Extreme heat poses risks to male fertility in Italy

Extreme and prolonged heat exposure may pose a risk to male fertility by reducing sperm concentration and motility. This issue was highlighted by the Fondazione Foresta ETS during the 16th National Congress of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine in Modena.

Following the hottest summer recorded in Italy since 1950, data from the CNR indicates a national average temperature of 24.3°C, with August reaching 25.6°C—3.5 degrees above the 1991-2020 reference period. Professor Carlo Foresta, president of the foundation, clarified that while a single hot day does not cause infertility, repeated or intense exposure can interfere with spermatogenesis.

To prevent DNA damage from thermal stress, the body may abort the sperm production process. Risks are heightened for individuals with conditions such as obesity, varicocele, or those working near heat sources. This environmental factor adds to other contributors of declining birth rates in Italy, including socio-economic conditions and an aging population.