Stress, IT jobs, and lifestyle fuel rise in male infertility in India

India is witnessing a sharp rise in male infertility, with cases increasing by 20–25% over the past six years, particularly among men aged 31–35. Once considered a predominantly female issue, experts now report that male factors contribute to 40–50% of all infertility cases, with around 30% purely male-factor.

Dr Mandavi Rai, Consultant Fertility Health Specialist at Motherhood Fertility & IVF, said, “Stressful work environments, long hours of sitting, late-night shifts, and irregular meals are directly affecting sperm count, motility, and morphology. Lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and varicocele are now emerging as major contributors.”

IT professionals and businessmen form the largest affected group, mainly due to prolonged screen exposure, tight deadlines, and disturbed circadian rhythms. Experts note that high-stress environments, poor sleep, and long working hours disrupt hormonal balance, indirectly affecting fertility. “Night shifts and fatigue reduce libido and affect intercourse timing and frequency, which in many couples is as important as sperm health,” Dr Rai added.

A rising concern is unsupervised gym workouts and supplement use. Around 10–15% of male infertility patients report heavy use of protein powders, steroids, or energy drinks. Dr Rai explained, “Excessive lower-body strain and increased body heat from workouts reduce sperm motility. Artificial boosters disturb natural testosterone levels and can stop sperm formation.”

In semi-urban and rural regions, preventable genital or reproductive tract infections remain a leading cause. Untreated bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis, trichomoniasis, and pelvic inflammatory disease in female partners can transmit to men during intercourse, causing urethritis or epididymitis and impairing sperm health.

Despite rising cases, awareness remains low, with only 10–15% of men voluntarily seeking fertility evaluation. Dr Parul Gupta Khanna, Fertility Specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Vasant Vihar, said, “Early testing gives us time to correct issues before they affect a couple’s plans. Simple semen analysis and hormone evaluation can detect completely treatable conditions. Small but consistent lifestyle changes—better sleep, clean diet, reduced heat exposure, and stress management—often improve sperm count and quality within months.”

Experts report that 25–30% of male patients show conditions like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, or varicocele, all of which directly affect sperm motility and morphology. A 35-year-old patient married for four years had low sperm motility and borderline morphology due to prolonged working hours and stress. After three months of antioxidant therapy and lifestyle counselling, his sperm quality improved, and the couple successfully conceived through IVF, highlighting the importance of timely intervention.

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Delayed marriage and career prioritisation have further complicated fertility planning. Awareness of sperm freezing remains low, despite its potential benefits. Dr Khanna added, “Men often assume fertility problems happen only to women, but nearly 40% of infertility cases involve the male partner. Early check-ups, lifestyle adjustments, and targeted supplements such as zinc or CoQ10 can boost fertility potential considerably.”