Effect of non-ionizing radiation from mobile phones in different time periods exposure on DNA integrity of infertile men

Abstract

Exposure to radiation of various forms is one of the many environmental, health, and lifestyle variables that have been linked in recent years to an increase in the rate of male infertility. According to data from several recently published studies, mobile phone use may negatively affect sperm parameters, which may lower male fertility .Ninety-seven samples of semen from fertile and infertile individuals were sent to the "High Institute for Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies. Al-Nahrain University in Baghdad, between November 2022 and May 2023. The samples were split into four groups: normozoospermia (n = 40), asthenozoospermia (n = 25), oligozoospermia (n = 16), and teratozoospermia (n = 16). Each group was further divided into two groups based on the amount of time spent using a mobile phone each day: less than 4 hours per day and equal to or more than 4 hours per day. A routine seminal fluid analysis was carried out to measure the sperm parameters and test the deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation rate using an acridine orange stain .Samples exposed to electromagnetic waves of cell phones showed a significant decrease in DNA normality. deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation index (p < 0.001) in normozoospermia patients exposed to more than 4 hours/day of non-ionizing electromagnetic waves. The results of deoxyribonucleic acid fragmentation index after treatment were shown a significant improvement compared to before the treatment in all fertile and infertile groups. Electromagnetic waves emitted from cell phones are associated with a decrease of deoxyribonucleic acid normality when exposure for <4hours/day. The study recommend that men of reproductive age avoid keeping their cell phones in the hip pocket and front pants pocket which may negatively affect spermatozoa deoxyribonucleic acid integrity and impair male fertility