Male fertility among young Italian men is in marked decline. In recent years, sperm count has fallen by 25% among men aged 18–20. Out of every thousand young men, 33.4% are already hypofertile, while 11.7% are at risk of infertility. This trend is particularly evident among young men living in metropolitan areas. According to experts, these worrying figures are a significant contributing factor to Italy’s current demographic decline: around 15% of Italian couples suffer from infertility, compared with a global average of 10–12%.
To address what is increasingly recognised as a major public health challenge, UniCamillus University–in collaboration with the Alma Res and Villa Mafalda Reproductive Medicine Centres–is launching the MIP (Male Infertility Prevention) project, the first systematic screening programme of male reproductive health aimed at its student population.The project is coordinated by UniCamillus faculty members Barbara Tavazzi (President of the MSc in Medicine and Surgery) and Giacomo Lazzarino (Lecturer in Biochemistry), who lead a multidisciplinary team of researchers and specialists working on male fertility.
Male infertility in young people: a little-known issue
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), infertility is defined as the inability of a couple to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse. Although public attention tends to focus heavily on female infertility, this is also an issue that affects men. Male infertility may result from insufficient sperm production, morphological or functional abnormalities of the sperm, and/or an altered biochemical composition of the seminal fluid.
Another common misconception is that infertility affects only adult men. “However, the data show that many young men already present significant alterations in their seminal fluid, often linked to unhealthy lifestyles. Detecting these early means preventing them from becoming irreversible”, explains Prof. Tavazzi.
The most common causes include smoking, alcohol consumption, an unbalanced diet, lack of physical activity, drug abuse, anabolic steroid use and other substance misuse, as well as stress, pollution and undiagnosed diseases. “Scientific literature confirms that addressing these factors can significantly improve male fertility and restore it when the damage is not structural”, says Prof. Lazzarino.
The MIP project: comprehensive analyses and an innovative approach
Running throughout the 2025–2026 academic year, the project will offer UniCamillus students the following:
- semen analysis, assessing volume, concentration, motility, morphology and vitality of spermatozoa, carried out by the Alma Res and Villa Mafalda laboratories;
- advanced biochemical analyses (antioxidants, oxidative stress biomarkers, vitamins and energy compounds), conducted in the university’s laboratories;
- personalised pathways in cases of hypofertility, including nutritional consultations, specialist check-ups, and further clinical investigations and therapies where necessary.
This multidimensional approach, previously applied only in fertility centres for couples, is now being extended to young people in a university setting for the first time.
It’s a social issue, not just a clinical one
The WHO considers access to infertility treatment ‘a human right’ for couples and individuals who wish to start a family. “In a country that records new lows in birth rates every year, ignoring the issue of male infertility among young people means giving up on prevention”, emphasises Prof. Tavazzi.
The MIP project is therefore a tangible expression of the University’s Third Mission, translating its commitment to the community into action. On the one hand, it brings to light a frequently overlooked issue—male fertility in young men—helping to fill an information gap that affects thousands of young people. At the same time, it provides them with real tools for protection, offering knowledge, analyses and personalised pathways to help them take care of their reproductive well-being.
Through prevention and awareness-raising initiatives, the project also contributes to the development of a more informed health culture, promoting both individual responsibility and social awareness of an issue that has repercussions for the country’s demographic future.