Count down : how our modern world is threatening sperm counts, altering male and female reproductive development, and imperiling the future of the human race / Shanna H. Swan, PhD with Stacey Colino.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 231-271) and index.

The changing landscape of sex and fertility -- Reproductive shock: hormonal havoc in our midst -- The diminished male: where have all the good sperm gone? -- It takes two to tango: her side of the story -- Gender fluidity: beyond male and female -- the sources and timing of these shifts -- Windows of vulnerability: timing is everything -- Up close and personal: lifestyle habits that can sabotage fertility -- Silent, ubiquitous threats: the dangers of plastics and modern chemicals -- The reverberating fallout -- The long reach of exposures: reproductive ripple effects -- Imperiling the planet: It's not just about humans -- Imminent social insecurities: demographic deviations and the unraveling of cultural institutions -- What we can do about this -- A personal protection plan: cleaning up our harmful habits -- reducing the chemical footprint in your home: making it a safer haven -- Envisioning a healthier future: what needs to be done.

"In 2017, Shanna Swan and her team of researchers completed a major study. They found that over the previous four decades, sperm levels among men in Western countries had plummeted by more than 50 percent. The results sent shockwaves around the globe-but that was just the beginning. It turns out that sexual development is also changing broadly, for both men and women, and that the modern world is on pace to become an infertile one. How and why could this happen? What is hijacking our fertility and our health? Count Down reveals what Swan and other researchers have learned about how chemical exposures are affecting our fertility, sexual development-even, perhaps, gender identity-and general health. Not just an illuminating overview of a grave threat but a helpful guide to protecting against it, Count Down is an urgent wake-up call, an enjoyable read, and a vital tool for understanding our future." --book jacket.