Can Crotch Length Predict Infertility in Men ?


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(HealthDay News) -- It may be possible to assess a man's fertility by checking his "anogenital distance," the gap between his scrotum and anus, a new study suggests.

Previous studies in animals have shown that anogenital distance is an important measure of genital development and may be shorter in males with abnormal development and dysfunction of the testicles, the Baylor College of Medicine researchers explained.

Furthermore, a study from the University of Rochester, published in March in Environmental Health Perspectives, found that men with shorter anogenital spans had lower sperm counts, poorer quality sperm, lower sperm concentrations and lower motility.

In the new study, the Baylor group investigated whether anogenital distance differed in fertile and infertile men. They measured the scrotum-anus distance as well as the penis length of 117 infertile and 56 fertile men visiting an andrology clinic.

The infertile men had a significantly shorter anogenital distance and penis length than the fertile men, the study found.

"First, this could represent a noninvasive way to test testicular function and reproductive potential in adult men," he said in a Baylor news release. "And second, it suggests that gestational exposures and development may impact adult testicular function."

"This is an important paper showing, once again, that anogenital distance is a strong predictor of semen quality," said Shanna H. Swan, vice chair for research in the department of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai Children's Environmental Health Center, New York City. "This paper also provides new data on infertile men, who have shorter (less masculine) anogenital distance."

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Hold still, while I measure you .... :shifty:

If you are a woman, then I don't see why not. If you are a dude, please stay as far away from me as possible...

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A short anogenital distance means the testes are closer to the body, and therefore closer to body temperature. The problem is that for sperm to properly develop the testes have to be 3-4 ?C below body temperature.

This presents the same thermal issue as wearing tighty whities vs. boxers.

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If you are a woman, then I don't see why not. If you are a dude, please stay as far away from me as possible...

I'll be sure to let your doctor know that. :p

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The University of Rochester is a privately owned research school that gets funding from private sources, state and federal agencies. A major one too, it's produced 5 Nobel Prize winners.

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DocM: Bang on. As soon as I read this thread I knew it would just be another way of knowing the same fact - heat of testes is important to reproduction.

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Who the hell is paying for these studys, seriouly :o

Male infertility is, ahem, a big business. So someone will pay for it. Correlation equals early treatment, equals someone will see the doctor and possibly take some pills. And the company who paid for it probably have a drug to treat it or likely have a drug in clinicial trials.

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A short anogenital distance means the testes are closer to the body, and therefore closer to body temperature. The problem is that for sperm to properly develop the testes have to be 3-4 ?C below body temperature.

This presents the same thermal issue as wearing tighty whities vs. boxers.

Exactly what I was going to say... it just makes sense if you think about it.

But that's why everyone's not meant to reproduce, the ones with "better" traits breed, and we become a better species. Or something.

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