Viagra may hurt conception chances

The little blue pill might help get your partner in the mood, but it may not help a couple’s chances to have children.

A study done by researchers at Queen’s University Belfast, and published in the medical journal “Fertility and Sterility,“ finds that Viagra may damage sperm.

Doctors performed two experiments.  In the first, doctors found sperm exposed to the chemicals in Viagra in a lab were more active that other sperm.  But the part of the sperm that allows it to penetrate an egg tended to be more damaged.

In the second experiment, doctors gave Viagra to mice.  The researchers found the mice couples who were given Viagra, produced 40% fewer embryos than others.

Researchers warn the results are still preliminary, and more studies need to be done.

Viagra’s maker Pfizer points out that previous studies on humans have shown no adverse affects on fertility rates and sperm function.