Despite over 50% of China’s 1.4 billion population being male, the country fears a sperm shortage due to low-quality sperm. (1, 2, 3)To help combat the issue, Chinese company Jiangsu Sanwe Medical Science and Technology invented an automatic sperm extractor. Now available in many hospitals around the country, this is what they are and how they work. (3)
China’s Automatic Sperm Extractor
For years when having sperm collected – whether for donation or for testing – men were handed a cup and sent to a private room. Eventually, hospitals set up separate rooms for the process; however, it can still be awkward for many men, making it difficult to complete the necessary task.
This is where China’s automatic sperm extractor comes in. Available since 2005, these are machines that quite literally mimic the feel, movement, and environment of the vagina. They provide a hands-free experience, making sperm donation or depositing easier for many men. (3)
The machine is used for sperm donations, however, their primary use in hospitals is for semen collection to test for fertility problems and other male health concerns. (3)
China’s Baby Problem
Many of us will remember China’s one-child policy that the government initiated in the late 1970s. The policy aimed to control the country’s exploding population and remained in effect until 2016. (4) Now, China is facing the opposite problem: A baby crisis. The birth rate in 2018 reached its lowest point since the turn of the century. (5)
The issue with this is the growing imbalance between the number of old and young people in the nation. With an aging population, the government fears that there won’t be enough people to take care of the older generations. (5)
People are having fewer children both by choice and due to fertility problems. For women, more career opportunity means more women choosing a path besides motherhood. What’s more, China is having a fertility problem. (1)
China’s Male Fertility Problem
Globally, sperm count in male semen is falling, but this is seen quite drastically in China. A 15-year study between 2001 and 2015 found men with a healthy enough sperm count to donate dropped from 55% to below 18%. (6) Hence the indirect need for an automatic sperm extractor.
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What Makes Sperm Unhealthy?
The reason why sperm count and health are dropping both in China and around the world is complex and not fully understood. There are a variety of medical problems that can cause male fertility issues, including (7):
- Certain medications
- Infection
- Specific swelling issues
- Hormone imbalances
- Celiac disease
- Prior surgeries
- Other physical and health issues
There are many health and lifestyle factors that also have a negative impact on sperm. These include (7):
- Drug use, including anabolic steroids, cocaine, and marijuana
- Alcohol use
- Tobacco use
- Severe or prolonged emotional stress
- Depression
- Obesity and weight problems
Lastly, environmental factors also can affect the health of a man’s sperm. These are things such as exposure to (7):
- Certain industrial chemicals (benzenes, toluene, xylene, herbicides, pesticides, organic solvents, painting materials, and lead)
- Heavy metals
- Radiation or x-rays
- Endocrine disruptors (found in food, cosmetics, industrial products, and building supplies, insecticides, and other places) (8)
- Overheating the testicles, including frequent use of saunas and hot tubs
Is The Automatic Sperm Extractor Making Things Better in China?
Currently, it’s too early to say if the automatic sperm extractors are making much of a dent in China’s fertility problem. It does, however, make it easier for men coming in for testing or donations to provide a proper sample. (1)
Not only is it colored pink, but it uses a combination of massaging and vibrations to make the whole experience better. Even the temperature is set to match that of a real vagina, set to 96.8 F. Finally, each machine is equipped with an LCD monitor to provide visual stimulation to help, uh, get the job done. (1)
Each automatic sperm extractor uses specialized collection technology to ensure no dripping and that the sample is stored properly right away. So far, doctors say that they don’t get used very often. When a patient needs one, however, they have provided effective aid. (1)
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Sources
- “The statistic shows the distribution of the total population in China from 1949 to 2019, by gender. In 2019, 51.09 percent of the Chinese population were male.” Statista.
- “China Population.” Worldometers
- “The Sperm-collecting machine helping China through hard times.”Ink Stone News. Qin Chen
- “One-child policy.” Britannica. Kenneth Pletcher.
- “Inkstone index: China’s growing baby crisis.”Ink Stone news. Zhou Xin and Sidney Leng.
- “Decline in semen quality among 30,636 young Chinese men from 2001 to 2015.” Fertstert
- “Environmental causes.” Mayo clinic.
- “Xenoestrogens – What are they? How to avoid them..” Women in Balance