Size really matters when it comes to male fertility, according to a study

We've been told for a long time that it's not your size, but what you're doing, but new research has shown that penile length can be important if you're hoping to become a father.

Scientists have discovered a direct correlation between men with fertility problems and those with shorter penises. But not much: a difference of only 1 cm significantly reduced fertility prospects.

Thus, those with an average length of 13.4 cm were less likely to have reproductive problems than those with a penis length of 12.5 cm.

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The University of Utah study – which will be presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference – is based on data from 815 men attending a clinic dealing with infertility, erectile dysfunction and testicular pain.

When the men showed up at the clinic, they were measured with the help of a test called "stretched penis length," which estimates erect length. These data were then correlated with the problems encountered.

It may be surprising that such a small difference in size has changed fertility prospects. Dr. Austen Slade, who led the study, said: "One centimeter may not be a striking difference, but the statistical significance was clear.

"It remains to be determined whether there are different penile length limits that would predict more serious infertility."

Dr. Slade hypothesized that the cause of the link could be a manifestation of genetic or congenital factors predisposing a person to infertility.

So what can men do about it? Sheena Lewis, Reproductive Expert at Queen's University in Belfast, says men do not have to worry. "One thing that scares men is that size matters. To say now that they are less likely to become a father is not a good message, "she said.

"Doctors would not want to measure this in the clinic, so as a study, the results are not really clinically useful. It's a very new idea, but the study does not tell us what a normal penis length is. "

At the same time, other research, presented at the same conference, showed that men could improve their fertility chances by avoiding harmful environmental factors: smoking, stress, obesity and exposure to chemicals contained in drugs. plastic.

Sperm quality is degraded due to these factors: the rate of men treated for infertility has increased by 700% over the past 15 years, while the sperm count in men living in Western countries has decreased 59.3% in four decades.