CLAIM:

Holding a laptop on lap for extended periods leads to infertility in men

FACT:

Correct. Laptop use on the lap may potentially impact male fertility due to heat and exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs)

Do you also often work with your laptop on your lap? Social media often trends with hashtags such as #malefertility, where holding laptop on the lap is cited as a potential cause of infertility among men.

This video, below, says that using a laptop on your lap is essentially "killing your sperm health."

Another said it was affecting fertility in men and women.

Scientific studies have found merit in the claim, stating that heat exposure and electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated by laptops during use can potentially have a negative impact on male reproductive health.

Laptops, as their name suggests, are designed for use on the lap, but this convenience may come at a cost. During use, these devices generate heat, and if used for extended periods, they can lead to increased scrotal temperatures. Research has shown that elevated temperatures in the scrotal area can have detrimental effects on sperm production and quality. Specifically, studies have shown that higher scrotal temperatures can impair spermatogenesis (production of sperms), resulting in reduced sperm count and decreased motility (capability of movement).

Beyond heat, the electromagnetic fields emitted by laptops have also come under scrutiny for their potential impact on fertility. Scientific investigations suggest that exposure to radiofrequency EMFs potentially causes DNA damage and reduces sperm motility.

“Our own studies as well as the studies performed by other researchers indicate that using laptop computers on the lap adversely affects the male reproductive health,” says a study published by PubMed Central. “When it is placed on the lap, not only the heat from a laptop computer can warm men’s scrotums, the electromagnetic fields generated by laptop’s internal electronic circuits as well as the Wi-Fi Radiofrequency radiation hazards (in a Wi-Fi connected laptop) may decrease sperm quality.”

Also read: FACT CHECK: Consuming soy leads to male infertility?

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