研究發現 西方國家男性的生育能力逐年下降

Male fertility is falling every year in the Western world -- and experts blame chemicals and modern lifestyles.

西方國家男性的生育能力逐年下降--專家將其歸因於化學產品和現代生活方式。

A study of 124,000 men visiting fertility clinics in Europe and the USA found sperm quality reducing by almost 2% per year.

一項對歐洲和美國造訪生育診所的12.4萬名男性進行的研究發現，精子質量正以每年2%的速度下降。

Separate research focusing on 2,600 sperm donors (men with above-normal fertility) showed a similar pattern.

對2600名精子捐獻者（生育能力高於正常水平的男子）進行的另外一項研究顯示了相似的情況。

While most men can still father a child, scientists say the human race faces extinction if the trend continues.

儘管大多數男子仍能生育出一個孩子，但科學家稱，如果這一趨勢繼續下去，人類將面臨滅絕。

It follows a landmark study last year showing a 59% cut in Western sperm counts from 1973 to 2011.

在去年進行的一項具有里程碑意義的研究顯示，從1973年到2011年，西方男性精子數減少了59%。

Pesticides, hormone-disrupting chemicals, stress, smoking and obesity are seen as causes, along with too much alcohol, caffeine and processed meat.

殺蟲劑、干擾荷爾蒙的化學品、壓力、吸菸、肥胖、過量飲酒、咖啡因和加工肉類都被認爲是精子減少的原因。

The chemicals include some used to make plastics flexible and furniture flame-retardant -- which can enter the food chain via plants or animals.

化學品包括一些使塑料有柔韌性的物質以及傢俱阻燃劑--這些物質可通過植物或動物進入食物鏈。

Experts also blame increases in testicular cancer, the number of boys born with one or both testicles missing, and changing testosterone levels.

專家還認爲，睾丸癌患者人數的增加、男孩天生缺少一個或兩個睾丸以及睾丸激素水平的變化都與此有關。

Scientists in Valencia, Spain,and New Jersey, USA, carried out the first large-scale study of "swimming" sperm, known as the total motile sperm count.

西班牙巴倫西亞的科學家和美國新澤西州的科學家對“遊動”精子（即活動精子總數）進行了首次大規模研究。

Men were split in to three groups with low, medium and high counts. The TMSC of those in the highest US group declined by 1.8% each year.

男子按精子數的低、中、高分成三組，在美國，精子數最高的那組人的活動精子總數每年下降1.8%。

The findings are causing alarm at an American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting in Denver, Colorado, this week.

本週在科羅拉多州丹佛舉行的美國生殖醫學學會會議上公佈的這一結果給人們敲響了警鐘。

Co-author Dr James Hotaling said: "There is potential for more men to become infertile and that is concerning."

該研究共同作者詹姆斯·霍達靈表示：“可能會有越來越多的男子變得不能生育，這令人非常擔憂。”