From Ann Wills

Daily Mail 29.10.19  “MALE INFERTILITY TIMEBOMB” by John Naish.

British experts are blaming the male fertility crisis on chemical pollutants in our environment.  Phthalates are considered a key culprit.  These are added to plastics to increase their durability.  Shanna Swan, professor of reproductive epidemiology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, found mothers with high blood phthalates in early pregnancy are much more likely to have sons with a low sperm count.  In another study last year, obstetricians at University of Western Australia found men whose mothers had high levels of phthalates between 18^th & 24^th week of pregnancy had low sperm counts.  Published in “Frontiers in Endocrinology.”   Another key pollutant appears to be perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)  used as a stain-repellent in furnishing fabrics & carpets etc.  It’s called a “forever chemical” because it persists for decades in the environment often in drinking water.  (My comment PFOS contains fluoride.)

Ann