然书面和口头英语用法的解释

英语语法

同义词词典

Pronunciation

British and American pronunciations with audio

English Pronunciation

翻译

点击箭头改变翻译方向。

双语词典

英语-中文(简体)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

英语-中文(繁体)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

英语-荷兰语

荷兰语-英语

英语-法语

法语-英语

英语-德语

德语-英语

英语-印尼语

印尼语-英语

英语-意大利语

意大利语-英语

英语-日语

日语-英语

英语-挪威语

挪威语-英语

英语-波兰语

波兰语-英语

英语-葡萄牙语

葡萄牙语-英语

英语-西班牙语

西班牙语-英语

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

半双语词典

英语-阿拉伯语

英语-孟加拉语

英语-加泰罗尼亚语

英语-捷克语

英语-丹麦语

English–Gujarati

英语-印地语

英语-韩语

英语-马来语

英语-马拉地语

英语-俄语

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

英语-泰语

英语-土耳其语

英语-乌克兰语

English–Urdu

英语-越南语

词典+Plus

词汇表

选择语言

中文 (简体)  

English (UK)

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

हिंदी

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

内容

英语-中文(简体) 

 

Noun 

fertility (PEOPLE/ANIMALS/PLANTS)

fertility (LAND)

fertility (IMAGINATION)

例句

Translations

语法

所有翻译

我的词汇表

把fertility添加到下面的一个词汇表中,或者创建一个新词汇表。

更多词汇表

前往词汇表

对该例句有想法吗?

例句中的单词与输入词条不匹配。

该例句含有令人反感的内容。

取消

提交

例句中的单词与输入词条不匹配。

该例句含有令人反感的内容。

取消

提交

FERTILITY中文(繁體)翻譯:劍橋詞典

FERTILITY中文(繁體)翻譯:劍橋詞典

詞典

翻譯

文法

同義詞詞典

+Plus

劍橋詞典+Plus

Shop

劍橋詞典+Plus

我的主頁

+Plus 幫助

退出

劍橋詞典+Plus

我的主頁

+Plus 幫助

退出

登錄

/

註冊

正體中文 (繁體)

查找

查找

英語-中文(繁體)

fertility 在英語-中文(繁體)詞典中的翻譯

fertilitynoun [ U ] uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/fəˈtɪl.ə.ti/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/fɚˈtɪl.ə.t̬i/

fertility noun [U]

(PEOPLE/ANIMALS/PLANTS)

Add to word list

Add to word list

(of animals and plants) the quality of being able to produce young or fruit

(動植物的)生殖力,繁殖能力

a fertility symbol

生殖力的象徵

declining fertility rates

下降的生育率

更多範例减少例句He runs a fertility clinic.She was prescribed fertility drugs to stimulate her ovaries.She's a leading fertility expert.She began fertility treatment at the clinic three years ago.It is thought that environmental toxins are destroying fertility.

fertility noun [U]

(LAND)

(of land) the quality of producing a large number of good quality crops

(土地的)肥沃度

the fertility of the soil

土壤的肥沃度

fertility noun [U]

(IMAGINATION)

literary (of the mind or imagination) the quality of producing a lot of unusual and interesting ideas

(頭腦)奇思妙想的能力

(fertility在劍橋英語-中文(繁體)詞典的翻譯 © Cambridge University Press)

fertility的例句

fertility

Due recognition must also be given to changes in nuptial fertility and to apparently changing perceptions of the roles of marriage and the family.

來自 Cambridge English Corpus

The small-country effect, although somewhat lower than that in the full sample, still shows fertility climbing with land area over almost the entire sample.

來自 Cambridge English Corpus

He later provided a more refined definition, referring specifically to fertility without birth control according to the number of children the couple already had.

來自 Cambridge English Corpus

One of the main arguments now advanced is that, on the whole, people's fertility behaviour is economically rational, even in primitive societies.

來自 Cambridge English Corpus

To be realistic, households must set at least investment and fertility rates.

來自 Cambridge English Corpus

It is unlikely that this heralds a decline in the total fertility of these cohorts.

來自 Cambridge English Corpus

The scheme outlined in this report shows how a quick and complete fertility investigation of the couple can be carried out in 2 months.

來自 Cambridge English Corpus

It provides an example of evaluating, from diagnosis to extension, on-far m soil fertility research in rainfed lowland rice.

來自 Cambridge English Corpus

示例中的觀點不代表劍橋詞典編輯、劍橋大學出版社和其許可證頒發者的觀點。

C1

fertility的翻譯

中文(簡體)

人/动物/植物, (动植物的)生殖力, 土地…

查看更多內容

西班牙語

fertilidad, fertilidad [feminine]…

查看更多內容

葡萄牙語

fertilidade, fertilidade [feminine]…

查看更多內容

更多語言

日語

法語

土耳其語

加泰羅尼亞語

in Dutch

阿拉伯語

捷克語

丹麥語

印尼語

泰語

越南語

波蘭語

in Swedish

馬來西亞語

德語

挪威語

韓語

in Ukrainian

意大利語

肥よく, 多産, 肥沃(ひよく)…

查看更多內容

fertilité [feminine], fécondité [feminine], fertilité…

查看更多內容

verimlilik…

查看更多內容

fertilitat…

查看更多內容

vruchtbaarheid…

查看更多內容

خُصوبة…

查看更多內容

úrodnost, plodnost…

查看更多內容

frugtbarhed, frodighed…

查看更多內容

kesuburan…

查看更多內容

ความอุดมสมบูรณ์…

查看更多內容

tình trạng màu mỡ, khả năng sinh sản…

查看更多內容

płodność, urodzajność…

查看更多內容

bördighet, fruktsamhet, fertilitet…

查看更多內容

kesuburan…

查看更多內容

die Fruchtbarkeit…

查看更多內容

fruktbarhet [masculine], fruktbarhet…

查看更多內容

비옥함…

查看更多內容

родючість, плодючість…

查看更多內容

fertilità…

查看更多內容

需要一個翻譯器嗎?

獲得快速、免費的翻譯!

翻譯器工具

fertility的發音是什麼?

在英語詞典中查看 fertility 的釋義

瀏覽

ferrule

ferry

fertile

fertile ground for something idiom

fertility

fertilization

fertilize

fertilizer

fervent

「每日一詞」

flexitarian

A flexitarian way of eating consists mainly of vegetarian food but with some meat.

關於這個

部落格

Forget doing it or forget to do it? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (2)

March 06, 2024

查看更多

新詞

stochastic parrot

March 04, 2024

查看更多

已添加至 list

回到頁面頂端

內容

英語-中文(繁體)例句翻譯

©劍橋大學出版社與評估2024

學習

學習

學習

新詞

幫助

紙本出版

Word of the Year 2021

Word of the Year 2022

Word of the Year 2023

開發

開發

開發

詞典API

連按兩下查看

搜尋Widgets

執照資料

關於

關於

關於

無障礙閱讀

劍橋英語教學

劍橋大學出版社與評估

授權管理

Cookies與隱私保護

語料庫

使用條款

京ICP备14002226号-2

©劍橋大學出版社與評估2024

劍橋詞典+Plus

我的主頁

+Plus 幫助

退出

詞典

定義

清晰解釋自然的書面和口頭英語

英語

學習詞典

基礎英式英語

基礎美式英語

翻譯

點選箭頭改變翻譯方向。

雙語詞典

英語-中文(簡體)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

英語-中文(繁體)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

英語-荷蘭文

荷蘭語-英語

英語-法語

法語-英語

英語-德語

德語-英語

英語-印尼語

印尼語-英語

英語-義大利語

義大利語-英語

英語-日語

日語-英語

英語-挪威語

挪威語-英語

英語-波蘭語

波蘭語-英語

英語-葡萄牙語

葡萄牙語-英語

英語-西班牙語

西班牙語-英語

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

半雙語詞典

英語-阿拉伯語

英語-孟加拉文

英語-加泰羅尼亞語

英語-捷克語

英語-丹麥語

English–Gujarati

英語-印地語

英語-韓語

英語-馬來語

英語-馬拉地語

英語-俄語

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

英語-泰語

英語-土耳其語

英語-烏克蘭文

English–Urdu

英語-越南語

翻譯

文法

同義詞詞典

Pronunciation

劍橋詞典+Plus

Shop

劍橋詞典+Plus

我的主頁

+Plus 幫助

退出

登錄 /

註冊

正體中文 (繁體)  

Change

English (UK)

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

हिंदी

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

關注我們!

選擇一本詞典

最近的詞和建議

定義

清晰解釋自然的書面和口頭英語

英語

學習詞典

基礎英式英語

基礎美式英語

文法與同義詞詞典

對自然書面和口頭英語用法的解釋

英語文法

同義詞詞典

Pronunciation

British and American pronunciations with audio

English Pronunciation

翻譯

點選箭頭改變翻譯方向。

雙語詞典

英語-中文(簡體)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

英語-中文(繁體)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

英語-荷蘭文

荷蘭語-英語

英語-法語

法語-英語

英語-德語

德語-英語

英語-印尼語

印尼語-英語

英語-義大利語

義大利語-英語

英語-日語

日語-英語

英語-挪威語

挪威語-英語

英語-波蘭語

波蘭語-英語

英語-葡萄牙語

葡萄牙語-英語

英語-西班牙語

西班牙語-英語

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

半雙語詞典

英語-阿拉伯語

英語-孟加拉文

英語-加泰羅尼亞語

英語-捷克語

英語-丹麥語

English–Gujarati

英語-印地語

英語-韓語

英語-馬來語

英語-馬拉地語

英語-俄語

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

英語-泰語

英語-土耳其語

英語-烏克蘭文

English–Urdu

英語-越南語

詞典+Plus

詞彙表

選擇語言

正體中文 (繁體)  

English (UK)

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

हिंदी

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

內容

英語-中文(繁體) 

 

Noun 

fertility (PEOPLE/ANIMALS/PLANTS)

fertility (LAND)

fertility (IMAGINATION)

例句

Translations

文法

所有翻譯

我的詞彙表

把fertility添加到下面的一個詞彙表中,或者創建一個新詞彙表。

更多詞彙表

前往詞彙表

對該例句有想法嗎?

例句中的單詞與輸入詞條不匹配。

該例句含有令人反感的內容。

取消

提交

例句中的單詞與輸入詞條不匹配。

該例句含有令人反感的內容。

取消

提交

FERTILITY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

FERTILITY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

Dictionary

Translate

Grammar

Thesaurus

+Plus

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Shop

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Log in

/

Sign up

English (UK)

Search

Search

English

Meaning of fertility in English

fertilitynoun [ U ] uk

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/fəˈtɪl.ə.ti/ us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/fɚˈtɪl.ə.t̬i/

fertility noun [U]

(PEOPLE/ANIMALS/PLANTS)

Add to word list

Add to word list

(of animals and plants) the quality of being able to produce young or fruit: a fertility symbol declining fertility rates

More examplesFewer examplesHe runs a fertility clinic.She was prescribed fertility drugs to stimulate her ovaries.She's a leading fertility expert.She began fertility treatment at the clinic three years ago.It is thought that environmental toxins are destroying fertility.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Animal reproduction

androgen

anti-oestrogen

asexuality

asexually

barrenness

calve

fertile

impregnate

nonreproductive

oestrogen

out-reproduce

ovulate

ovulation

panmictic

panmixia

procreate

procreation

rut

spawn

sterile

See more results »

fertility noun [U]

(LAND)

(of land) the quality of producing a large number of good quality crops: the fertility of the soil

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Fertile or infertile land

barren

barrenly

barrenness

bread basket

cultivable

denude

fertile

hardscrabble

hospitable

hostile

infertile

luscious

lushly

lushness

sterile

uncropped

uncultivable

uncultivated

unfertile

unfertilized

See more results »

fertility noun [U]

(IMAGINATION)

literary (of the mind or imagination) the quality of producing a lot of unusual and interesting ideas

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Imagining and conceiving

assume

beyond your wildest dreams idiom

blue-sky

conceivable

conceivably

guess

imagine

in your mind's eye idiom

inconceivably

lay the foundation(s) of/for idiom

look on/upon someone/something as something

manifest

reach

regard

retheorization

retheorize

revisualization

riot

run riot idiom

throw

See more results »

(Definition of fertility from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

fertility | American Dictionary

fertilitynoun [ U ] us

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

/fərˈtɪl·ɪ·t̬i/

Add to word list

Add to word list

biology the ability to produce young

(Definition of fertility from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of fertility

fertility

The scheme outlined in this report shows how a quick and complete fertility investigation of the couple can be carried out in 2 months.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Legumes for sustaining soil fertility in lowland rice.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

It provides an example of evaluating, from diagnosis to extension, on-far m soil fertility research in rainfed lowland rice.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Yet, soil fertility will be the most important constraint for organic rice production.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Due recognition must also be given to changes in nuptial fertility and to apparently changing perceptions of the roles of marriage and the family.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Fertility could be triggered by photoperiod together with increasing temperatures.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

In general, it is clear that the women who married younger tended to have lower age-specific fertility rates.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

It is described as a manual for research in agroforestry with emphasis on the effects of trees on soil and soil fertility.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

It is unlikely that this heralds a decline in the total fertility of these cohorts.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

None the less, it is vital that unusual fertility patterns are highlighted, even if the causes remain unclear.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The decline of fertility during the war contributed to the further expansion of the percentage of employed persons.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Is there a connection between poverty and fertility?

From the Cambridge English Corpus

It is therefore important in demographic research on fertility to measure precisely the length of amenorrhoea.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Farmers tend to reduce planting density as soil fertility decreases so that they obtain ears of a reasonable size.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Depending on the geographical situation, the nature of infected hosts and the sites of infection, cysts may have different fertility rates.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

See all examples of fertility

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with fertility

fertility

These are words often used in combination with fertility.Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

declining fertilityFirst, the impact of declining fertility on children's claims to social resources as their share of the population declines.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

female fertilityTable 4 gives the data on female fertility.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

fertility awarenessPatient perspectives explored emergency appointments, young people's needs, fertility awareness and patients access to their own records.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

See all collocations with fertility

What is the pronunciation of fertility?

 

C1

Translations of fertility

in Chinese (Traditional)

人/動物/植物, (動植物的)生殖力,繁殖能力, 土地…

See more

in Chinese (Simplified)

人/动物/植物, (动植物的)生殖力, 土地…

See more

in Spanish

fertilidad, fertilidad [feminine]…

See more

in Portuguese

fertilidade, fertilidade [feminine]…

See more

in more languages

in Japanese

in French

in Turkish

in Catalan

in Dutch

in Arabic

in Czech

in Danish

in Indonesian

in Thai

in Vietnamese

in Polish

in Swedish

in Malay

in German

in Norwegian

in Korean

in Ukrainian

in Italian

肥よく, 多産, 肥沃(ひよく)…

See more

fertilité [feminine], fécondité [feminine], fertilité…

See more

verimlilik…

See more

fertilitat…

See more

vruchtbaarheid…

See more

خُصوبة…

See more

úrodnost, plodnost…

See more

frugtbarhed, frodighed…

See more

kesuburan…

See more

ความอุดมสมบูรณ์…

See more

tình trạng màu mỡ, khả năng sinh sản…

See more

płodność, urodzajność…

See more

bördighet, fruktsamhet, fertilitet…

See more

kesuburan…

See more

die Fruchtbarkeit…

See more

fruktbarhet [masculine], fruktbarhet…

See more

비옥함…

See more

родючість, плодючість…

See more

fertilità…

See more

Need a translator?

Get a quick, free translation!

Translator tool

 

Browse

ferry

ferrying

fertile

fertile ground for something idiom

fertility

fertilization

fertilize

fertilized

fertilizer

Word of the Day

flexitarian

A flexitarian way of eating consists mainly of vegetarian food but with some meat.

About this

Blog

Forget doing it or forget to do it? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (2)

March 06, 2024

Read More

New Words

stochastic parrot

March 04, 2024

More new words

has been added to list

To top

Contents

EnglishAmericanExamplesCollocationsTranslations

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024

Learn

Learn

Learn

New Words

Help

In Print

Word of the Year 2021

Word of the Year 2022

Word of the Year 2023

Develop

Develop

Develop

Dictionary API

Double-Click Lookup

Search Widgets

License Data

About

About

About

Accessibility

Cambridge English

Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Consent Management

Cookies and Privacy

Corpus

Terms of Use

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Dictionary

Definitions

Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English

English

Learner’s Dictionary

Essential British English

Essential American English

Translations

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction.

Bilingual Dictionaries

English–Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

English–Chinese (Traditional)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

English–Dutch

Dutch–English

English–French

French–English

English–German

German–English

English–Indonesian

Indonesian–English

English–Italian

Italian–English

English–Japanese

Japanese–English

English–Norwegian

Norwegian–English

English–Polish

Polish–English

English–Portuguese

Portuguese–English

English–Spanish

Spanish–English

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

Semi-bilingual Dictionaries

English–Arabic

English–Bengali

English–Catalan

English–Czech

English–Danish

English–Gujarati

English–Hindi

English–Korean

English–Malay

English–Marathi

English–Russian

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

English–Thai

English–Turkish

English–Ukrainian

English–Urdu

English–Vietnamese

Translate

Grammar

Thesaurus

Pronunciation

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Shop

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

My profile

+Plus help

Log out

Log in /

Sign up

English (UK)  

Change

English (UK)

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

Nederlands

Svenska

Dansk

Norsk

हिंदी

বাঙ্গালি

मराठी

ગુજરાતી

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

Українська

Follow us

Choose a dictionary

Recent and Recommended

Definitions

Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English

English

Learner’s Dictionary

Essential British English

Essential American English

Grammar and thesaurus

Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English

Grammar

Thesaurus

Pronunciation

British and American pronunciations with audio

English Pronunciation

Translation

Click on the arrows to change the translation direction.

Bilingual Dictionaries

English–Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Simplified)–English

English–Chinese (Traditional)

Chinese (Traditional)–English

English–Dutch

Dutch–English

English–French

French–English

English–German

German–English

English–Indonesian

Indonesian–English

English–Italian

Italian–English

English–Japanese

Japanese–English

English–Norwegian

Norwegian–English

English–Polish

Polish–English

English–Portuguese

Portuguese–English

English–Spanish

Spanish–English

English–Swedish

Swedish–English

Semi-bilingual Dictionaries

English–Arabic

English–Bengali

English–Catalan

English–Czech

English–Danish

English–Gujarati

English–Hindi

English–Korean

English–Malay

English–Marathi

English–Russian

English–Tamil

English–Telugu

English–Thai

English–Turkish

English–Ukrainian

English–Urdu

English–Vietnamese

Dictionary +Plus

Word Lists

Choose your language

English (UK)  

English (US)

Español

Русский

Português

Deutsch

Français

Italiano

中文 (简体)

正體中文 (繁體)

Polski

한국어

Türkçe

日本語

Tiếng Việt

Nederlands

Svenska

Dansk

Norsk

हिंदी

বাঙ্গালি

मराठी

ગુજરાતી

தமிழ்

తెలుగు

Українська

Contents

English 

 

Noun 

fertility (PEOPLE/ANIMALS/PLANTS)

fertility (LAND)

fertility (IMAGINATION)

American 

 Noun

Examples

Collocations

Translations

Grammar

All translations

My word lists

Add fertility to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

More

Go to your word lists

Tell us about this example sentence:

The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word.

The sentence contains offensive content.

Cancel

Submit

The word in the example sentence does not match the entry word.

The sentence contains offensive content.

Cancel

Submit

fertility是什么意思_fertility的翻译_音标_读音_用法_例句_爱词霸在线词典

ility是什么意思_fertility的翻译_音标_读音_用法_例句_爱词霸在线词典首页翻译背单词写作校对词霸下载用户反馈专栏平台登录fertility是什么意思_fertility用英语怎么说_fertility的翻译_fertility翻译成_fertility的中文意思_fertility怎么读,fertility的读音,fertility的用法,fertility的例句翻译人工翻译试试人工翻译翻译全文简明柯林斯牛津fertilityCET4/CET6英 [fəˈtɪləti]美 [fərˈtɪləti]释义n.富饶; 能生育性; 可繁殖性; 想象力丰富点击 人工翻译,了解更多 人工释义实用场景例句全部肥沃肥力丰产繁殖力the fertility of the soil/land土壤的肥沃;土地的丰饶牛津词典a god of fertility丰收之神牛津词典fertility treatment (= medical help given to a person to help them have a baby)不孕症治疗牛津词典...fertile soil.肥沃的土地柯林斯高阶英语词典...the rolling fertile countryside of East Cork.科克郡东部起伏的乡间沃土柯林斯高阶英语词典...a product of Flynn's fertile imagination...弗林丰富想象力的产物柯林斯高阶英语词典A chess player must have a fertile imagination and rich sense of fantasy.一个棋手必须有丰富的想象力,并善于奇思妙想。柯林斯高阶英语词典...a fertile breeding ground for this kind of violent racism.易于滋生这种极端种族主义的温床柯林斯高阶英语词典The operation cannot be reversed to make her fertile again.手术结果不可逆转,无法让她恢复生育能力。柯林斯高阶英语词典A green manure is a crop grown mainly to improve soil fertility.种植绿肥作物主要是为使土壤更加肥沃.《简明英汉词典》Zinc also plays a vital role in fertility.锌在生育方面也有重要的作用.期刊摘选By comparison, the fertility rate in developed countries has been stable, or falling.相比而言, 发达国家的生育率很稳定, 甚至在下降.期刊摘选The fertility of the soil, so important in other crops, is less important for grapes.土壤的肥力对于其他的农作物来说是那么重要, 却是影响葡萄树生长的次要因素.期刊摘选Fertility is indicated because a narrow waist is linked to higher oestrogen levels.细腰女人生育能力强是因为细腰与雌激素分泌旺盛有关.期刊摘选The southern polder area of China has fertility soil, variegated rivers and plentiful natural resources.我国南方圩区土壤肥沃, 水网密布,资源丰富.期刊摘选Rice symbolizes productivity and fertility 11.“生米”意味着生儿育女、多子多福.期刊摘选But men are rarely given the same advice often don't worry about fertility postponing marriage children.但男性却罕被提醒,丝毫不担心推迟结婚和生子后的生育力问题.期刊摘选The sperm count is used as an indicator of male fertility.男性生育能力可以用精子数来衡量.期刊摘选No te: The analysis result acquired in the so il ofm middle fertility.注:分 析结果为中肥力土壤基本性状.期刊摘选Symbolises: spring, renewal, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, health, growth ( vegetation ) and wealth ( money ).象征: 春天, 重建, 生育 、 嫉妒 、 懂事, 健康成长 ( 植被 ) 和财富 ( 钱 ).期刊摘选They used fertility monitors to identify ovulation and confirmed the pregnancies with testing kits.他们利用生殖监视器识别排卵期,并用测试设备确认怀孕.期刊摘选In some parts of China and Europe, they're also eaten to promote fertility.在我国一些地区和欧洲, 他们也会吃鱼以促进生育能力.期刊摘选Here was a greater fertility and greater abandonment.这里更加丰饶,更加放纵.期刊摘选In a preliminary human trial, infertile couples given vitamin E showed a significant increase in fertility.在初步人体试验, 不孕夫妇服用维生素E后能显著增加生育能力.期刊摘选How will my treatment affect fertility, pregnancy or breastfeeding?我的治疗会影响我的生育 、 怀孕或者哺乳 吗 ?期刊摘选Some studies indicate a slight increase in fertility lasting about three months after a normal HSG.一些研究表明正常子宫输卵管造影后约三个月可轻微增强生育力.期刊摘选Here , the fertility rate is below 1.5 and countries are struggling in a fertility trap.这里的出生率低于1.5,这些国家在生育泥潭里面挣扎.期刊摘选She was unable to conceive a child naturally and was offered fertility treatment.她因不能自然怀孕而接受受孕治疗.《简明英汉词典》Is this also a fertility shaft?这也是生育力之柱 吗 ?期刊摘选She is taking drugs to increase her fertility.她为了增强她的生殖能力而在服药.《简明英汉词典》收起实用场景例句真题例句全部六级高考考研No one has a good answer" as to why fertility varies among countries, says sociologist Andrew Cherl in of The Johns Hopkins University.出自-2013年12月阅读原文By some studies, the safety nets for retirees have reduced fertility rates by出自-2013年12月阅读原文And if fertility in ageing countries does not pick up?出自-2010年12月阅读原文And about 200 to 215 million women don't have access to birth control they want, so that they can't control their own fertility.2017年6月六级真题(第二套)听力 Section CBetween the ages of about 12 and 50, women produce hormones that are involved in fertility (生育能力).2016年高考英语四川卷 阅读理解 七选五 原文Moreover, some have been found to have a valuable function in building up soil fertility.出自-2010年考研翻译原文收起真题例句英英释义Noun1. the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 population per year2. the state of being fertile; capable of producing offspring3. the property of producing abundantly and sustaining growth;"he praised the richness of the soil"收起英英释义词根词缀词根: fer=bring/carry,表示"带来,拿来"adj.aquiferous 含水的, 蓄水的aqui水+fer带来,拿来+ous……的→带来水的different 不同的differ[v.不同]+ent表形容词→adj.不同的fertile 肥沃的,富饶的;能繁殖的fert=fer带来,拿来+ile能……的→能带来粮食→肥沃的floriferous 有花的,开花的,多花的,花盛开的flori=flor花+fer带来,拿来+ous……的→带来花→有花的indifferent 冷漠的in不+different不同的→同与不同的"事不关已" →冷漠的inferable 能推理的, 能推论的infer[v.推论,推断]+able能……的→adj.能推理的, 能推论的inferential 推论性的infer[v.推论,推断]+ent+ial……的→adj.推论性的odoriferous 有香味的,芳香的odori=odor气味+fer带来,拿来+ous……的→带来气味的referable 可归[起]因于……的, 可归入……的; 与……有关的refer[v.参考,查询;提到,引用,涉及;提交,上呈]+able能……的→能提到的,能找到原因的→可归于……sufferable 可容忍的,可忍耐的suffer[v.受苦]+able能……的→adj.可容忍的,可忍耐的transferable 可转让的transfer[n.&v.转移;转换;转让;过户;迁移;改乘]+able能……的→adj.可转让的n.aquifer 含水土层, 蓄水层aqui水+fer带来,拿来→n.含水土层, 蓄水层conference [正式]会议;讨论,商谈confer[v.商讨;授予,颁给[勋衔,学位等]]+ence表名词→n.[正式]会议;讨论,商谈conferment 给予, 商量, 授予con共同+fer带来,拿来+ment表名词→共同带来东西→给予[奖品等]conifer 针叶树coni松果+fer带来,拿来→带来松果的树→针叶树coniferous 针叶树的,松类的,结球果的conifer[n.针叶树]+ous……的→n.针叶树的,松类的,结球果的deference 敬意,尊重defer敬从+ence表名词→n.敬意,尊重deferment 推迟;延迟defer推迟+ment表名词→n.推迟;延迟difference 不同differ[v.不同]+ence表名词→n.不同ferry 摆渡;渡船;渡口fer带来,拿来+ry状态,性质→带来带去fertility 肥沃,丰饶fertile[adj.肥沃的,富饶的;能繁殖的]+ity表名词→n.肥沃,丰饶fertilizer [fertiliser]肥料fertilize[v.使受精;施肥于,使肥沃]+er表名词→n.[fertiliser]肥料offer 出价,提议,意图of一再+fer带来,拿来→一再带来→提供offering 报盘,提供的货物offer[v.提供,提议,出现 n.出价,提议,意图]+ing表名词→n.报盘,提供的货物preference [for,to]偏爱,喜爱;优惠;优先选择prefer[v.[to]更喜欢,宁愿]+ence表名词→n.[for,to]偏爱,喜爱;优惠;优先选择proffer 提议,建议pro向前+ffer=fer带来,拿来→带到前面去→贡献出来referee [足球等]裁判员refer[v.参考,查询;提到,引用,涉及;提交,上呈]+ee人→被双方提及的人→裁判reference 提及,涉及;参考,参考书目;证明书[人]refer[v.参考,查询;提到,引用,涉及;提交,上呈]+ence表名词→n.提及,涉及;参考,参考书目;证明书[人]referendum 公民投票,居民投票refer[v.参考,查询;提到,引用,涉及;提交,上呈]+endum表名词→提出[候选人]→选举n.&v.transfer 转移;转换;转让;过户;迁移;改乘trans变换,交换+fer带→转移过去→转学,转移v.confer 商讨;授予,颁给[勋衔,学位等]con共同+fer带来,拿来→共同带来观点defer 敬从de加强+fer带来,拿来→一再带来敬意differ 不同dif不同+fer带来→带来不同→不同differentiate 区分,区别;[使]不同different[adj.不同的]+iate做→v.区分,区别;[使]不同ferry 摆渡;渡运[人,车或物等]fer带来,拿来+ry状态,性质→带来带去fertilize 使受精;施肥于,使肥沃fertile[adj.肥沃的,富饶的;能繁殖的]+ize表动词→v.使受精;施肥于,使肥沃infer 推论,推断in进入+fer带来,拿来→带来[意义]→推断offer 提供,提议,出现 of一再+fer带来,拿来→一再带来→提供prefer [to]更喜欢,宁愿pre先+fer带来→预先就带来→更喜欢proffer 献出,赠送 pro向前+ffer=fer带来,拿来→带到前面去→贡献出来refer 参考,查询;提到,引用,涉及;提交,上呈re向后+fer带来,拿来→向后回过头来[看]已经带来的→参考,查询suffer 受苦suf下面+fer带→带到下面去→受苦同义词productivity反义词n.肥沃;丰饶;丰富sterility其他释义sterility行业词典动物学生育率   能育性   医学生育力:怀孕或致孕的能力   人口出生率:年出生数与育龄妇女数之比   见rate项下的birth rate   昆虫学生育力   植物学能育[性]   海洋科学肥力   生理学生育力   胚胎学受精[能]力   又称 :受精[能]力(fertilization ability )   药学生育率   释义实用场景例句真题例句英英释义词根词缀同义词反义词行

Fertility | ovulation, hormones & infertility | Britannica

Fertility | ovulation, hormones & infertility | Britannica

Search Britannica

Click here to search

Search Britannica

Click here to search

Login

Subscribe

Subscribe

Home

Games & Quizzes

History & Society

Science & Tech

Biographies

Animals & Nature

Geography & Travel

Arts & Culture

Money

Videos

On This Day

One Good Fact

Dictionary

New Articles

History & Society

Lifestyles & Social Issues

Philosophy & Religion

Politics, Law & Government

World History

Science & Tech

Health & Medicine

Science

Technology

Biographies

Browse Biographies

Animals & Nature

Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates

Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates

Environment

Fossils & Geologic Time

Mammals

Plants

Geography & Travel

Geography & Travel

Arts & Culture

Entertainment & Pop Culture

Literature

Sports & Recreation

Visual Arts

Companions

Demystified

Image Galleries

Infographics

Lists

Podcasts

Spotlights

Summaries

The Forum

Top Questions

#WTFact

100 Women

Britannica Kids

Saving Earth

Space Next 50

Student Center

Home

Games & Quizzes

History & Society

Science & Tech

Biographies

Animals & Nature

Geography & Travel

Arts & Culture

Money

Videos

fertility

Table of Contents

fertility

Table of Contents

Introduction

References & Edit History

Related Topics

Quizzes

Characteristics of the Human Body

Facts You Should Know: The Human Body Quiz

Read Next

11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

Discover

What Is the “Ides” of March?

Ten Days That Vanished: The Switch to the Gregorian Calendar

Pro and Con: Abortion

Titanosaurs: 8 of the World's Biggest Dinosaurs

Why Did the Soviet Union Collapse?

11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

9 of the World’s Deadliest Snakes

Home

Health & Medicine

Anatomy & Physiology

Science & Tech

fertility

human reproduction

Actions

Cite

verifiedCite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.

Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

MLA

APA

Chicago Manual of Style

Copy Citation

Share

Share

Share to social media

Facebook

Twitter

URL

https://www.britannica.com/science/fertility

Give Feedback

External Websites

Feedback

Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).

Feedback Type

Select a type (Required)

Factual Correction

Spelling/Grammar Correction

Link Correction

Additional Information

Other

Your Feedback

Submit Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

Verywell Family - An Overview of Fertility

MayoClinic.com - Improving Your Fertility

WebMD - How to Boost Your Fertility

Verywell Health - Ejaculation and Male Fertility

Print

Cite

verifiedCite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.

Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

MLA

APA

Chicago Manual of Style

Copy Citation

Share

Share

Share to social media

Facebook

Twitter

URL

https://www.britannica.com/science/fertility

Feedback

External Websites

Feedback

Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).

Feedback Type

Select a type (Required)

Factual Correction

Spelling/Grammar Correction

Link Correction

Additional Information

Other

Your Feedback

Submit Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

Verywell Family - An Overview of Fertility

MayoClinic.com - Improving Your Fertility

WebMD - How to Boost Your Fertility

Verywell Health - Ejaculation and Male Fertility

Written and fact-checked by

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated:

Feb 25, 2024

Article History

Table of Contents

Category:

Science & Tech

Key People:

Severino Antinori

Gregory Pincus

(Show more)

Related Topics:

infertility

population pyramid

fertility rate

hieros gamos

total fertility rate

(Show more)

See all related content →

Recent News

Feb. 24, 2024, 2:15 AM ET (CBC)

New Brunswick's teen pregnancy rate almost twice the national average

Feb. 16, 2024, 3:37 AM ET (Newsweek)

Obscure Toxic Pesticide Found in 4 out of 5 People Tested

Feb. 14, 2024, 9:39 PM ET (Yahoo News)

Men become less fertile with age, but the same isn't true for all animals – new study

Show More

Show Less

fertility, ability of an individual or couple to reproduce through normal sexual activity. About 90 percent of healthy, fertile women are able to conceive within one year if they have intercourse regularly without contraception. Normal fertility requires the production of enough healthy sperm by the male and viable eggs by the female, successful passage of the sperm through open ducts from the male testes to the female fallopian tubes, penetration of a healthy egg, and implantation of the fertilized egg in the lining of the uterus (see reproductive system). A problem with any of these steps can cause infertility.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.

Page restricted | ScienceDirect

Page restricted | ScienceDirect

Your Browser is out of date.

Update your browser to view ScienceDirect.

View recommended browsers.

Request details:

Request ID: 861ad704af36e666-HKG

IP: 49.157.13.121

UTC time: 2024-03-09T11:49:08+00:00

Browser: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/97.0.4692.71 Safari/537.36

About ScienceDirect

Shopping cart

Contact and support

Terms and conditions

Privacy policy

Cookies are used by this site. By continuing you agree to the use of cookies.

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V., its licensors, and contributors. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. For all open access content, the Creative Commons licensing terms apply.

What Is Fertility?

What Is Fertility?

Menu

Getting Pregnant

Trying to Conceive

Signs & Symptoms

Pregnancy Tests

Challenges

Fertility Testing

Fertility Treatment

View All

Pregnancy

Weeks & Trimesters

Staying Healthy

Preparing for Baby

Complications & Concerns

Pregnancy Loss

Ages & Stages

Babies

Breastfeeding

Toddlers

School-Aged Kids

Tweens

Teens

View All

Parenting

Raising Kids

Activities

Child Care

School

Bullying

Personal Stories

View All

Kids' Health

Everyday Wellness

Safety & First Aid

Immunizations

Food & Nutrition

Fitness

Active Play

View All

What to Buy

Pregnancy Products

Baby Gear

Nursery & Sleep Products

Nursing & Feeding Products

Clothing & Accessories

Toys & Gifts

View All

Tools

Ovulation Calculator

Pregnancy Due Date Calculator

How to Talk About Postpartum Depression

About Us

Editorial Process

Meet Our Review Board

Search

Search

Clear

GO

Getting Pregnant

Trying to Conceive

Signs & Symptoms

Pregnancy Tests

Challenges

Fertility Testing

Fertility Treatment

View All

Pregnancy

Weeks & Trimesters

Staying Healthy

Preparing for Baby

Complications & Concerns

Pregnancy Loss

View All

Ages & Stages

Babies

Breastfeeding

Toddlers

School-Aged Kids

Tweens

Teens

View All

Parenting

Raising Kids

Activities

Child Care

School

Bullying

Personal Stories

View All

Kids' Health

Everyday Wellness

Safety & First Aid

Immunizations

Food & Nutrition

Fitness

Active Play

View All

What to Buy

Pregnancy Products

Baby Gear

Nursery & Sleep Products

Nursing & Feeding Products

Clothing & Accessories

Toys & Gifts

View All

More in Getting Pregnant

Trying to Conceive

Fertility Challenges

Are You Pregnant?

Tools

Ovulation Calculator

Pregnancy Due Date Calculator

How to Talk About Postpartum Depression

About Us

Editorial Process

Privacy Policy

Contact Us

Verywell Family's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Ⓒ 2024 Dotdash Media, Inc. — All rights reserved

Trying to Conceive

What Is Fertility?

By

Rachel Gurevich, RN

Updated on October 31, 2022

Medically reviewed by

Leyla Bilali, RN

Print

 istockphoto

Table of Contents

View All

Table of Contents

Signs of a Fertility Problem

Causes of Infertility

Fertility Basics

How to Boost Fertility

Fertility Testing and Treatment

Coping With Infertility

Fertility is the natural capacity to conceive a child. Fertility does not come easily to everyone. About 11% of couples will face infertility—the inability to conceive naturally after one year of unprotected sexual intercourse. Fertility is not only a female health issue. People of all genders can experience infertility, and everyone can take steps to improve their fertility.

Here's a look at what you can do to improve your fertility, increase the odds that you’ll conceive quickly, and reduce your risk of infertility.

Signs of a Fertility Problem

It’s common for a couple to only discover they have a fertility issue after they have tried to get pregnant unsuccessfully for a year. Many causes of infertility don’t have obvious symptoms. However, the following signs might indicate a fertility problem and warrant a call to a healthcare provider:

You are age 35 or older, and you've been trying get pregnant for six months.

You're younger than 35 and have had unprotected sexual intercourse for one year without getting pregnant.

You have had two or more successive pregnancy losses.

You have any risk factors for infertility.

The most common symptoms of a fertility problem are:

Irregular menstrual cycles

Unusually light or heavy bleeding and bad menstrual cramps

Unusually heavy periods or abnormal menstrual bleeding

Pelvic pain or pain during sexual intercourse

Sexual dysfunction (including erectile dysfunction or low libido)

12 Potential Signs of a Fertility Problem

Causes of Infertility

Some factors that may reduce your fertility are within your control. For example, smoking reduces fertility in men and women, so quitting is advised (for this and, of course, many other reasons). Other causes for reduced fertility are not within your control—for example, age-related fertility decline.

Age

Female fertility peaks from the early to mid-20s, and after age 35, it starts to rapidly decline. Male fertility also declines with age, though not as dramatically. While some men are still fertile after age 50, people with uteruses are completely infertile after menopause.

Chronic Diseases

Even if a disease is not directly related to the reproductive system, it can still impact fertility. Several chronic diseases, along with their treatments, can lead to fertility problems in people of any sex, including:

Diabetes

Hypothyroidism

Periodontal disease

Untreated celiac disease

Hormonal Imbalances or Diseases of the Reproductive System

Hormonal imbalances can reduce fertility or even cause infertility. For example, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and premature ovarian failure (also known as primary ovarian insufficiency) can lead to female infertility. Low testosterone can lead to male infertility.

Male infertility, either alone or together with female infertility, is the cause for why a couple can’t get pregnant at least 40% of the time.

Infection of the Reproductive Tract

Reproductive tract infections can result in infertility. The most common cause of these infections is sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). This can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in the female reproductive system. Men can also become infertile after contracting an STD.

However, not all reproductive tract infections are caused by STDs. For example, some medical procedures can cause an infection.

Medication Side Effects

Some medications may reduce fertility, including:

Allergy medications, which may dry up cervical mucusAntidepressants, which may cause fertility problems for menCertain types of cancer treatment (radiation therapy near reproductive organs)

Obesity

Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable infertility. Even being slightly overweight can reduce female fertility. Obesity can cause ovulation problems and may reduce sperm health.

Reproductive Tract Blockages or Abnormalities

Problems with the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or uterus can cause fertility problems. Issues with the testes, vas deferens, prostate gland, or seminal vesicles can cause male infertility.

Blockages or abnormalities may be present from birth (congenital abnormalities), the result of an injury or medical procedures, or occur after a disease or infection. Most commonly, blockages are caused by adhesions (scar tissue).

Many people are unaware that they have these conditions. They may cause no symptoms and go undetected during routine medical visits. But specialized fertility testing can uncover them.

Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits

Smoking, excessive drinking, and recreational drugs can reduce fertility for people of all genders. Less dramatically, more common unhealthy lifestyle habits like not getting enough sleep, too much stress, and eating an unhealthy diet may slightly reduce fertility.

Unexplained Infertility

About one in four couples never find out why they can’t conceive. This is known as unexplained infertility.

Fertility Basics

There are many steps in the fertility process. This is what needs to happen for a cisgender, heterosexual couple to conceive without assistance.

Egg and Sperm Production

A woman’s reproductive system must produce the hormones that result in ovulation, which is when an egg is released from one of the ovaries. This occurs once per month during the childbearing years.

A man’s reproductive system must produce sperm cells in the testes. After puberty, new sperm cells are generated daily.

Sexual Intercourse

A couple must have sexual intercourse (or semen must come in contact with the vaginal area) during the five to six days prior to ovulation.

During ejaculation, sperm stored in the vas deferens gets mixed together with semen created in the prostate and seminal vesicles. This mixture of sperm and fluid is forced out from the penis by a series of muscular contractions.

Fertilization

After sexual intercourse, semen collects in the cervical area. Next, sperm cells must swim out from the semen and into the cervical mucus, through the cervical opening into the uterus, and on to the fallopian tubes.

The strongest and healthiest sperm (a very small percentage of the total) linger in the fallopian tubes. After an egg is released from one of the ovaries, it enters the fallopian tubes. In the fallopian tubes, one of the waiting sperm cells burrows itself into the egg. This is the moment of fertilization.

Implantation and Pregnancy

After ovulation, the reproductive system releases a new cocktail of hormones that builds up the endometrium, or uterine lining. The fertilized egg (or embryo) goes through a series of cell divisions. As this is happening, the embryo travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus.

Once the embryo reaches the uterus, it eventually implants itself into the uterine lining, or endometrium. This occurs about four to 10 days after fertilization.

After implantation, the embryo creates both fetal cells and placental cells. The hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), or the "pregnancy hormone," will begin to be produced. About one week later, or approximately 14 days after ovulation, there is enough circulating hCG for a pregnancy test to give a positive result.

How the Female Reproductive System Works

How to Boost Fertility

While some causes of infertility can't be overcome without treatment, you can increase your odds of conception with these simple strategies.

Avoid Douching

Vaginal douching can wash away the valuable cervical mucus you need to get pregnant. Douching can also wash away good bacteria, leading to an increased risk of vaginal infection. 

Choose Lubricants Wisely

Personal lubricants, like Astroglide and KY Jelly, are harmful to sperm. However, there are sperm-friendly options, including mineral oil, canola oil, or hydroxyethylcellulose-based lubricants such as Pre-Seed and ConceivEase.

Optimize the Time You Have Sex

You want to have sexual intercourse during your fertile window, which lasts between five and eight days, and occurs just before ovulation. However, keep in mind that the day of ovulation varies; it could be as early as day 10 or as late as day 22. Your odds of conceiving the day before ovulation are between 21% and 34%, and between 8% and 17% four days before ovulation.

Assuming you and your partner are fertile, there are many methods for detecting ovulation so you can determine your fertile window, including:

Charting your body basal temperature

Checking for cervical position changes

Checking your cervical mucus

Tuning into your body’s sexual desire (your libido is higher when you’re most fertile)

Using an ovulation chart, calendar, or calculator

Have Sex More Often

If you have sex every other day or every two days, you're likely to have sex at least once or twice during your most fertile time. Many people think having sex daily is helpful, but sperm takes one or two days to fully mature and regenerate. So if you have sex every day, sperm may be immature.

Improve Your Overall Health

Research has found that some healthy lifestyle habits may lead to improved fertility, or at least a reduced risk of infertility. Making lifestyle changes may or may not impact actual infertility, and it shouldn’t be considered as equally effective as fertility treatments. For example, if your fallopian tubes are blocked, your diet isn’t going to help you conceive naturally.

Consider both making lifestyle changes and getting medical care. Some things you can do that may improve your fertility include:

Eating a wholesome diet, with lots of antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits, healthy fats like olive oil and nuts, and healthy protein

Exercising, but not over-exercising

Getting enough sleep at night, at the right hours (night-shift workers may be at a higher risk of miscarriage and infertility)

Maintaining a healthy weight—not too heavy or too thin

Practicing mind-body and relaxation techniques

Taking a folic acid supplement

Fertility Testing and Treatment

If you are concerned that you might have a fertility problem, the first person you should speak to is your gynecologist or urologist.

These doctors can perform some basic fertility testing, such as:

An hysterosalpingogram (HSG), which is a special kind of x-ray used to evaluate the uterus and fallopian tubes

Blood work to measure hormone levels

Semen analysis

If you’re feeling anxious about fertility testing, you’re not alone. Try to remember that testing is the first step to getting help.

What to Expect During Fertility Tests

Depending on your age and the results of your fertility testing, your doctor may try to treat you with low-tech fertility treatments (like Clomid, a medicine that helps stimulate ovlulation), or refer you to a reproductive endocrinologist.

A reproductive endocrinologist is a physician with special training as a fertility specialist. They work in a fertility clinic, together with other fertility technicians, doctors, and nurses. Once you’re referred to a fertility clinic, further testing may be conducted.

Your fertility treatment options will depend on the cause of your infertility, and may include:

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART): In vitro fertilization (IVF), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT)

Injectable fertility drugs: Gonadotropins (Gonal-F, Follistim, Ovidrel)

Insemination: Intracervical insemination (ICI), intrauterine insemination (IUI), intratubal insemination (ITU), intravaginal insemination (IVI)

Oral fertility drugs: Arimidex (anastrozole), Clomid (clomiphene), Femara (letrozole)

Surgery: Laparoscopic surgery, ovarian drilling

Third-party reproduction: Using an egg donor, embryo donor, sperm donor, or gestational carrier

Treatment of an underlying medical condition, or tapering of any medications causing reproductive side effects

Weight loss and other lifestyle changes

As many as 80% to 90% of couples are treated with medications or surgery. IVF is not required for the majority of infertile couples.

An Overview of 17 Fertility Treatments

Coping With Infertility

Coping with infertility is not easy. When you don’t get pregnant as quickly as you expected, it’s normal to experience stress. Research has found that women with infertility experience similar levels of psychological stress as those who face cancer, HIV, and chronic pain.

To help manage this stress, consider joining a support group. Connecting with others who understand the unique frustrations and grief of infertility can help you and your partner feel less isolated.

Self-care is also important. In addition to eating healthy, exercising, and getting enough sleep, self-care also means managing stress. Mind-body therapies like yoga and acupuncture can help reduce fertility stress.

You might also want to get involved in the life of a child, whether through friends or family or with a volunteer group. While being around children may be painful during the early days of infertility, over time some people find involvement with kids to be a healing experience.

You should also feel empowered to seek professional help if you need it. A trained infertility counselor can help you better navigate the anxiety and depression that often accompany infertility.

Coping When Trying to Get Pregnant Overwhelms You

A Word From Verywell

If you’re facing infertility, you have a reason for hope. The majority of couples will be able to get pregnant with the help of fertility treatments, surgery, or lifestyle changes. For those who don’t conceive even with help, there are alternative options for family building or moving on with your life.

Whatever you do, don’t keep your fertility problems a secret. There is no reason to be ashamed, and you don’t need to deal with infertility alone. Loved ones want to help, so let them.

10 Sources

Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institutes of Health. How common is infertility?.

Direkvand-Moghadam A, Delpisheh A, Khosravi A. Epidemiology of female infertility; A review of literature. Biosciences Biotech Res Asia. 2013;10(2):559-567. doi:10.13005/bbra/1165

Turner KA, Rambhatla A, Schon S, et al. Male infertility is a women’s health issue—research and clinical evaluation of male infertility is needed. Cells. 2020;9(4):990. doi:10.3390/cells9040990

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). PID statistics.

Ozcan Dag Z, Dilbaz B. Impact of obesity on infertility in women. J Turkish German Gynecol Assoc. 2015;16(2):111-117. doi:10.5152/jtgga.2015.15232

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Douching.

Steiner AZ, Long DL, Tanner C, Herring AH. Effect of vaginal lubricants on natural fertility. Obstet Gynecol. 2012;120(1):44-51. doi:10.1097/AOG.0b013e31825b87ae

Stirnemann JJ, Samson A, Bernard J-P, Thalabard J-C. Day-specific probabilities of conception in fertile cycles resulting in spontaneous pregnancies. Hum Reprod. 2013;28(4):1110-1116. doi:10.1093/humrep/des449

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. What infertility treatments are available?.

Schwerdtfeger KL, Shreffler KM. Trauma of pregnancy loss and infertility among mothers and involuntarily childless women in the United States. J Loss Trauma. 2009;14(3):211-227. doi:10.1080/15325020802537468

Additional Reading

American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Quick facts about infertility.

By Rachel Gurevich, RN

Rachel Gurevich is a fertility advocate, author, and recipient of The Hope Award for Achievement, from Resolve: The National Infertility Association. She is a professional member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and has been writing about women’s health since 2001. Rachel uses her own experiences with infertility to write compassionate, practical, and supportive articles.

See Our Editorial Process

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?

Helpful

Report an Error

Other

Submit

Related Articles

The 8 Best Ovulation Tests, According to OB-GYNs

What Is Conception?

When Does Conception Occur? Here's How Long It Takes to Get Pregnant

What to Expect During a Semen Analysis and What the Results Mean

Receiving a Diagnosis of Infertility

Week 2 of Your Pregnancy

What Is Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)?

7 Things to Know Before Your First Appointment With a Fertility Doctor

Should I Get My Fertility Tested Even if I'm Not Ready for Kids?

The 7 Best Fertility Supplements of 2024, According to a Dietitian

What to Do When You Can't Get Pregnant

Fertility Tests for Couples

When Does Implantation Occur in Pregnancy?

Talking to Your Doctor About Getting Pregnant

Overview of Fertility Treatments

Why Am I Not Getting Pregnant? 9 Possible Reasons

Daily Parenting Advice to Your Inbox

Sign Up

You're in!

Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.

There was an error. Please try again.

Getting Pregnant

Pregnancy

Ages and Stages

Parenting

Kids' Health

Meet Our Review Board

About Us

Editorial Process

Diversity Pledge

Privacy Policy

In the News

Advertise

Terms of Service

Careers

Contact

Follow Us

Verywell Family's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Ⓒ 2024 Dotdash Media, Inc. — All rights reserved

Verywell Family is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.

Infertility

Infertility

Global

Regions

WHO Regional websites

Africa

Americas

South-East Asia

Europe

Eastern Mediterranean

Western Pacific

When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select.

Select language

Select language

English

العربية

中文

Français

Русский

Español

Home

Health Topics

All topicsABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Resources

Fact sheets

Facts in pictures

Multimedia

Publications

Questions and answers

Tools and toolkits

Popular

COVID-19

Dengue

Herpes

Hypertension

Mental disorders

Top 10 causes of death

Countries

All countriesABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Regions

Africa

Americas

Europe

Eastern Mediterranean

South-East Asia

Western Pacific

WHO in countries

Cooperation strategies

Data by country

Newsroom

All news

News releases

Statements

Campaigns

Events

Feature stories

Speeches

Commentaries

Photo library

Headlines

Emergencies

Focus on

Afghanistan

Cholera 

Greater Horn of Africa

Israel and occupied Palestinian territory

Sudan

Ukraine

Latest

Disease Outbreak News

Situation reports

Weekly Epidemiological Record

WHO in emergencies

Surveillance

Operations

Research

Funding

Partners

Health emergency appeal

International Health Regulations

Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee

Data

Data at WHO

Classifications

Data collections

Global Health Estimates

Mortality Database

Sustainable Development Goals

Dashboards

COVID-19

Health Inequality Monitor

Triple Billion

Highlights

Data collection tools

Global Health Observatory

Insights and visualizations

SCORE

Reports

COVID excess deaths

World Health Statistics

About WHO

About WHO

Partnerships

Committees and advisory groups

Collaborating centres

Technical teams

Organizational structure

Who we are

Our work

Activities

Initiatives

Global Programme of Work

WHO Academy

Funding

Investment case

WHO Foundation

Accountability

Audit

Financial statements

Programme budget

Results Report

Governance

Governing bodies

World Health Assembly

Executive Board

Member States Portal

Home/

Newsroom/

Fact sheets/

Detail/

Infertility

WHO/G. Borrero

Father providing Kangaroo Mother Care in Da Nang Hospital for Women and Children.

©

Credits

Infertility

3 April 2023

Key facts

Infertility is a disease of the male or female reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.

Infertility affects millions of people – and has an impact on their families and communities. Estimates suggest that approximately one in every six people of reproductive age worldwide experience infertility in their lifetime.

In the male reproductive system, infertility is most commonly caused by problems in the ejection of semen (1), absence or low levels of sperm, or abnormal shape (morphology) and movement (motility) of the sperm.

In the female reproductive system, infertility may be caused by a range of abnormalities of the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, and the endocrine system, among others.

Infertility can be primary or secondary. Primary infertility is when a pregnancy has never been achieved by a person, and secondary infertility is when at least one prior pregnancy has been achieved.

Fertility care encompasses the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility. Equal and equitable access to fertility care remains a challenge in most countries; particularly in low and middle-income countries. Fertility care is rarely prioritized in national universal health coverage benefit packages.

What causes infertility?Infertility may be caused by a number of different factors, in either the male or female reproductive systems. However, it is sometimes not possible to explain the causes of infertility.In the female reproductive system, infertility may be caused by:tubal disorders such as blocked fallopian tubes, which are in turn caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or complications of unsafe abortion, postpartum sepsis or abdominal/pelvic surgery;uterine disorders which could be inflammatory in nature (such as such endometriosis), congenital in nature (such as septate uterus), or benign in nature (such as fibroids);disorders of the ovaries, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and other follicular disorders;disorders of the endocrine system causing imbalances of reproductive hormones. The endocrine system includes hypothalamus and the pituitary glands. Examples of common disorders affecting this system include pituitary cancers and hypopituitarism.The relative importance of these causes of female infertility may differ from country to country, for example due to differences in the background prevalence of STIs, or differing ages of populations studied (4).In the male reproductive system, infertility may be caused by:obstruction of the reproductive tract causing dysfunctionalities in the ejection of semen. This blockage can occur in the tubes that carry semen (such as ejaculatory ducts and seminal vesicles). Blockages are commonly due to injuries or infections of the genital tract.hormonal disorders leading to abnormalities in hormones produced by the pituitary gland, hypothalamus and testicles. Hormones such as testosterone regulate sperm production. Example of disorders that result in hormonal imbalance include pituitary or testicular cancers.testicular failure to produce sperm, for example due to varicoceles or medical treatments that impair sperm-producing cells (such as chemotherapy).abnormal sperm function and quality. Conditions or situations that cause abnormal shape (morphology) and movement (motility) of the sperm negatively affect fertility. For example, the use of anabolic steroids can cause abnormal semen parameters such sperm count and shape (5).Lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol intake and obesity can affect fertility. In addition, exposure to environmental pollutants and toxins can be directly toxic to gametes (eggs and sperm), resulting in their decreased numbers and poor quality (5,6).Why addressing infertility is important?Every human being has a right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Individuals and couples have the right to decide the number, timing and spacing of their children. Infertility can negate the realization of these essential human rights. Addressing infertility is therefore an important part of realizing the right of individuals and couples to found a family (7).A wide variety of people, including heterosexual couples, same-sex partners, older persons, individuals who are not in sexual relationships and those with certain medical conditions, such as some HIV sero-discordant couples and cancer survivors, may require infertility management and fertility care services. Inequities and disparities in access to fertility care services adversely affect the poor, unmarried, uneducated, unemployed and other marginalized populations.Addressing infertility can also mitigate gender inequality. Although both women and men can experience infertility, women in a relationship with a man are often perceived to suffer from infertility, regardless of whether they are infertile or not. Infertility has significant negative social impacts on the lives of infertile couples and particularly women, who frequently experience violence, divorce, social stigma, emotional stress, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. In some settings, fear of infertility can deter women and men from using contraception if they feel socially pressured to prove their fertility at an early age because of a high social value of childbearing.  In such situations, education and awareness-raising interventions to address understanding of the prevalence and determinants of fertility and infertility is essential.Addressing challengesAvailability, access, and quality of interventions to address infertility remain a challenge in most countries. Diagnosis and treatment of infertility is often not prioritized in national population and development policies and reproductive health strategies and are rarely covered through public health financing. Moreover, a lack of trained personnel and the necessary equipment and infrastructure, and the currently high costs of treatment medicines, are major barriers even for countries that are actively addressing the needs of people with infertility.While assisted reproduction technologies (ART) have been available for more than three decades, with more than 5 million children born worldwide from ART interventions such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), these technologies are still largely unavailable, inaccessible and unaffordable in many parts of the world, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). Government policies could mitigate the many inequities in access to safe and effective fertility care. To effectively address infertility, health policies need to recognize that infertility is a disease that can often be prevented, thereby mitigating the need for costly and poorly accessible treatments. Incorporating fertility awareness in national comprehensive sexuality education programmes, promoting healthy lifestyles to reduce behavioural risks, including prevention, diagnosis and early treatment of STIs, preventing complications of unsafe abortion, postpartum sepsis and abdominal/pelvic surgery, and addressing environmental toxins associated with infertility, are policy and programmatic interventions that all governments can implement.In addition, enabling laws and policies that regulate third party reproduction and ART are essential to ensure universal access without discrimination and to protect and promote the human rights of all parties involved. Once fertility policies are in place, it is essential to ensure that their implementation is monitored, and the quality of services is continually improved.WHO responseWHO recognizes that the provision of high-quality services for family-planning, including fertility care services, is one of the core elements of reproductive health. Recognizing the importance and impact of infertility on people’s quality of life and well-being, WHO is committed to addressing infertility and fertility care by:Collaborating with partners to conduct global epidemiological and etiological research into infertility.Engaging and facilitating policy dialogue with countries worldwide to frame infertility within an enabling legal and policy environment.Supporting the generation of data on the burden of infertility to inform resource allocation and provision of services.Developing guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of male and female infertility, as part of the global norms and standards of quality care related to fertility care.Continually revising and updating other normative products, including the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen.Collaborating with relevant stakeholders including academic centres, ministries of health, other UN organizations, non-state actors (NSAs) and other partners to strengthen political commitment, availability and health system capacity to deliver fertility care globally.Providing country-level technical support to member states to develop or strengthen implementation of national fertility policies and services.ReferencesWorld Health Organization (WHO). International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) Geneva: WHO 2018.Mascarenhas MN, Flaxman SR, Boerma T, et al. National, regional, and global trends in infertility prevalence since 1990: a systematic analysis of 277 health surveys. PLoS Med 2012;9(12):e1001356. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001356 [published Online First: 2012/12/29]Boivin J, Bunting L, Collins JA, et al. International estimates of infertility prevalence and treatment-seeking: potential need and demand for infertility medical care. Human reproduction (Oxford, England) 2007;22(6):1506-12. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dem046 [published Online First: 2007/03/23]Rutstein SO, Shah IH. Infecundity infertility and childlessness in developing countries. Geneva: World Health Organization 2004.Gore AC, Chappell VA, Fenton SE, et al. EDC-2: The Endocrine Society's Second Scientific Statement on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Endocrine Reviews 2015;36(6):E1-E150. doi: 10.1210/er.2015-1010Segal TR, Giudice LC. Before the beginning: environmental exposures and reproductive and obstetrical outcomes. Fertility and Sterility 2019;112(4):613-21.Zegers‐Hochschild F, Dickens BM, Dughman‐Manzur S. Human rights to in vitro fertilization. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics 2013;123(1):86-89.

Related

Infertility Prevalence Estimates, 1990–2021 

Fact sheets

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

10 July 2023

Regions

Africa

Americas

Eastern Mediterranean

Europe

South-East Asia

Western Pacific

Policies

Cyber security

Ethics

Permissions and licensing

Preventing sexual exploitation

Terms of use

About us

Careers

Library

Procurement

Publications

Frequently asked questions

Contact us

Report misconduct

Privacy policy

©

2024

WHO

Just a moment...

a moment...Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue

Environmental factors in declining human fertility | Nature Reviews Endocrinology

Environmental factors in declining human fertility | Nature Reviews Endocrinology

Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain

the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in

Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles

and JavaScript.

Advertisement

View all journals

Search

Log in

Explore content

About the journal

Publish with us

Subscribe

Sign up for alerts

RSS feed

nature

nature reviews endocrinology

review articles

article

Review Article

Published: 15 December 2021

Environmental factors in declining human fertility

Niels E. Skakkebæk 

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4282-80201,2,3, Rune Lindahl-Jacobsen4, Hagai Levine5, Anna-Maria Andersson 

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7300-16591,2, Niels Jørgensen 

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4827-08381,2, Katharina M. Main1,2,3, Øjvind Lidegaard3,6, Lærke Priskorn1,2, Stine A. Holmboe1,2, Elvira V. Bräuner 

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9183-47961,2, Kristian Almstrup 

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1832-03071,2, Luiz R. Franca7, Ariana Znaor 

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5849-47828, Andreas Kortenkamp 

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9055-97299, Roger J. Hart 

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6610-304010,11 & …Anders Juul1,2,3 Show authors

Nature Reviews Endocrinology

volume 18, pages 139–157 (2022)Cite this article

7686 Accesses

103 Citations

276 Altmetric

Metrics details

Subjects

Endocrine reproductive disordersEndocrinology

AbstractA severe decline in child births has occurred over the past half century, which will lead to considerable population declines, particularly in industrialized regions. A crucial question is whether this decline can be explained by economic and behavioural factors alone, as suggested by demographic reports, or to what degree biological factors are also involved. Here, we discuss data suggesting that human reproductive health is deteriorating in industrialized regions. Widespread infertility and the need for assisted reproduction due to poor semen quality and/or oocyte failure are now major health issues. Other indicators of declining reproductive health include a worldwide increasing incidence in testicular cancer among young men and alterations in twinning frequency. There is also evidence of a parallel decline in rates of legal abortions, revealing a deterioration in total conception rates. Subtle alterations in fertility rates were already visible around 1900, and most industrialized regions now have rates below levels required to sustain their populations. We hypothesize that these reproductive health problems are partially linked to increasing human exposures to chemicals originating directly or indirectly from fossil fuels. If the current infertility epidemic is indeed linked to such exposures, decisive regulatory action underpinned by unconventional, interdisciplinary research collaborations will be needed to reverse the trends.Key points

Industrialized regions have birth rates so low that their populations cannot be sustained; declines in birth rates are generally ascribed to socioeconomic and cultural factors, although human infertility is widespread.

Decreasing fertility rates were already recorded around 1900 in Denmark, a few decades after the beginning of utilization of fossil fuels that were, and still are, drivers of modern industrialization and wealth.

We hypothesize that declines in fertility rates might be linked to exposures to chemicals originating from fossil fuels causing human reproductive problems and cancer; early gestation might be a sensitive period.

The current unsustainable birth rates will eventually result in decreasing populations.

A key research challenge remains: how to distinguish biological from socioeconomic and behavioural factors?

Access through your institution

Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Access through your institution

Change institution

Buy or subscribe

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journalsGet Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription24,99 € / 30 dayscancel any timeLearn moreSubscribe to this journalReceive 12 print issues and online access195,33 € per yearonly 16,28 € per issueLearn moreRent or buy this articlePrices vary by article typefrom$1.95to$39.95Learn morePrices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Log in

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Read our FAQs

Contact customer support

Fig. 1: Total fertility rates in the European Union, Japan and the USA, 1960–2018.Fig. 2: Total fertility rate, Denmark, 1901–2019.Fig. 3: Changes in average sperm concentrations 1973–2011.Fig. 4: Testicular cancer incidence trends in selected countries/regions worldwide.Fig. 5: Illustration of epigenetic drift.Fig. 6: Adverse outcome pathway network for the induction of male reproductive malformations.Fig. 7: Expression of the embryonic marker OCT4 in adult germ cell neoplasia in situ is similar to expression in germ cells (gonocytes) in normal fetal gonads.Fig. 8: Testicular dysgenesis syndrome.Fig. 9: Levels of unsustainable fertility rates and population sizes (newborn babies) over three generations.

ReferencesVollset, S. E. et al. Fertility, mortality, migration, and population scenarios for 195 countries and territories from 2017 to 2100: a forecasting analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet 396, 1285–1306 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Lee, S. J., Li, L. & Hwang, J. Y. After 20 years of low fertility, where are the obstetrician-gynecologists? Obstet. Gynecol. Sci. 64, 407–418 (2021).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Lutz, W., O’Neill, B. C. & Scherbov, S. Demographics. Europe’s population at a turning point. Science 299, 1991–1992 (2003).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

GBD 2017 Population and Fertility Collaborators. Population and fertility by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1950-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet 392, 1995–2051 (2018).Article 

Google Scholar 

Zegers-Hochschild, F. et al. The international glossary on infertility and fertility care, 2017. Hum. Reprod. 32, 1786–1801 (2017).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Priskorn, L., Dahl, C. L., Pihl, A. S., Skakkebaek, N. E. & Juul, A. High maternal age at first and subsequent child births in Denmark in the mid-1800s–Letter to the editor. Eur. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Reprod. Biol. 241, 137–138 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Fellman, J. & Eriksson, A. W. Temporal differences in the regional twinning rates in Sweden after 1750. Twin Res. 6, 183–191 (2003).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Blomberg, J. M., Priskorn, L., Jensen, T. K., Juul, A. & Skakkebaek, N. E. Temporal trends in fertility rates: a vationwide registry based study from 1901 to 2014. PloS ONE 10, e0143722 (2015).Article 

Google Scholar 

Lackie, E. & Fairchild, A. The birth control pill, thromboembolic disease, science and the media: a historical review of the relationship. Contraception 94, 295–302 (2016).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Sandström, G., Marklund, E. Fertility differentials in Sweden during the first half of the twentieth century: the changing effect of female labor force participation and occupational field. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Chicago, 27–29 April 2017.Skakkebaek, N. E. et al. Populations, decreasing fertility, and reproductive health. Lancet 393, 1500–1501 (2019).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Oeppen, J. & Vaupel, J. W. Demography. Broken limits to life expectancy. Science 296, 1029–1031 (2002).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Statistics Bureau of Japan. Japan’s Population Estimates Released https://www.stat.go.jp/english/info/news/1910.html (2010).Tillotson, J. E. America’s obesity: conflicting public policies, industrial economic development, and unintended human consequences. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 24, 617–643 (2004).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Haagen-Smit, A. J. A lesson from the smog capital of the world. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 67, 887–897 (1970).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Wang, F., Zheng, P., Dai, J., Wang, H. & Wang, R. Fault tree analysis of the causes of urban smog events associated with vehicle exhaust emissions: a case study in Jinan, China. Sci. Total. Environ. 668, 245–253 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

World Health Organization. State of the Science of Endocrine Disputing Chemicals – 2012. https://www.unep.org/resources/publication/state-science-endocrine-disputing-chemicals-ipcp-2012 (2013).Crinnion, W. J. The CDC fourth national report on human exposure to environmental chemicals: what it tells us about our toxic burden and how it assist environmental medicine physicians. Altern. Med. Rev. 15, 101–109 (2010).PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Bergman, A. et al. The impact of endocrine disruption: a consensus statement on the state of the science. Environ. Health Perspect. 121, A104–A106 (2013).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Andersson, A. M. et al. Adverse trends in male reproductive health: we may have reached a crucial ‘tipping point’. Int. J. Androl. 31, 74–80 (2008).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Christin-Maitre, S. History of oral contraceptive drugs and their use worldwide. Best. Pract. Res. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 27, 3–12 (2013).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Mears, E. Clinical trials of oral contraceptives. Br. Med. J. 2, 1179–1183 (1961).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Finer, L. B. & Zolna, M. R. Declines in unintended pregnancy in the United States, 2008-2011. N. Engl. J. Med. 374, 843–852 (2016).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Mumford, S. L., Sapra, K. J., King, R. B., Louis, J. F. & Buck Louis, G. M. Pregnancy intentions–a complex construct and call for new measures. Fertil. Steril. 106, 1453–1462 (2016).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Sedgh, G. et al. Abortion incidence between 1990 and 2014: global, regional, and subregional levels and trends. Lancet 388, 258–267 (2016).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Jatlaoui, T. C. et al. Abortion surveillance – United States, 2016. MMWR Surveill. Summ. 68, 1–41 (2019).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Jensen, T. K. et al. Declining trends in conception rates in recent birth cohorts of native Danish women: a possible role of deteriorating male reproductive health. Int. J. Androl. 31, 81–92 (2008).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Lassen, T. H. et al. Trends in rates of natural conceptions among Danish women born during 1960-1984. Hum. Reprod. 27, 2815–2822 (2012).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Hognert, H. et al. High birth rates despite easy access to contraception and abortion: a cross-sectional study. Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Scand. 96, 1414–1422 (2017).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Lidegaard, Ø. et al. Pregnancy loss: A 40-year nationwide assessment. Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Scand. 99, 1492–1496 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Rossen, L. M., Ahrens, K. A. & Branum, A. M. Trends in risk of pregnancy loss among US women, 1990-2011. Paediatr. Perinat. Epidemiol. 32, 19–29 (2018).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Tong, S. & Short, R. V. Dizygotic twinning as a measure of human fertility. Hum. Reprod. 13, 95–98 (1998).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Asklund, C. et al. Twin pregnancy possibly associated with high semen quality. Hum. Reprod. 22, 751–755 (2007).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Pison, G., Monden, C. & Smits, J. Twinning rates in developed countries: trends and explanations. Popul. Dev. Rev. 41, 629–649 (2015).Article 

Google Scholar 

Präg, P. & Mills, M. C. in Childlessness in Europe: Contexts, Causes, and Consequences (eds Kreyenfeld, M. & Konietzka, D.) 289–309 (Springer, 2017).Bracken, M. B. Oral contraception and twinning: an epidemiologic study. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 133, 432–434 (1979).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Rachootin, P. & Olsen, J. Secular changes in the twinning rate in Denmark 1931 to 1977. Scand. J. Soc. Med. 8, 89–94 (1980).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Olsen, J. & Rachootin, P. The end of the decline in twinning rates? Scand. J. Soc. Med. 11, 119 (1983).CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Andersen, A. N. & Erb, K. Register data on assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Europe including a detailed description of ART in Denmark. Int. J. Androl. 29, 12–16 (2006).Article 

Google Scholar 

De Geyter, C. et al. ART in Europe, 2015: results generated from European registries by ESHRE. Hum. Reprod. Open 2020, hoz038 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Kamphuis, E. I., Bhattacharya, S., van der Veen, F., Mol, B. W. & Templeton, A. Are we overusing IVF? BMJ 348, g252 (2014).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Sundhedsdatastyrelsen. Assisteret Reproduktion 2019. https://docplayer.dk/204335156-Assisteret-reproduktion-2019.html (2019).Garcia, D., Brazal, S., Rodriguez, A., Prat, A. & Vassena, R. Knowledge of age-related fertility decline in women: a systematic review. Eur. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Reprod. Biol. 230, 109–118 (2018).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Habbema, J. D., Eijkemans, M. J., Leridon, H. & te Velde, E. R. Realizing a desired family size: when should couples start? Hum. Reprod. 30, 2215–2221 (2015).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Hassan, M. A. & Killick, S. R. Effect of male age on fertility: evidence for the decline in male fertility with increasing age. Fertil. Steril. 79 (Suppl 3), 1520–1527 (2003).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Tsao, C. W. et al. Exploration of the association between obesity and semen quality in a 7630 male population. PLoS ONE 10, e0119458 (2015).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Nieschlag, E., Lammers, U., Freischem, C. W., Langer, K. & Wickings, E. J. Reproductive functions in young fathers and grandfathers. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 55, 676–681 (1982).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Ge, Z. J., Schatten, H., Zhang, C. L. & Sun, Q. Y. Oocyte ageing and epigenetics. Reproduction 149, R103–R114 (2015).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Gruhn, J. R. et al. Chromosome errors in human eggs shape natural fertility over reproductive life span. Science 365, 1466–1469 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Handyside, A. H. Molecular origin of female meiotic aneuploidies. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1822, 1913–1920 (2012).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Newman, J. E., Fitzgerlad, O., Paul, R. C. & Chambers, G. M. Assisted reproductive technology in Australia and New Zealand 2017. https://npesu.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/npesu/data_collection/Assisted%20Reproductive%20Technology%20in%20Australia%20and%20New%20Zealand%202017.pdf (2019).Neels, K., Murphy, M., Ni Bhrolchain, M. & Beaujouan, E. Rising educational participation and the trend to later childbearing. Popul. Dev. Rev. 43, 667–693 (2017).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Joham, A. E., Palomba, S. & Hart, R. Polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity, and pregnancy. Semin. Reprod. Med. 34, 93–101 (2016).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Koninckx, P. R. et al. The epidemiology of endometriosis is poorly known as the pathophysiology and diagnosis are unclear. Best. Pract. Res. Clin. Obstet. Gynaecol. 71, 14–26 (2021).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Noriega, N. C., Ostby, J., Lambright, C., Wilson, V. S. & Gray, L. E. Jr. Late gestational exposure to the fungicide prochloraz delays the onset of parturition and causes reproductive malformations in male but not female rat offspring. Biol. Reprod. 72, 1324–1335 (2005).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Buck Louis, G. M. et al. Paternal exposures to environmental chemicals and time-to-pregnancy: overview of results from the LIFE study. Andrology 4, 639–647 (2016).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Lum, K. J., Sundaram, R., Barr, D. B., Louis, T. A. & Buck Louis, G. M. Perfluoroalkyl chemicals, menstrual cycle length, and fecundity: findings from a prospective pregnancy study. Epidemiology 28, 90–98 (2017).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Mínguez-Alarcón, L. & Gaskins, A. J. Female exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals and fecundity: a review. Curr. Opin. Obstet. Gynecol. 29, 202–211 (2017).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Buck Louis, G. M., Kannan, K., Sapra, K. J., Maisog, J. & Sundaram, R. Urinary concentrations of benzophenone-type ultraviolet radiation filters and couples’ fecundity. Am. J. Epidemiol. 180, 1168–1175 (2014).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Smarr, M. M., Sundaram, R., Honda, M., Kannan, K. & Louis, G. M. Urinary concentrations of parabens and other antimicrobial chemicals and their association with couples’ fecundity. Environ. Health Perspect. 125, 730–736 (2017).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Abu-Halima, M. et al. Panel of five microRNAs as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and assessment of male infertility. Fertil. Steril. 102, 989–997 (2014).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Steinmetz, R., Brown, N. G., Allen, D. L., Bigsby, R. M. & Ben-Jonathan, N. The environmental estrogen bisphenol A stimulates prolactin release in vitro and in vivo. Endocrinology 138, 1780–1786 (1997).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Steinmetz, R. et al. The xenoestrogen bisphenol A induces growth, differentiation, and c-fos gene expression in the female reproductive tract. Endocrinology 139, 2741–2747 (1998).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Spearow, J. L., Doemeny, P., Sera, R., Leffler, R. & Barkley, M. Genetic variation in susceptibility to endocrine disruption by estrogen in mice. Science 285, 1259–1261 (1999).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Spearow, J. L. et al. Genetic variation in physiological sensitivity to estrogen in mice. APMIS 109, 356–364 (2001).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Spearow, J. L. & Barkley, M. Reassessment of models used to test xenobiotics for oestrogenic potency is overdue. Hum. Reprod. 16, 1027–1029 (2001).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Amann, R. P. & Howards, S. S. Daily spermatozoal production and epididymal spermatozoal reserves of the human male. J. Urol. 124, 211–215 (1980).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Franca, L. R., Russell, L. D. & Cummins, J. M. Is human spermatogenesis uniquely poor? Ann. Rev. Biomed. Sci. 4, 19–40 (2002).

Google Scholar 

Short, R. V. The testis: the witness of the mating system, the site of mutation and the engine of desire. Acta Paediatr. Suppl. 422, 3–7 (1997).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Hess, R. A. & França, L. R. in Molecular Mechanisms in Spermatogenesis (ed. Cheng, C.) 1–15 (Landes Bioscience, 2007).França, L. R., Ogawa, T., Avarbock, M. R., Brinster, R. L. & Russell, L. D. Germ cell genotype controls cell cycle during spermatogenesis in the rat. Biol. Reprod. 59, 1371–1377 (1998).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

França, L. R., Avelar, G. F. & Almeida, F. F. Spermatogenesis and sperm transit through the epididymis in mammals with emphasis on pigs. Theriogenology 63, 300–318 (2005).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Carlsen, E., Giwercman, A., Keiding, N. & Skakkebæk, N. E. Evidence for decreasing quality of semen during past 50 years. BMJ 305, 609–613 (1992).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Levine, H. et al. Temporal trends in sperm count: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Hum. Reprod. Update 23, 646–659 (2017).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Huang, C. et al. Decline in semen quality among 30,636 young Chinese men from 2001 to 2015. Fertil. Steril. 107, 83–88.e2 (2017).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Yuan, H. F. et al. Decline in semen concentration of healthy Chinese adults: evidence from 9357 participants from 2010 to 2015. Asian J. Androl. 20, 379–384 (2018).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Huang, X. et al. Association of exposure to ambient fine particulate matter constituents with semen quality among men attending a fertility center in China. Environ. Sci. Technol. 53, 5957–5965 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Priskorn, L. et al. Average sperm count remains unchanged despite reduction in maternal smoking: results from a large cross-sectional study with annual investigations over 21 years. Hum. Reprod. 33, 998–1008 (2018).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Jørgensen, N. et al. Human semen quality in the new millennium: a prospective cross-sectional population-based study of 4867 men. BMJ Open 2, e000990 (2012).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Bonde, J. P. E. et al. Relation between semen quality and fertility: a population-based study of 430 first-pregnancy planners. Lancet 352, 1172–1177 (1998).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Guzick, D. S. et al. Sperm morphology, motility, and concentration in fertile and infertile men. N. Engl. J. Med. 345, 1388–1393 (2001).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Slama, R. et al. Time to pregnancy and semen parameters: a cross-sectional study among fertile couples from four European cities. Hum. Reprod. 17, 503–515 (2002).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

World Health Organization. WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240030787 (2021).Skakkebaek, N. E. Normal reference ranges for semen quality and their relations to fecundity. Asian J. Androl. 12, 95–98 (2010).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Skakkebæk, N. E., Rajpert-De Meyts, E. & Main, K. M. Testicular dysgenesis syndrome: an increasingly common developmental disorder with environmental aspects. Hum. Reprod. 16, 972–978 (2001).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Clemmesen, J. A doubling of morbidity from testis carcinoma in Copenhagen, 1943–1962. APMIS 72, 348–349 (1968).CAS 

Google Scholar 

Znaor, A. et al. Testicular cancer incidence predictions in Europe 2010-2035: a rising burden despite population ageing. Int. J. Cancer 147, 820–828 (2020).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Møller, H. Clues to the aetiology of testicular germ cell tumours from descriptive epidemiology. Eur. Urol. 23, 8–15 (1993).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Bergström, R. et al. Increase in testicular cancer incidence in six European countries: a birth cohort phenomenon. J. Natl Cancer Inst. 88, 727–733 (1996).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Grumet, R. F. & MacMahon, B. Trends in mortality from neoplasms of the testis. Cancer 11, 790–797 (1958).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Case, R. A. Cohort analysis of cancer mortality in England and Wales; 1911–1954 by site and sex. Br. J. Prev. Soc. Med. 10, 172–199 (1956).CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Sung, H. et al. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J. Clin. 71, 209–249 (2021).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Bray, F. et al. Cancer incidence in five continents, Vol. XI (electronic version). Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer. https://ci5.iarc.fr/CI5-XI/Default.aspx (2017).International Agency for Research on Cancer. CI5plus: Cancer Incidence in Five Continents Time Trends. http://ci5.iarc.fr/CI5plus/Default.aspx (2018).Znaor, A., Lortet-Tieulent, J., Jemal, A. & Bray, F. International variations and trends in testicular cancer incidence and mortality. Eur. Urol. 65, 1095–1106 (2014).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Harbuz, R. et al. A recurrent deletion of DPY19L2 causes infertility in man by blocking sperm head elongation and acrosome formation. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 88, 351–361 (2011).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Dam, A. H. et al. Homozygous mutation in SPATA16 is associated with male infertility in human globozoospermia. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 81, 813–820 (2007).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Tüttelmann, F., Ruckert, C. & Röpke, A. Disorders of spermatogenesis: perspectives for novel genetic diagnostics after 20 years of unchanged routine. Med. Genet. 30, 12–20 (2018).PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Krausz, C. & Riera-Escamilla, A. Genetics of male infertility. Nat. Rev. Urol. 15, 369–384 (2018).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Nagirnaja, L. et al. Variant PNLDC1, defective piRNA processing, and azoospermia. N. Engl. J. Med. 385, 707–719 (2021).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Kasak, L. & Laan, M. Monogenic causes of non-obstructive azoospermia: challenges, established knowledge, limitations and perspectives. Hum. Genet. 140, 135–154 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Barban, N. et al. Genome-wide analysis identifies 12 loci influencing human reproductive behavior. Nat. Genet. 48, 1462–1472 (2016).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Stolk, L. et al. Loci at chromosomes 13, 19 and 20 influence age at natural menopause. Nat. Genet. 41, 645–647 (2009).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Day, F. R. et al. Genomic analyses identify hundreds of variants associated with age at menarche and support a role for puberty timing in cancer risk. Nat. Genet. 49, 834–841 (2017).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Ruth, K. S. et al. Genome-wide association study of anti-Müllerian hormone levels in pre-menopausal women of late reproductive age and relationship with genetic determinants of reproductive lifespan. Hum. Mol. Genet. 28, 1392–1401 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Stolk, L. et al. Meta-analyses identify 13 loci associated with age at menopause and highlight DNA repair and immune pathways. Nat. Genet. 44, 260–268 (2012).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Lutzmann, M. et al. MCM8- and MCM9-deficient mice reveal gametogenesis defects and genome instability due to impaired homologous recombination. Mol. Cell 47, 523–534 (2012).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Cavalli, G. & Heard, E. Advances in epigenetics link genetics to the environment and disease. Nature 571, 489–499 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Almstrup, K. et al. Pubertal development in healthy children is mirrored by DNA methylation patterns in peripheral blood. Sci. Rep. 6, 28657 (2016).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Chen, S. et al. Age at onset of different pubertal signs in boys and girls and differential DNA methylation at age 10 and 18 years: an epigenome-wide follow-up study. Hum. Reprod. Open 2020, hoaa006 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Kresovich, J. K. et al. Reproduction, DNA methylation and biological age. Hum. Reprod. 34, 1965–1973 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Meehan, R. R., Thomson, J. P., Lentini, A., Nestor, C. E. & Pennings, S. DNA methylation as a genomic marker of exposure to chemical and environmental agents. Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 45, 48–56 (2018).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Almstrup, K., Frederiksen, H., Andersson, A. M. & Juul, A. Levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals are associated with changes in the peri-pubertal epigenome. Endocr. Connect. 9, 845–857 (2020).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Tobi, E. W. et al. DNA methylation signatures link prenatal famine exposure to growth and metabolism. Nat. Commun. 5, 5592 (2014).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Richmond, R. C. et al. Prenatal exposure to maternal smoking and offspring DNA methylation across the lifecourse: findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Hum. Mol. Genet. 24, 2201–2217 (2015).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Leitão, E. et al. The sperm epigenome does not display recurrent epimutations in patients with severely impaired spermatogenesis. Clin. Epigenet. 12, 61 (2020).Article 

Google Scholar 

Soubry, A. et al. Human exposure to flame-retardants is associated with aberrant DNA methylation at imprinted genes in sperm. Environ. Epigenet. 3, dvx003 (2017).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Wu, H. et al. Preconception urinary phthalate concentrations and sperm DNA methylation profiles among men undergoing IVF treatment: a cross-sectional study. Hum. Reprod. 32, 2159–2169 (2017).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Greeson, K. W. et al. Detrimental effects of flame retardant, PBB153, exposure on sperm and future generations. Sci. Rep. 10, 8567 (2020).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Beck, D., Sadler-Riggleman, I. & Skinner, M. K. Generational comparisons (F1 versus F3) of vinclozolin induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of sperm differential DNA methylation regions (epimutations) using MeDIP-Seq. Environ. Epigenet 3, dvx016 (2017).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Nätt, D. & Öst, A. Male reproductive health and intergenerational metabolic responses from a small RNA perspective. J. Intern. Med. 288, 305–320 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Trigg, N. A., Eamens, A. L. & Nixon, B. The contribution of epididymosomes to the sperm small RNA profile. Reproduction 157, R209–R223 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Sharma, U. et al. Biogenesis and function of tRNA fragments during sperm maturation and fertilization in mammals. Science 351, 391–396 (2016).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Grandjean, V. et al. RNA-mediated paternal heredity of diet-induced obesity and metabolic disorders. Sci. Rep. 5, 18193 (2015).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Xu, H. et al. MicroRNA expression profile analysis in sperm reveals hsa-mir-191 as an auspicious omen of in vitro fertilization. BMC Genomics 21, 165 (2020).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Kong, A. et al. Rate of de novo mutations and the importance of father’s age to disease risk. Nature 488, 471–475 (2012).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Nybo Andersen, A. M. & Urhoj, S. K. Is advanced paternal age a health risk for the offspring? Fertil. Steril. 107, 312–318 (2017).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Whorton, D., Milby, T. H., Krauss, R. M. & Stubbs, H. A. Testicular function in DBCP exposed pesticide workers. J. Occup. Med. 21, 161–166 (1979).CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Goldsmith, J. R., Potashnik, G. & Israeli, R. Reproductive outcomes in families of DBCP-exposed men. Arch. Environ. Health 39, 85–89 (1984).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Potashnik, G., Goldsmith, J. & Insler, V. Dibromochloropropane-induced reduction of the sex-ratio in man. Andrologia 16, 213–218 (1984).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Skakkebaek, N. E. et al. Male reproductive disorders and fertility trends: influences of environment and genetic susceptibility. Physiol. Rev. 96, 55–97 (2016).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Messiaen, S. et al. Rad54 is required for the normal development of male and female germ cells and contributes to the maintainance of their genome integrity after genotoxic stress. Cell Death Dis. 4, e774 (2013).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Mandl, A. M., Beaumont, H. M. & Hughes, G. C. in Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the Reproductive System (eds Carlson, W. D. & Gassner, F. X.) 165 (Pergamon Press, 1964).Mandl, A. M. The radiosensitivity of germ cells. Biol. Rev. 39, 288–371 (1964).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Gray, L. E. Jr. et al. Perinatal exposure to the phthalates DEHP, BBP, and DINP, but not DEP, DMP, or DOTP, alters sexual differentiation of the male rat. Toxicol. Sci. 58, 350–365 (2000).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Fisher, J. S., Macpherson, S., Marchetti, N. & Sharpe, R. M. Human “testicular dysgenesis syndrome”: a possible model using in-utero exposure of the rat to dibutyl phthalate. Hum. Reprod. 18, 1383–1394 (2003).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Gray, L. E. Jr., Ostby, J. S. & Kelce, W. R. Developmental effects of an environmental antiandrogen: the fungicide vinclozolin alters sex differentiation of the male rat. Toxixol. Appl. Pharmacol. 129, 46–52 (1994).Article 

CAS 

Google Scholar 

Hass, U. et al. Combined exposure to anti-androgens exacerbates disruption of sexual differentiation in the rat. Environ. Health Perspect. 115 (Suppl 1), 122–128 (2007).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Welsh, M. et al. Identification in rats of a programming window for reproductive tract masculinization, disruption of which leads to hypospadias and cryptorchidism. J. Clin. Invest. 118, 1479–1490 (2008).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Van den Driesche, S. et al. Experimentally induced testicular dysgenesis syndrome originates in the masculinization programming window. JCI Insight 2, e91204 (2017).PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Kortenkamp, A. Which chemicals should be grouped together for mixture risk assessments of male reproductive disorders? Mol. Cell Endocrinol. 499, 110581 (2020).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Howdeshell, K. L., Hotchkiss, A. K. & Gray, L. E. Jr Cumulative effects of antiandrogenic chemical mixtures and their relevance to human health risk assessment. Int. J. Hyg. Environ. Health 220, 179–188 (2017).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Gray, L. E. Jr & Ostby, J. S. In utero 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) alters reproductive morphology and function in female rat offspring. Toxixol. Appl. Pharmacol. 133, 285–294 (1995).Article 

CAS 

Google Scholar 

Lovekamp-Swan, T. & Davis, B. J. Mechanisms of phthalate ester toxicity in the female reproductive system. Environ. Health Perspect. 111, 139–145 (2003).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Guerra, M. T., Scarano, W. R., de Toledo, F. C., Franci, J. A. & Kempinas Wde, G. Reproductive development and function of female rats exposed to di-eta-butyl-phthalate (DBP) in utero and during lactation. Reprod. Toxicol. 29, 99–105 (2010).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Johansson, H. K. L. et al. Putative adverse outcome pathways for female reproductive disorders to improve testing and regulation of chemicals. Arch. Toxicol. 94, 3359–3379 (2020).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Mocarelli, P. et al. Perinatal exposure to low doses of dioxin can permanently impair human semen quality. Environ. Health Perspect. 119, 713–718 (2011).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Hardell, L., van Bavel, B., Lindstrom, G., Eriksson, M. & Carlberg, M. In utero exposure to persistent organic pollutants in relation to testicular cancer risk. Int. J. Androl. 29, 228–234 (2006).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Krysiak-Baltyn, K. et al. Association between chemical pattern in breast milk and congenital cryptorchidism: modelling of complex human exposures. Int. J. Androl. 35, 294–302 (2012).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Main, K. M. et al. Flame retardants in placenta and breast milk and cryptorchidism in newborn boys. Environ. Health Perspect. 115, 1519–1526 (2007).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Hemminki, K. & Li, X. Cancer risks in Nordic immigrants and their offspring in Sweden. Eur. J. Cancer 38, 2428–2434 (2002).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Schmiedel, S., Schuz, J., Skakkebæk, N. E. & Johansen, C. Testicular germ cell cancer incidence in an immigration perspective, Denmark, 1978 to 2003. J. Urol. 183, 1378–1382 (2010).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Myrup, C. et al. Testicular cancer risk in first- and second-generation immigrants to Denmark. J. Natl Cancer Inst. 100, 41–47 (2008).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Nielsen, H., Nielsen, M. & Skakkebæk, N. E. The fine structure of a possible carcinoma-in-situ in the seminiferous tubules in the testis of four infertile men. APMIS 82, 235–248 (1974).CAS 

Google Scholar 

Almstrup, K. et al. Genomic and gene expression signature of the pre-invasive testicular carcinoma in situ. Cell Tissue Res. 322, 159–165 (2005).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Almstrup, K. et al. Embryonic stem cell-like features of testicular carcinoma in situ revealed by genome-wide gene expression profiling. Cancer Res. 64, 4736–4743 (2004).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Moch, H., Cubilla, A. L., Humphrey, P. A., Reuter, V. E. & Ulbright, T. M. The 2016 WHO classification of tumours of the urinary system and male genital organs–part a: renal, penile, and testicular tumours. Eur. Urol. 70, 93–105 (2016).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Sharpe, R. M. & Skakkebæk, N. E. Testicular dysgenesis syndrome: mechanistic insights and potential new downstream effects. Fertil. Steril. 89, e33–e38 (2008).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Lottrup, G. et al. Identification of a novel androgen receptor mutation in a family with multiple components compatible with the testicular dysgenesis syndrome. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 98, 2223–2229 (2013).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Depue, R. H., Pike, M. C. & Henderson, B. E. Cryptorchidism and testicular cancer. J. Natl Cancer Inst. 77, 830–832 (1986).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Moller, H. & Skakkebæk, N. E. Risks of testicular cancer and cryptorchidism in relation to socio-economic status and related factors: case-control studies in Denmark. Int. J. Cancer 66, 287–293 (1996).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Krabbe, S. et al. High incidence of undetected neoplasia in maldescended testes. Lancet 313, 999–1000 (1979).Article 

Google Scholar 

Serrano, T., Chevrier, C., Multigner, L., Cordier, S. & Jegou, B. International geographic correlation study of the prevalence of disorders of male reproductive health. Hum. Reprod. 28, 1974–1986 (2013).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Jørgensen, N. et al. East-West gradient in semen quality in the Nordic-Baltic area: a study of men from the general population in Denmark, Norway, Estonia and Finland. Hum. Reprod. 17, 2199–2208 (2002).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Berthelsen, J. G. & Skakkebæk, N. E. Gonadal function in men with testis cancer. Fertil. Steril. 39, 68–75 (1983).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Berthelsen, J. G. Andrological Aspects of Testicular Cancer 9–44 (Scriptor, 1984).Petersen, P. M. et al. Impaired testicular function in patients with carcinoma in situ of the testis. J. Clin. Oncol. 17, 173–179 (1999).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Jacobsen, R. et al. Risk of testicular cancer in men with abnormal semen characteristics: cohort study. Br. Med. J. 321, 789–792 (2000).Article 

CAS 

Google Scholar 

Andersson, A. M. et al. Secular decline in male testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin serum levels in Danish population surveys. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 92, 4696–4705 (2007).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Travison, T. G., Araujo, A. B., O’Donnell, A. B., Kupelian, V. & McKinlay, J. B. A population-level decline in serum testosterone levels in American men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 92, 196–202 (2007).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Sharma, R., Harlev, A., Agarwal, A. & Esteves, S. C. Cigarette smoking and semen quality: a new meta-analysis examining the effect of the 2010 World Health Organization Laboratory Methods for the Examination of Human Semen. Eur. Urol. 70, 635–645 (2016).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Jensen, T. K. et al. Association of in utero exposure to maternal smoking with reduced semen quality and testis size in adulthood: a cross-sectional study of 1,770 young men from the general population in five European countries. Am. J. Epidemiol. 159, 49–58 (2004).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Ramlau-Hansen, C. H. et al. Is prenatal exposure to tobacco smoking a cause of poor semen quality? A follow-up study. Am. J. Epidemiol. 165, 1372–1379 (2007).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Jensen, T. K. et al. Adult and prenatal exposures to tobacco smoke as risk indicators of fertility among 430 Danish couples. Am. J. Epidemiol. 148, 992–997 (1998).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Radin, R. G. et al. Active and passive smoking and fecundability in Danish pregnancy planners. Fertil. Steril. 102, 183–191.e2 (2014).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Sapra, K. J., Barr, D. B., Maisog, J. M., Sundaram, R. & Buck Louis, G. M. Time-to-pregnancy associated with couples’ use of tobacco products. Nicotine Tob. Res. 18, 2154–2161 (2016).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Wesselink, A. K. et al. Prospective study of cigarette smoking and fecundability. Hum. Reprod. 34, 558–567 (2019).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Holmboe, S. A. et al. Use of e-cigarettes associated with lower sperm counts in a cross-sectional study of young men from the general population. Hum. Reprod. 35, 1693–1701 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Gundersen, T. D. et al. Association between use of marijuana and male reproductive hormones and semen quality: a study among 1,215 healthy young men. Am. J. Epidemiol. 182, 473–481 (2015).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Nassan, F. L. et al. Marijuana smoking and markers of testicular function among men from a fertility centre. Hum. Reprod. 34, 715–723 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Jensen, T. K. et al. Does moderate alcohol consumption affect fertility? Follow up study among couples planning first pregnancy. BMJ 317, 505–510 (1998).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Ricci, E. et al. Semen quality and alcohol intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod. Biomed. Online 34, 38–47 (2017).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Salas-Huetos, A., James, E. R., Aston, K. I., Jenkins, T. G. & Carrell, D. T. Diet and sperm quality: nutrients, foods and dietary patterns. Reprod. Biol. 19, 219–224 (2019).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Nassan, F. L. et al. Association of dietary patterns with testicular function in young Danish men. JAMA Netw. Open 3, e1921610 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Grieger, J. A. et al. Pre-pregnancy fast food and fruit intake is associated with time to pregnancy. Hum. Reprod. 33, 1063–1070 (2018).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Lee, S., Min, J. Y., Kim, H. J. & Min, K. B. Association between the frequency of eating non-home-prepared meals and women infertility in the United States. J. Prev. Med. Public Health 53, 73–81 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Hatch, E. E. et al. Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and fecundability in a North American preconception cohort. Epidemiology 29, 369–378 (2018).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Supramaniam, P. R., Mittal, M., McVeigh, E. & Lim, L. N. The correlation between raised body mass index and assisted reproductive treatment outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence. Reprod. Health 15, 34 (2018).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Mushtaq, R. et al. Effect of male body mass index on assisted reproduction treatment outcome: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod. Biomed. Online 36, 459–471 (2018).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Sermondade, N. et al. BMI in relation to sperm count: an updated systematic review and collaborative meta-analysis. Hum. Reprod. Update 19, 221–231 (2013).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Ma, J. et al. Association between BMI and semen quality: an observational study of 3966 sperm donors. Hum. Reprod. 34, 155–162 (2019).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Vaamonde, D., Da Silva-Grigoletto, M. E., Garcia-Manso, J. M., Barrera, N. & Vaamonde-Lemos, R. Physically active men show better semen parameters and hormone values than sedentary men. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 112, 3267–3273 (2012).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Gaskins, A. J. et al. Physical activity and television watching in relation to semen quality in young men. Br. J. Sports Med. 49, 265–270 (2015).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Lalinde-Acevedo, P. C. et al. Physically active men show better semen parameters than their sedentary counterparts. Int. J. Fertil. Steril. 11, 156–165 (2017).CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Sun, B. et al. Physical activity and sedentary time in relation to semen quality in healthy men screened as potential sperm donors. Hum. Reprod. 34, 2330–2339 (2019).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Hajizadeh Maleki, B. & Tartibian, B. Moderate aerobic exercise training for improving reproductive function in infertile patients: a randomized controlled trial. Cytokine 92, 55–67 (2017).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Ritchie, H. & Roser, M. Fossil fuels. Our World in Data https://ourworldindata.org/fossil-fuels (2020).Thompson, R. C., Moore, C. J., vom Saal, F. S. & Swan, S. H. Plastics, the environment and human health: current consensus and future trends. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci. 364, 2153–2166 (2009).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Francis, M. About 7% of fossil fuels are consumed for non-combustion use in the United States. U.S. Energy Information System https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=35672 (2018).Festel, G., Evans, D. & Jackson, B. Trade sustainability impact assessment for the negotiations of a partnership and cooperation agreement between the EU and China. https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2008/september/tradoc_140583.pdf (2008).Woodruff, T. J., Zota, A. R. & Schwartz, J. M. Environmental chemicals in pregnant women in the US: NHANES 2003-2004. Environ. Health Perspect. 119, 878–885 (2011).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Rogan, W. J. et al. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) in human milk: effects of maternal factors and previous lactation. Am. J. Public Health 76, 172–177 (1986).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Fang, J., Nyberg, E., Bignert, A. & Bergman, A. Temporal trends of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in mothers’ milk from Sweden, 1972-2011. Environ. Int. 60, 224–231 (2013).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Frederiksen, H. et al. UV filters in matched seminal fluid-, urine-, and serum samples from young men. J. Expo. Sci. Environ. Epidemiol. 31, 345–355 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Apel, P. et al. Time course of phthalate cumulative risks to male developmental health over a 27-year period: biomonitoring samples of the German Environmental Specimen Bank. Environ. Int. 137, 105467 (2020).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Lewtas, J. Air pollution combustion emissions: characterization of causative agents and mechanisms associated with cancer, reproductive, and cardiovascular effects. Mutat. Res. 636, 95–133 (2007).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Vohra, K. et al. Global mortality from outdoor fine particle pollution generated by fossil fuel combustion: results from GEOS-Chem. Environ. Res. 195, 110754 (2021).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Bamberger, M. et al. Surface water and groundwater analysis using aryl hydrocarbon and endocrine receptor biological assays and liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry in Susquehanna County, PA. Environ. Sci. Process. Impacts 21, 988–998 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Harville, E. W., Shankar, A., Zilversmit, L. & Buekens, P. The Gulf oil spill, miscarriage, and infertility: the GROWH study. Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 91, 47–56 (2018).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Mocarelli, P., Brambilla, P., Gerthoux, P. M., Patterson, D. G. Jr & Needham, L. L. Change in sex ratio with exposure to dioxin. Lancet 348, 409–409 (1996).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Silva, M. J. et al. Urinary levels of seven phthalate metabolites in the U.S. population from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2000. Environ. Health Perspect. 112, 331–338 (2004).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Colborn, T. & Clement, C. Chemically-Induced Alterations in Sexual and Functional Development: the Wildlife/Human Connection (Princeton Scientific, 1992).Baskin, L. S., Himes, K. & Colborn, T. Hypospadias and endocrine disruption: is there a connection? Environ. Health Perspect. 109, 1175–1183 (2001).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Hauser, R. et al. Male reproductive disorders, diseases, and costs of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the European union. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 100, 1267–1277 (2015).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Rajpert-De Meyts, E., McGlynn, K. A., Okamoto, K., Jewett, M. A. & Bokemeyer, C. Testicular germ cell tumours. Lancet 387, 1762–1774 (2016).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Sallmén, M., Weinberg, C. R., Baird, D. D., Lindbohm, M. L. & Wilcox, A. J. Has human fertility declined over time? Why we may never know. Epidemiology 16, 494–499 (2005).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Joffe, M. et al. Studying time to pregnancy by use of a retrospective design. Am. J. Epidemiol. 162, 115–124 (2005).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Ahrenfeldt, L. J. et al. Heritability of subfertility among Danish twins. Fertil. Steril. 114, 618–627 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Buck, G. M. et al. Prospective pregnancy study designs for assessing reproductive and developmental toxicants. Environ. Health Perspect. 112, 79–86 (2004).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Scheike, T. H. & Keiding, N. Design and analysis of time-to-pregnancy. Stat. Methods Med. Res. 15, 127–140 (2006).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Slama, R. et al. Feasibility of the current-duration approach to studying human fecundity. Epidemiology 17, 440–449 (2006).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Hatch, E. E. et al. Evaluation of selection bias in an internet-based study of pregnancy planners. Epidemiology 27, 98–104 (2016).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

KOSIS. Vital statistics of Korea. https://kosis.kr/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=101&tblId=DT_1B8000F&language=en (2021).Leal, M. C. & França, L. R. The seminiferous epithelium cycle length in the black tufted-ear marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) is similar to humans. Biol. Reprod. 74, 616–624 (2006).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

de Oliveira, C. F. A., Lara, N., Cardoso, B. R. L., de França, L. R. & de Avelar, G. F. Comparative testis structure and function in three representative mice strains. Cell Tissue Res. 382, 391–404 (2020).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Garner, D. L. & Hafez, E. S. E. Spermatozoa and seminal plasma. in Reproduction in Farm Animals (ed. Hafez, E. S. E.) 165–187 (Lea and Febiger, 1993).Valle Rdel, R. et al. Semen characteristics of captive common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus): a comparison of a German with a Brazilian colony. J. Med. Primatol. 43, 225–230 (2014).Article 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Bezerra, M. J. B. et al. Major seminal plasma proteome of rabbits and associations with sperm quality. Theriogenology 128, 156–166 (2019).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Okamura, A. et al. Broken sperm, cytoplasmic droplets and reduced sperm motility are principal markers of decreased sperm quality due to organophosphorus pesticides in rats. J. Occup. Health 51, 478–487 (2009).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Prins, G. in Encyclopedia of Reproduction Vol. 4 (eds Knobil, E. & Neill, J. D.) 360–367 (Academic, 1998).Bhattacharjee, R. et al. Targeted disruption of glycogen synthase kinase 3A (GSK3A) in mice affects sperm motility resulting in male infertility. Biol. Reprod. 92, 65 (2015).Article 

PubMed 

PubMed Central 

Google Scholar 

Harris, T., Marquez, B., Suarez, S. & Schimenti, J. Sperm motility defects and infertility in male mice with a mutation in Nsun7, a member of the Sun domain-containing family of putative RNA methyltransferases. Biol. Reprod. 77, 376–382 (2007).Article 

CAS 

PubMed 

Google Scholar 

Download referencesAcknowledgementsWe thank M. Laversanne from the International Agency for Research on Cancer for assistance with the first draft of Fig. 4. Where authors are identified as personnel of the International Agency for Research on Cancer/World Health Organization, the authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this article and they do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy or views of the International Agency for Research on Cancer/World Health Organization. The authors acknowledge financial support from the Innovation Fund Denmark, Danish Ministry of Environment (CEHOS), Danish Ministry of Health, The ReproUnion consortium/EU Interreg ÖKS, Brazilian institutions (CNPq and CAPES) and Minas Gerais State Foundation (FAPEMIG). Finally, the authors thank A. Wahlberg, Department of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen, and K. Kjær, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, for most valuable discussions prior to writing the paper.Author informationAuthors and AffiliationsDepartment of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital — Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, DenmarkNiels E. Skakkebæk, Anna-Maria Andersson, Niels Jørgensen, Katharina M. Main, Lærke Priskorn, Stine A. Holmboe, Elvira V. Bräuner, Kristian Almstrup & Anders JuulInternational Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkNiels E. Skakkebæk, Anna-Maria Andersson, Niels Jørgensen, Katharina M. Main, Lærke Priskorn, Stine A. Holmboe, Elvira V. Bräuner, Kristian Almstrup & Anders JuulDepartment of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkNiels E. Skakkebæk, Katharina M. Main, Øjvind Lidegaard & Anders JuulDepartment of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, DenmarkRune Lindahl-JacobsenSchool of Public Health, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelHagai LevineDepartment of Gynecology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkØjvind LidegaardDepartment of Morphology, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, BrazilLuiz R. Franca Cancer Surveillance Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, FranceAriana ZnaorDivision of Environmental Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UKAndreas KortenkampDivision of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, AustraliaRoger J. HartFertility Specialists of Western Australia, Bethesda Hospital, Claremont, Western Australia, AustraliaRoger J. HartAuthorsNiels E. SkakkebækView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarRune Lindahl-JacobsenView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarHagai LevineView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarAnna-Maria AnderssonView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarNiels JørgensenView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarKatharina M. MainView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarØjvind LidegaardView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarLærke PriskornView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarStine A. HolmboeView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarElvira V. BräunerView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarKristian AlmstrupView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarLuiz R. FrancaView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarAriana ZnaorView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarAndreas KortenkampView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarRoger J. HartView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarAnders JuulView author publicationsYou can also search for this author in

PubMed Google ScholarContributionsN.E.S., R.L.-J., A.-M.A., S.A.H., E.V.B., K.A., L.R.F., A.Z., R.J.H. and A.J. researched data for the article, contributed substantially to discussion of the content, wrote the article and reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission. H.L., N.J., K.M.M., Ø.L. and A.K. contributed substantially to discussion of the content, wrote the article and reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission. L.P. researched data for the article, contributed substantially to discussion of the content and reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission.Corresponding authorCorrespondence to

Niels E. Skakkebæk.Ethics declarations

Competing interests

R.J.H. is the Medical Director of Fertility Specialists of Western Australia and has equity interests in Western IVF. The other authors declare no competing interests.

Additional informationPeer review informationNature Reviews Endocrinology thanks A.-S. Parent and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.Publisher’s noteSpringer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.Related linksDatabank, World Development Indicators: https://databank.worldbank.org/reports.aspx?source=world-development-indicatorsFamily Planning 2020: https://www.familyplanning2020.org/Statistics Denmark: http://www.statistikbanken.dk/statbank5a/default.asp?w=1600Supplementary informationSupplementary InformationRights and permissionsReprints and permissionsAbout this articleCite this articleSkakkebæk, N.E., Lindahl-Jacobsen, R., Levine, H. et al. Environmental factors in declining human fertility.

Nat Rev Endocrinol 18, 139–157 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-021-00598-8Download citationAccepted: 03 November 2021Published: 15 December 2021Issue Date: March 2022DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-021-00598-8Share this articleAnyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:Get shareable linkSorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.Copy to clipboard

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

This article is cited by

A bivariate Poisson regression to analyse impact of outlier women on correlation between female schooling and fertility in Malawi

Tsirizani Mwalimu Kaombe

BMC Women's Health (2024)

Bisphenol A Negatively Impacts Human Sperm MicroRNA and Protein Profiles

Joana SantiagoMarketa SimkováMargarida Fardilha

Exposure and Health (2024)

Reversing Uteropathies Including Cancer-Like Changes in Mice by Transplanting Mesenchymal Stromal Cells or XAR Treatment

Pushpa SinghS. M. MetkariDeepa Bhartiya

Stem Cell Reviews and Reports (2024)

Frequency, morbidity and equity — the case for increased research on male fertility

Sarah KimminsRichard A. AndersonMoira K. O’Bryan

Nature Reviews Urology (2024)

The impact of epigenetic landscape on ovarian cells in infertile older women undergoing IVF procedures

Giulia SguegliaSalvatore LongobardiCarmela Dell’Aversana

Clinical Epigenetics (2023)

Access through your institution

Buy or subscribe

Access through your institution

Change institution

Buy or subscribe

Advertisement

Explore content

Research articles

Reviews & Analysis

News & Comment

Current issue

Collections

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Subscribe

Sign up for alerts

RSS feed

About the journal

Aims & Scope

About the Editors

Journal Information

Journal Credits

Journal Metrics

Publishing model

Editorial input and checks

Editorial Values Statement

Editorial policies

Web Feeds

Posters

Conferences

Contact

Publish with us

For Authors

For Referees

Submit manuscript

Search

Search articles by subject, keyword or author

Show results from

All journals

This journal

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Explore articles by subject

Find a job

Guide to authors

Editorial policies

Nature Reviews Endocrinology (Nat Rev Endocrinol)

ISSN 1759-5037 (online)

ISSN 1759-5029 (print)

nature.com sitemap

About Nature Portfolio

About us

Press releases

Press office

Contact us

Discover content

Journals A-Z

Articles by subject

Protocol Exchange

Nature Index

Publishing policies

Nature portfolio policies

Open access

Author & Researcher services

Reprints & permissions

Research data

Language editing

Scientific editing

Nature Masterclasses

Research Solutions

Libraries & institutions

Librarian service & tools

Librarian portal

Open research

Recommend to library

Advertising & partnerships

Advertising

Partnerships & Services

Media kits

Branded

content

Professional development

Nature Careers

Nature

Conferences

Regional websites

Nature Africa

Nature China

Nature India

Nature Italy

Nature Japan

Nature Korea

Nature Middle East

Privacy

Policy

Use

of cookies

Your privacy choices/Manage cookies

Legal

notice

Accessibility

statement

Terms & Conditions

Your US state privacy rights

© 2024 Springer Nature Limited

Close banner

Close

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Email address

Sign up

I agree my information will be processed in accordance with the Nature and Springer Nature Limited Privacy Policy.

Close banner

Close

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox.

Sign up for Nature Briefing