Background: Male infertility represents almost half of all
infertility cases worldwide. High social activities have made some men use
earphones or hands-free devices to stay in touch while on the move; hence,
often giving radiation exposure to male reproductive organs when their mobile phone is kept in trousers’ pocket or on the belt. Because testis
is an organ that is susceptible to radiation, the effect of radiation on testis
is worth investigating. Objective: This study aimed to
determine the direct effect of radiation exposure on the motility quality and
viability of human sperm. Material and method: Thirty two healthy men came to
donate their sperm. Each sample was prepared by swim-up method. The sperm
samples obtained were multi- plied by means of dividing each sample into two
parts and each part was assigned into the treatment group (exposed to mobile
phone radiation) and control group. The sperm sample then underwent a procedure
to assess its mobility and viability, which was performed every 30 minutes for
3 hours. Results: A total of 64 washed samples were included in this study. The
duration of exposure of mobile phones to sperm at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180
minute did not show significant differences in motility or viability of the
sperm compared to those of the control group. Conclusion: This study con- cludes that the exposure to mobile phone radiation to sperm that has been
washed for 3 hours does not lead to a negative effect on motility and viability
when compared to the control group.
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