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Chapter 9

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2022

R. John Aitken
R. John Aitken
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle, New South Wales
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Summary

How do we escape the trap?Many of the social, biological and environmental mechanisms that are driving down human fertility, are self-reinforcing. They operate to accelerate the rate of fertility loss, not stabilize it. Escape from this downward spiral will involve several initiatives that, working together, may provide a measure of control over the rate and depth of fertility decline. For example, we need a complete overhaul of sex education that recognizes the fragility of human fertility and is not so focused on the prevention of teenage pregnancies. We also need to raise the profile of reproductive toxicology so that we can secure better control over the release of potentially harmful compounds into the biosphere. There is a particular need to control male exposures to oestrogens and to counteract those elements of lifestyle, metabolism and the environment, responsible for creating oxidative stress in both the male and female reproductive tract. Accommodating the ART industry would be easier if we secured a deeper understanding of the causes of human infertility so that ART does not become the default therapy for every couple and, when it is used, that IVF is preferred over ICSI. Finally, we need to engineer new social structures wherein fertility is facilitated and encouraged.

Keywords

Sex educationreproductive toxicologyinfertilityenvironmental oestrogensoxidative stressparental leave schemeschild support strategies
Type
Chapter
Information
The Infertility Trap
Why life choices impact your fertility and why we must act now
 , pp. 305 - 329
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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References

9.9 References

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  • Chapter 9
  • R. John Aitken, University of Newcastle, New South Wales
  • Book: The Infertility Trap
  • Online publication: 05 May 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108935593.010
Available formats
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  • Chapter 9
  • R. John Aitken, University of Newcastle, New South Wales
  • Book: The Infertility Trap
  • Online publication: 05 May 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108935593.010
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Chapter 9
  • R. John Aitken, University of Newcastle, New South Wales
  • Book: The Infertility Trap
  • Online publication: 05 May 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108935593.010
Available formats
×