Infertile: The Toxic Truth About Infertility

Human fertility is in decline. Around the world, birth rates are falling, sperm counts have dropped dramatically over the past 40 years, and reproductive disorders—from miscarriages to hormone-related cancers—are on the rise. While these trends are often explained away by lifestyle choices, Infertile explores a far more unsettling possibility: that chemicals saturating our built environment are quietly reshaping our ability to reproduce.

To navigate this complex science, Infertile uses as its narrative spin an episode of popular fertility podcast TestHim. The podcast provides a rare space where lived experience and scientific inquiry intersect in real time. As conversations unfold, the film captures the raw, unscripted exchange between experts and those directly affected. This device transforms the scientific research into an accessible investigation, grounding the film’s global scope in an relatable setting.

At the centre of these conversations is Jonathan, a young African-British man who has always imagined a future with a large family. When he reveals his diagnosis of non-obstructive azoospermia, leaving him unable to conceive naturally, his story becomes a powerful entry point into a much larger question. As the podcast discussions unfold, Jonathan’s experience is not presented in isolation, but as part of a growing pattern that scientists are struggling to fully explain. The film returns to these exchanges throughout, using them to connect personal testimony with emerging scientific evidence.

From this foundation, Infertile expands into a global investigation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—synthetic compounds that interfere with the body’s hormonal systems. Found in everyday items such as plastics, cosmetics, food and its packaging, clothing, and household products, these chemicals are now virtually impossible to avoid. Scientists estimate that humans are exposed to hundreds of synthetic chemicals before birth, with consequences that may shape health across a lifetime.

The film brings together leading experts in reproductive biology, endocrinology, and environmental science to examine the scale of the problem. Their research points to a troubling pattern: declining fertility is not limited to humans. Studies in animals—including highly controlled populations such as domestic dogs—show similar trends, suggesting that the cause may lie beyond lifestyle and within our shared environment.

Through compelling scientific explanation and striking real-world examples, Infertile reveals how EDCs can interfere with critical stages of development, particularly in the womb, altering reproductive health in ways that may not become apparent until adulthood. The consequences are profound, raising the possibility that continued exposure could fundamentally impact future generations.

At the same time, the film explores the wider system that has allowed this crisis to unfold—decades of chemical innovation with limited regulation, and growing concern among scientists that public awareness has not kept pace with the risks.

Blending intimate personal storytelling with urgent investigative journalism, Infertile reframes infertility not just as a private struggle, but as a global environmental issue. It is a story about science, accountability, and the unintended consequences of modern life—and a warning that the ability to have children, long taken for granted, may no longer be assured.