Men’s reproductive health matters
Reproduction has been historically perceived as a “women’s issue.” From healthcare to gender norms to reproductive politics, men’s reproductive health deserves to be spotlighted in a disparate society where we continue to overlook a vital piece of the infertility puzzle: sperm.
The sperm count “crisis” warns that falling sperm counts are a threat to the future of humankind; however, scientists fail to consider alternative explanations for the apparent link between low sperm count and fertility. While sperm count is important, it may not be the defining predictor of fertility — we need to take a look at sperm health.
Male infertility contributes to about one-third of infertility cases worldwide, but women have shouldered the blame for the inability to conceive. With the rise of reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization, women’s bodies have become meticulously targeted and used as guinea pigs for frontline treatments to treat any male factor fertility problem.
We see a common pattern of women being warned to watch out for their daily diet as well as smoking and drinking habits for the sake of their reproductive health but never the same precaution for men. Lifestyle choices such as alcohol and drug use can damage sperm and lower sperm numbers. Recent research shows that men’s health before conception can damage sperm and result in pregnancy outcomes such as miscarriage, birth defects and childhood illnesses.
The impact of reproductive toxins on male infertility also deserves further investigation. Environmental exposure to endocrine disruptors, a class of hormone-mimicking chemicals commonly found in everyday toiletry products, was found to decrease the quality and motility of sperm — these dangerous threats to reproductive health can be recognized and prevented.
Rene Almeling, a sociologist of medicine and author of “GUYnecology: The Missing Science of Men’s Reproductive Health,” argues that science still lacks basic knowledge when it comes to sperm. In medicine, there are two large specialities dedicated to women’s reproductive health — obstetrics and gynecology — with no comparable specialty for men’s reproductive health.
If we continue to focus only on women’s health, we are neglecting the reproductive risk associated with men’s bodies and perpetuating unfair gender norms that surround reproductive politics. The implicit association of reproductive health with women’s health memorializes the message that reproduction is still just a women’s issue. This conflation does a disservice to women and widens the knowledge gap for couples who wish to conceive.
The absence of a male birth control pill illuminates the need to revisit an important research agenda: alternative male contraceptive options. The fact that females bear most of the financial and health-related burden for contraception is unfair; there is an abundance of fertility treatments available for women while condoms and vasectomy are the only two male birth control options. It is worth continuing the effort to understand male infertility and move toward shared contraceptive responsibility.
We see a rise in women’s health campaigns led by organizations such as American Women Medical Student Association but a serious lack of discussion on men’s health. Men’s health needs to be incorporated in fertility summits to empower men’s understanding and control over their own reproductive health. Hospitals should promote infographics and offer resources on men’s health — taking care of your reproductive health should become normalized for men.
It is now more important than ever to educate young boys and men about their reproductive health, including how lifestyle choices and environment can affect the condition of their sperm and, in turn, their future children’s health. Teachers should implement curriculum on men’s reproductive health in health classes and sex education, broadening the discussion about men’s health.
Men’s reproductive health isn’t about devaluing women’s health. It’s about healthcare equity and closing the knowledge gap in reproductive medicine.