Mumbai, March 16, 2026 — A new study by Indira IVF has identified a direct link between rising air pollution and declining sperm DNA integrity, highlighting potential implications for male fertility and foetal health.
The research found that men living in highly polluted areas with an Air Quality Index (AQI) above 151 experience an 11% decrease in normal sperm integrity compared with those living in cleaner environments.
The study titled “Evaluating the impact of environmental pollution on sperm DNA Fragmentation: A retrospective cohort analysis” examined the relationship between air pollution levels and sperm DNA health.
Researchers found that as air pollution levels increased in industrialised cities, there was a corresponding rise in abnormal sperm and a decline in normal sperm counts, a trend the study describes as ‘pollution bias.’
Following World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the analysis revealed that in areas with lower pollution levels (AQI 50–100), 69.3% of sperm samples were normal while 30.7% were abnormal.
In moderately polluted regions (AQI 101–150), normal sperm levels dropped by 8.8%, while in highly polluted zones (AQI above 151), normal sperm levels declined by 11%.
Commenting on the findings, Dr. Kshitiz Murdia, CEO & Whole-Time Director, Indira IVF Hospital Limited, said, “The implications of these findings extend beyond challenges related to conception. Prolonged exposure to environmental toxins can affect sperm DNA integrity, which may also have a bearing on foetal development, placing air pollution within a wider reproductive and developmental health context. In this study, patients were categorised based on sperm DNA fragmentation scores, with normal defined as less than 25% fragmentation and abnormal as greater than 25%, allowing us to closely assess how varying air quality levels impact sperm chromosome integrity. Our observations suggest that rising air pollution levels can serve as a reliable indicator for disturbed sperm DNA fragmentation, significantly impacting Sperm DNA integrity, particularly in high-pollution urban centres.”
Dr. Vipin Chandra, Chief of Clinical and Lab Operations, Indira IVF Hospital Limited added, “We analysed a statistically significant cohort of 3,222 men aged 21 to 40 across 120 Indira IVF centres nationwide. Rather than focusing on conventional semen parameters such as sperm count or motility, the study specifically examined sperm DNA integrity. This enabled a more precise assessment of how exposure to air pollution directly impacts the genetic structure of sperm, offering deeper insight into an often-overlooked contributor to male infertility.”
By linking rising AQI levels with measurable DNA fragmentation, the findings identify air pollution as a key contributor to impaired sperm DNA health. The researchers further note that the increasing burden of male infertility observed in recent years aligns closely with prolonged exposure to poor air quality!
