Male Infertility and OccupationA study completed by researchers in Denmark aimed to inspect a possible correlation between paternal job one year before birth and infertility of offspring. Participants in the study (offspring) were born between 1965 and 1984. There were 22,978 male offspring studied for a total of 44 years. Infertility was reported to Danish registers.

Researchers found no correlation between gardening and male offspring infertility. Infertility was reported in about 1.7% of male offspring born to painters, but that result is not considered statistically significant.

There was no information in the study about bricklayers, carpenters or electricians; careers also mentioned in the abstract. There was also no information noting the cause of infertility.

Researchers concluded that sons of painters and gardeners are no more likely to suffer infertility than the general population.

Source: Ramlau-Hansen CH, Stoltenberg CD, Hougaard KS, Parner ET, Toft G, Thulstrup AM, Hansen J, Bonde JP; MINERVA-group. Male-mediated infertility in sons of building painters and gardeners: A nationwide register-based follow-up study. Reprod Toxicol. 2012 Aug 31;34(4):522-528. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2012.08.006.

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