A collaborative study between the U.S. Army Biomedical Research and De
velopment Laboratory (USABRDL) and the National Institute for Occupati
onal Safety and Health (NIOSH) was designed to assess fecundity of mal
e artillery soldiers with potential exposures to airborne lead aerosol
s, Potential exposure assess ment was based upon information provided
in an interactive questionnaire, It became apparent from extensive que
stionnaire data that many soldiers in the initial control population h
ad potentially experienced microwave exposure as radar equipment opera
tors, As a result, a third group of soldiers without potential for lea
d or microwave exposures, but with similar environmental conditions, w
as selected as a comparison population, Blood hormone levels and semen
analyses were conducted on artillerymen (n = 30), radar equipment ope
rators (n = 20), and the comparison group (n = 31), Analysis of the qu
estionnaire information revealed that concern about fertility problems
motivated participation of some soldiers with potential artillery or
microwave exposures. Although small study population size and the conf
ounding variable of perceived infertility limit the reliability of the
study, several statistically significant findings were identified, Ar
tillerymen who perceived a possible fertility concern demonstrated low
er sperm counts/ejaculate (P = 0.067) and lower sperm/mL (P = 0.014) t
han the comparison group, The group of men with potential microwave ex
posures demonstrated lower sperm counts/mL (P = 0.009) and sperm/ejacu
late (P = 0.027) than the comparison group, Variables used to assess e
ndocrine, accessory sex gland, and sperm cell function were not differ
ent than the comparison group, Additional studies, incorporating large
r numbers of individuals, should be performed in order to more optimal
ly characterize potential lead and microwave exposure effects on male
fecundity.