Does Size Matter When It Comes to Male Fertility?

For decades scientists have wondered whether or not the size of a man’s penis correlated with his overall fertility rate. Until recently it was always assumed that sperm quality would trump penis size when it comes to male fertility rates. A recent and controversial study suggests, however, that size does matter.

Dr. Austen Slade, a well-known urologist based out of the University of Utah, published a study that measured the penis length of over 800 men. The conclusion of that research was that men with 5.2-inch erect penises had a greater fertility rate than men with 4.8-inch erect penises. Thus far, the medical research community has strongly disagreed with these “one of a kind” findings.

Based on the majority of today’s current research, the health of a man’s testicles, sperm quality and sperm count absolutely trump the size of a man’s penis when it comes to fertility rates. While most researchers doubt that the aforementioned research will ever be proven wrong, the size of male genitalia should be studied further to identify whether it acts as a marker for other health- and fertility-related aspects of male physiology.

What Do Experts Think About Genitalia Size and Male Fertility?

Dr. Daniel Kort, a New York City-based expert in endocrinology and infertility, has stated that any study trying to correlate penis size and fertility rates is likely going to contain informational flaws that invalidate such conclusions. Dr. Kort went on to state that no peer-reviewed studies have ever been published in credible medical journals that contain a solid research-based argument suggesting that an erect penis length correlates with greater fertility. The doctor also stated that so far penis length hasn’t even been conclusively linked to erectile dysfunction rates, a condition that is likely driven by human genetics.

Where Does Size Actually Matter?

The medical community does not believe that penis size correlates with male fertility. Where size may matter, however, is when it comes to testicles. Studies have shown that men with large testicles produce more testosterone, which in turn can lead to a greater sperm count, but not always. Seminal fluid volume does not necessarily correlate with the overall size of a man’s testicles, rather, the whole reproductive system and its overall health determine how much sperm a man can ejaculate. While more testosterone can have its benefits, too much testosterone has been linked to an increase in a large number of disease rates in males, including heart disease and cancer. So even larger testicles aren’t necessarily indicative of greater fertility rates.

If Anatomical Size Mattered, the Dinosaurs Would Still Be Around

Dr. Paul Turek, an expert of men’s sexual health, is known to have cleverly stated that if size trumps everything else, then the dinosaurs would still be walking the earth. In other words, size really doesn’t play that much of a factor in any regards pertaining to human reproductive health. Western culture has a particularly odd fixation with reproductive aesthetics and size. A big penis or large breasts are associated with heightened sexuality and increased fertility, however, these are just memes. While a larger penis and larger breasts can affect partner selection and in turn lead to greater reproductive rates, there just isn’t any conclusive research that proves size is the determining factor in whether a person’s genes are passed on.

What Really Matters When it Comes to Fertility Rates?

All of the modern medical research suggests that overall health and genetics play the largest roles in determining male and female fertility rates. Fertility is driven by systemic physiological factors, not singular factors such as the size of genitalia. If human biology were so simple that a larger penis or larger testicles were the sole determining factors in overall reproductive rates in men, our species simply would not have survived so long. The overall health of a person, their lifestyle and their genes are what dictates how fertile they actually are. Testosterone levels, sperm count and sperm quality all play a role. Anything that tries to falsely correlate a large penis or the aesthetics of genitalia with increased fertility is likely to be a cultural meme or marketing ploy, as thus far there is simply no evidence to support either factor playing a role in greater reproductive health or fertility rates in men.