Frenchmen: Now 33% Less Fertile

If you've been trying and failing to get pregnant by a French man (looking at you, Halle), don't worry – it's not you, it's him. According to a study in the appropriately named journal, Human Reproduction, the average sperm count of French men has dropped 32.3% since 1989, or 1.9% a year.

Over 26,000 men participated in the study, which also found that the percentage of "normally shaped sperm" fell by 33.4%.

Dr. Joelle Le Moal, one of the papers authors, said the study was alarming. "This constitutes a serious public health warning," he told the BBC.


But don't stress too much, Frenchmen and women who wish to have half-French babies; another doctor, Dr. Allen Pacey, says French sperm is still potent enough to get the job done.

"The change in sperm concentration described, 73.6 to 49.9 million per millilitre [on average for a 35-year-old], is still well within the normal range and above the lower threshold of concern used by doctors which is suggestive of male infertility, 15 million per millilitre."

Translation: French dudes can still get you pregnant.

Scientists aren't sure why the decrease occurred but, as they're wont to do, they do have a few theories.

Professor Richard Sharpe, from the University of Edinburgh, blames our "modern lifestyle."


So, basically: we're all going to be sterile soon. The French, always on the vanguard of everything.

[Image via Shutterstock]