Infertility issues affect one in six couples in the US. Half of the problems are due to the male member of the couple. One of the things that is known to cause a decreased sperm count is exposure to heat in a hot tub. When the scrotal temperature is raised by one degree Celsius there is damage to sperm.

There is now a whole new issue with laptop computers. A recent study has found that if men use them on their lap, after an hour, the heat from the computer can raise their scrotum temperature by as much as 2.5 degrees Celsius. The scary part is that the men had no idea that their scrotal area was getting overheated.

Whether this increase in temperature will impact fertility over time is not clear. What we do know is that cooling pads are ineffective when it comes to keeping the lap temperature down. The best way to avoid problems is to use the laptop on a desk.

If you are part of a couple with fertility problems, keeping the laptop off your lap may be one factor in improving your odds of getting pregnant. Keep cool, step away from the computer and place it on the desk.