Human Reproduction vol.11 no.6 pp.1244-1246, 1996
Kobe earthquake and reduced sperm motility
Misao Fukuda1-3, Kiyomi Fukuda1, Takashi
Shimizu2, Wakako Yomura2 and Seiitsu Shimizu2
'Fukuda Ladies Clinic, 30-9 Kariya, Ako, Hyogo 678-02 and
Shimizu Women's Clinic, 2-2-4 Minamiguchi, Takarazuka, Hyogo
665, Japan
2
^To whom correspondence should be addressed
We investigated a possible relationship between the Kobe
earthquake (January 17, 1995) and the quality of semen.
We assessed sperm concentration and motility of 27 male
patients who had a concentration of more than 30 million/
ml and >40% sperm motility within 5 months before the
earthquake. Twelve male patients from districts with a
magnitude of < 4 on the Richter scale showed no difference
in sperm concentration and motility before and after the
earthquake. Of 15 male patients from districts with a
magnitude of > 6 , five patients whose houses received no
damage showed no distinct changes in sperm concentration and motility. In contrast, 10 patients whose houses
were partially or completely destroyed showed significantly
(P < 0.001) lower sperm motility after the earthquake
than before, although no significant difference of sperm
concentration could be observed. Of these latter 10 patients,
seven could be followed. In six patients, sperm motility
was restored between 2 and 9 months after the earthquake,*
the sperm motility in one patient, whose father died a
victim of the house crash, has not yet recovered. Thus, the
acute stress resulting from such a catastrophic earthquake
could be a possible cause of reduced sperm motility.
Key words: Kobe earthquake/sperm concentration/sperm motility/
stress
(n = 11); Nishinomia (n = 2); and Takarazuka (n = 6), all showing
a magnitude of >6 on the Richter scale and where a number of
earthquake victims died, and a second area, containing the districts
Ako (n = 5); Aioi (n = 2); Tatsuno (n = 1); and Himeji (n = 4)
showing a magnitude of < 4 on the Richter scale where no earthquake
victims died. We assessed sperm concentration (X lO^/ml) and motility
(%) in male patients who had, within 5 months previous to the
earthquake, concentrations of >3X1O 6 per ml and >40% sperm
motility. These men were patients in our clinics for infertility treatment
using in-vitro fertilization (TVF) and embryo transfer or intrauterine
insemination (IUI). No patients with distinct severe oligoasthenospermia were included in this study. Abstinence was 3-7 days before
treatment. No causative factor other than an emotional or physical
stress caused by the earthquake was confirmed in any patient
on interview. Statistical evaluation was performed using Wilcoxon
matched pairs test.
Results
Male patients (cases 16-27) in the districts with a magnitude
of < 4 showed no differences in sperm concentration and
motility before and after the earthquake (Figure 1). Of 15 male
patients in the districts with a magnitude of >6, five patients
(cases 11-15) whose houses were undamaged showed no
differences in sperm concentration and motility. However, 10
patients (cases 1-10) whose houses were partially or completely
destroyed showed significantly (P < 0.001) lower sperm
motility after the earthquake than before the earthquake,
although tiiere was no significant difference in sperm concentration before and after the earthquake (Table I).
Of these 10 cases whose houses were destroyed or severely
damaged in the districts with a magnitude of >6, one patient
(case 6) suffered from distinct physical stress (bone fracture
of lower limb) while the other nine patients suffered from
Introduction
There are some reports that emotional stress can negatively
affect semen quality in an in-vitro fertilization programme
(Harrison et aL, 1987; Gerhard et aL, 1992; Ragni and
Caccamo, 1992). However, there are no reports as to whether
stress due to a disastrous earthquake can also affect semen
quality. Recently on January 17, 1995 a strong earthquake
showing magnitude 7.2 on the Richter scale occurred centrally
in Kobe in the southern parts of Hyogo prefecture and killed
5502 people. Here we report on the relationship between the
earthquake and sperm motility.
Materials and methods
We compared semen samples within 5 months before and after the
earthquake in two areas: one containing districts Kobe (n = 6); Awaji
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Figure 1. Time course of sperm motility (%) before and after Kobe
earthquake (January 17) in eight cases in the area with a magnitude
of <4 on the Richter scale.
© European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology
Kobe earthquake and reduced sperm motility
Table I. Comparison of sperm concentration (X \0Plm\) and sperm motility (%) of male patients before and after Kobe earthquake (January 17) in one area
with a magnitude of > 6 on the Richter scale and in another area with a magnitude of < 4 on the Richter scale (mean i: SD)
Patient
Age
*Mag. 6 House destruction (u = 10)
Case 1
40
Case 2
35
33
Case 3
35
Case4
32
Case 5
30
Case 6
36
Case 7
27
Case 8
31
Case 9
31
Case 10
33.0 ± 3.6
*= Mag. 6 No house destruction (u = 5)
Case 11
33
32
Case 12
37
Case 13
Case 14
38
Case 15
38
35.6 ± 2.9
«Mag. 4 (n = 12)
Case 16
Case 17
Case 18
Case 19
Case 20
Case 21
Case 22
Case 23
Case 24
Case 25
Case 26
Case 27
31
35
36
34
40
41
32
40
27
30
41
36
35.3 ± 4.7
After
Before
Concn
Motility (%)
50
40
52
40
100
60
60
68
40
36
54.6 ± 19.2
40 (Nov 27)
40 (Dec 7)
45 (Dec 6)
60 (Oct 18)
60 (Dec 20)
50 (Oct 29)
40 (Sep 16)
40 (Nov 19)
40 (Dec 20)
40 (Oct 31)
45.5 ± 8.3*
50
50
18
30
70
51
40
42
32
38
41.9 ± 14.3
2 (Feb 28)
2 (May 24)
3 (Feb 17)
3 (May 23)
3 (Feb 14)
4 (Feb 26)
5 (June 12)
5 (Feb 17)
10 (March 22)
10 (Feb 18)
4.7 ± 3.0*
53
52
40
48
30
44.6 ± 9.6
45 (Dec 6)
40 (Nov 20)
50 (Nov 1)
50 (Dec 15)
70 (Oct 15)
51.0 ± 11.4
50
55
60
45
32
48.4 ± 10.7
30 (Feb 6)
40 (March 29)
40 (June 7)
45 (April 12)
60 (April 15)
43.0 ± 1 1 . 0
40
60
70
40
60
40
32
100
30
70
100
40
56.8 ± 24.4
40 (Dec 8)
50 (Dec 6)
60 (Dec 21)
70 (Nov 5)
50 (Nov 26)
40 (Dec 28)
40 (Dec 14)
60 (Sep 25)
50 (Jan 16)
70 (Dec 13)
70 (Nov 20)
50 (Oct 24)
54.2 ± 11.7
30
50
80
50
70
30
30
80
30
80
100
40
55.8 ± 25.0
40 (May 5)
60 (Feb 6)
60 (Feb 15)
60 (Feb 2)
50 (May 27)
40 (Feb 17)
50 (April 5)
60 (Feb 2)
45 (Feb 10)
60 (March 15)
70 (March 21)
40 (Feb 19)
52.9 ± 10.1
Concn
Motility (%)
*P < 0.001 (Wilcoxon matched pairs test).
Concn = Concentration: Mag. = Magnitude.
Figure 2. Tune course of sperm motility (%) before and after Kobe
earthquake (January 17) in seven cases suffering house destruction
in the area with a magnitude of >6 on the Richter scale.
emotional stress only. Of these 10 cases, we were able to
follow seven patients (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 10) after one sperm
assessment as shown in Figure 2. Of these seven patients, six
recovered between 2 and 9 months after the earthquake but
one patient has not yet recovered.
Discussion
This study demonstrates that acute stress resulting from a
catastrophic earthquake is a possible cause of reduced sperm
motility. Of 15 cases in the districts with a magnitude of
>6, five cases (nos 11-15) showing no house damage did
not exhibit distinct differences in sperm concentration or
motility before and after the earthquake. However, 10 cases
(nos 1-10) showing partial or complete house destruction
exhibited a distinct reduction in sperm motility after the
earthquake, although there was no significant difference in
sperm concentration. Therefore the earthquake most likely
influenced sperm function, particularly sperm motility in male
patients whose houses suffered severe damage in districts with
a magnitude of >6.
Of these 10 cases suffering house destruction in districts
with a magnitude of > 6 , we could follow seven patients after
one sperm assessment In cases 1, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 10 sperm
motility was restored between 2 and 9 months after the
earthquake. However case 3 still showed not only reduced
sperm motility but also reduced concentration even 10 months
after the earthquake (December 5: motility, 3%; concentration,
). His house was completely destroyed and his
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MFukuda et at
father died a victim of the house crash caused by the earthquake.
Further study is obviously needed to clarify the mechanism of
reduction of sperm motility caused by stress.
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr C.Yding Andersen and Dr A.CByskov in University
Hospital of Copenhagen and Dr R.Yanagimachi of the University of
Hawaii School of Medicine for the advice and review.
References
Gerhard, I., Lenhard, K., Eggert-Kruse, W. and Runnebaum, B. (1992) Clinical
data which influence semen parameters in infertile men. Hum. Reprod., 7,
830-837.
Harrison, K.L., Callen, VJ. and Hennessey J.F. (1987) Stress and semen
quality in an in vitro fertilization program. Fertil. SleriL, 48, 633-636.
Rflgni, G. and Caccamo, A. (1992) Negative effect of stress of in vitro
fertilization program on quality of semen. Acta Eur. Fertil., 23, 21-23.
Received on January 4, 1996; accepted on March 22, 1996
1246