Whats Up With World Wide Fertility

Today, we're delving into a subject that's been getting health experts all in a tizzy: the growing fertility crisis.  You might be asking yourself, "Why on earth is this a problem in an already overpopulated world?" Well, the truth is, we're not actually facing an overpopulation crisis, but rather a depopulation one. Don’t let the misconception of overpopulation fool you, many countries worldwide are dealing with underpopulation, which can have dire economic and social consequences.

According to the United Nations, the global fertility rate has gone down from 5.0 children per woman in 1950 to 2.5 children per woman in 2019. In several developed countries like Japan, Germany, and Italy, the fertility rate is below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman, meaning that they're not producing enough children to replace their current population. This can lead to an aging population, labour shortages, and declining economic growth. Furthermore, underpopulation can have social consequences like a lack of caregivers for the elderly and a shrinking tax base to support social programs.

We must acknowledge that the world is facing an underpopulation problem, not one of overpopulation. Governments worldwide are starting to take notice of this and are trying to create baby booms to help alleviate the problem. For example, the Hungarian Prime Minister in 2019 offered no income tax and loan forgiveness to women who had four or more children.

As I was researching this topic, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Is the human population really an issue at all? After all, isn't capitalism the root of all evil?" But then again, the earth is suffering, and humans are responsible for a significant portion of that pain. Wouldn't it be better for the greater good if there were fewer humans on earth?That's a broad and philosophical question, and to answer it better, I'll leave it to a sufi poet. And as I don’t keep neither Rumi or Hafiz handy, let's hear from the fantastic native American author, Robin Wall Kimmerer.

In "Braiding Sweetgrass," Kimmerer writes about the interdependent relationship between humans and the natural world. She argues that the earth needs us just as much as we need it, and we have a responsibility to care for the earth and its inhabitants. Kimmerer says, "The land knows you, even when you are lost." Some native plant species in the USA, such as the wild leek, depend on humans to continue their life cycles. Kimmerer adds, "The interdependence between people and plants is woven into the fabric of indigenous cultures...as the wild leek's persistence attests, the plants have always known how to take care of us."

Kimmerer emphasizes the importance of recognizing and respecting the interconnectedness of all living beings, and argues that we must learn to care for the earth to ensure our survival and the survival of future generations.We need to keep the population sustainable to continue the everlasting husbandry we have shared with our environment. As a notorious optimist, I believe humans can be good; we can even be great, and I believe that we can dig ourselves out of this hot mess we've created on our home planet.

But back to the dismal figures, the birth rate is steadily declining worldwide. Let me give you some stats for the global birth rate between 2020 and 2022. England, Greece, Sweden, and Finland all have between a 10-15% decline. Norway has a 20% decline, Taiwan almost 30%, and Australia? The birth rate in Australia has dropped an astonishing 70%. That's right, 70%. Next lets talk, Miscarriage, the ultimate stork delivery gone wrong. What used to be a rare occurrence has unfortunately become more common, with a study in revealing that the number of miscarriages per 100 new pregnancies was significantly higher in 2020 than in 2019.

In the USA, stillbirth rates have gone up a whopping 24% between 2019 and 2022, which means a quarter of pregnant women aren't getting to full term. From a statistical standpoint, that's enough to make anyone's jaw drop. It looks like we're going to see more moms-to-be carrying heavy hearts in the future.

But it's not just miscarriages and stillbirths that are causing concern.

In Australia, the numbers for reproductive disease are depressing. We're talking 20,000 cases of ovarian cancer, 20,500 cases of breast cancer, 1,000 cases of cervical cancer, and an estimated 400,000 women suffering from PCOS, with 650,000 more having endometriosis.

And don't even get us started on the early onset of puberty in young girls. Thanks to environmental factors and other issues, girls are reaching puberty earlier than ever before, with some starting as young as eight. While it might not sound like a big difference, it can be a lot for young girls to handle. From the embarrassment of carrying menstrual products around school to the unwanted attention from boys, it's not an easy road. Unfortunately, there are long-term implications as well, such as an increased risk of breast and endometrial cancers.

So, what's causing this fertility catastrophe? Enter Dr. Shanna Swann, an environmental and reproductive epidemiologist, believes that human fertility is declining at an alarming rate and that we could be facing an extinction-level crisis. It's enough to make us want to turn off the lights and crawl under the covers.

Here are a few points from her book.

EDCs, or endocrine disrupting chemicals, are sneaky chemicals and tend to mess massively with our hormones! Dr. Swan thinks that these buggers are a major cause of declining fertility rates. You can find EDCs hiding in everyday products like plastics, pesticides, and personal care items.

Now, let's focus on one particularly nasty EDCs - PFAS, AKA Polyfluorinated substances. These synthetic chemicals are found in everything from non-stick cookware to waterproof clothing to food packaging. But watch out because they can really wreak havoc on your fertility and overall health. PFAS can mess with your endocrine system and cause all sorts of hormonal imbalances that affect reproductive health. Exposure to PFAS can lead to menstrual irregularities, decreased fertility, and early menopause in women. And that's not all - PFAS can also mess with pregnancy outcomes, causing issues like gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and low birth weight.

But wait, there's more! PFAS can also increase the risk of certain cancers, liver and kidney damage, and immune system dysfunction. They're fucking everywhere, from your food to your clothing to your drinking water. And they're not going anywhere, as they can accumulate in the food chain and end up in seafood, meat, and dairy products. So, we really need to be careful with these PFAS.

Moving on to another EDC, let's talk about BPA, which has been the talk of the town for years. This synthetic chemical is found in all sorts of plastics, from food containers to water bottles to toys. But BPA is bad news for female fertility, as it can mess with the endocrine system and throw off hormone production. This can lead to menstrual irregularities and decreased fertility. And that's not all - exposure to BPA during foetal development can also cause abnormalities in reproductive organ development, leading to long-term fertility issues.

But don't think you're in the clear just because you switched to a BPA-free water bottle! BPF and BPS, the siblings of BPA, are just as risky for female fertility. They can also mess with your endocrine system and throw off hormone production, leading to all sorts of reproductive problems. It’s like bisphenol wackamole.

Dr. Swan has also been exploring the effects of pesticides, specifically glyphosate, on the reproductive systems of women exposed to it while still in the womb. Turns out, this well-known and overused pesticide can throw off hormonal balances and impact the proper formation of reproductive organs. Glyphosate acts as a pro-androgenic substance, meaning it increases testosterone instead of the female hormone, estrogen. So, if you haven’t already, let's add glyphosate to the "no-no" list.

But wait, there's more!

Dr. Swan also sheds light on the alarming decline in sperm counts among Western men - a whopping 50% in the last 40 years! She points to environmental factors, like exposure to pesky endocrine-disrupting chemicals, as the culprit behind this concerning trend.

To get some insight into male reproductive health, we've brought in the big guns - Andy Lucas. As a naturopath based in Melbourne, Andy has a passion for helping men optimize their health and achieve their best life. He uses a no-nonsense, science-backed approach to equip men with the tools they need to overcome physical limitations and achieve their goals. Let's hear what he has to say about this sperm situation.

To hear the interview pop on over to The Arc Woman Podcast!