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What is harmful for male fertility; cell phone or the wireless internet? Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences. 2015 Sep;31(9):480-4. doi: 10.1016/j.kjms.2015.06.006

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Yildirim et al. · 2015

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Wireless internet use showed stronger negative effects on sperm motility than cell phone use in fertility clinic patients.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Turkish researchers studied 1,031 men seeking fertility treatment to compare how cell phone use versus wireless internet affects sperm quality. They found that wireless internet use significantly reduced sperm motility (movement) and total motile sperm count, while cell phone use showed minimal impact. This suggests WiFi radiation may pose greater risks to male fertility than phone radiation.

Why This Matters

This study adds important nuance to our understanding of EMF effects on male fertility. While most research focuses on cell phones, these findings suggest that WiFi exposure may actually be more concerning for sperm health. The reality is that many men today spend hours daily connected to WiFi networks at home and work, often with laptops positioned directly over their reproductive organs. What makes this particularly significant is that the researchers found a dose-response relationship - the more wireless internet use, the worse the sperm parameters became. This aligns with growing evidence that continuous, close-proximity EMF exposure may be more problematic than the intermittent exposure from phone calls. The distinction between wireless and wired internet connections is crucial, as it demonstrates that the radiation itself, not just screen time or lifestyle factors, appears to be driving these effects.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Yildirim et al. (2015). What is harmful for male fertility; cell phone or the wireless internet? Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences. 2015 Sep;31(9):480-4. doi: 10.1016/j.kjms.2015.06.006.
Show BibTeX
@article{what_is_harmful_for_male_fertility_cell_phone_or_the_wireless_internet_kaohsiung_journal_of_medical_sciences_2015_sep319480_4_doi_101016jkjms201506006_ce4853,
  author = {Yildirim et al.},
  title = {What is harmful for male fertility; cell phone or the wireless internet? Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences. 2015 Sep;31(9):480-4. doi: 10.1016/j.kjms.2015.06.006},
  year = {2015},
  doi = {10.1016/j.kjms.2015.06.006},
  
}
DOI: 10.1016/j.kjms.2015.06.006PubMed: 26362961

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, this study found wireless internet use significantly reduced sperm motility and total motile sperm count, while cell phone use showed minimal effects on sperm parameters in 1,031 men seeking fertility treatment.
The study found a negative correlation between wireless internet usage duration and total sperm count (r = -0.089), meaning longer WiFi exposure was associated with lower sperm counts in the participants.
Wireless internet use primarily affected sperm motility parameters. Both total motile sperm count and progressive motile sperm count decreased significantly with increased wireless internet usage compared to wired connections.
No, men using wired internet connections had significantly better sperm motility parameters than those using wireless internet, suggesting the electromagnetic radiation from WiFi specifically causes the negative effects.
The researchers studied 1,031 male patients from a fertility clinic after excluding 51 men with azoospermia (no sperm). All participants completed questionnaires about their mobile phone and internet usage patterns.