{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,13]],"date-time":"2026-06-13T13:53:22Z","timestamp":1781358802834,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,24]],"date-time":"2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742774400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":23,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Health Science Reports"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Background and Aims<\/jats:title><jats:p>In Ghana, the term \u2018galamsey\u2019 refers to illicit small\u2010scale gold mining. It is a primary factor in water pollution, land degradation and other environmental harm. It has also been connected to health risks like displacement and mercury poisoning. The rates of infertility among humans are rising, according to a recent study. While there are several theories explaining the rise in infertility rates, environmental contaminants may be a significant contributing role in this phenomenon. Fertility in both men and women can be impacted by a variety of environmental factors. The possible impacts of environmental contaminants on reproduction are especially concerning. We systematically reviewed the published literature on the effects of chemicals used in \u2018galamsey\u2019 on reproductive function.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>A comprehensive search of major databases including Medical and Allied Healthcare databases was systematically searched to identify studies published within the last period of 2010\u20132022. The modern SPIDER template for eligibility criteria was adopted as a guide in study selection after a literature search. Two reviewers independently screened studies for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed study quality.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Out of the 500 database, 20 documents were processed for their eligibility while 15 were included in the current study. The findings revealed that there is an association between the use of metals and reduced fertility in both males and females. \u2018Galamsey\u2019 exposure was also linked to decreased sperm count, motility and morphology in males as well as hormonal imbalance and increased chances of miscarriage and still birth among conceived mothers and females. Children born in these areas may have various forms of defects and malformations.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>This systematic review provides evidence that illegal mining activities have a deleterious effect on human fertility. These findings highlight the need for environmental and health reforms to address future public health threats.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/hsr2.70602","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,27]],"date-time":"2025-03-27T01:33:04Z","timestamp":1743039184000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Effect of \u2018Galamsey\u2019 on Human Fertility: A Systematic Review"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"8","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6158-3436","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samuel Kofi","family":"Arhin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical Sciences University of Cape Coast, PMB Cape Coast Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9229-5605","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Precious","family":"Barnes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical Sciences University of Cape Coast, PMB Cape Coast Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Isaiah Kofi","family":"Arhin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical Sciences University of Cape Coast, PMB Cape Coast Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Benedicta","family":"Owusu\u2010Nyarko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medical Sciences University of Cape Coast, PMB Cape Coast Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_13_2_1","unstructured":"I.Mwakesi \"Effects of Mining on Society Livelihoods and Environment in Taita Taveta County Kenya\" (Doctoral dissertation University of Nairobi 2020)."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_3_1","article-title":"Public Health and Mining In East and Southern Africa: A Desk Review of the Evidence","volume":"121","author":"Chanda\u2010Kapata P.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Zambia Ministry of Health with Training and Research Support Centre in the Regional Network for Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa (EQUINET). EQUINET DISCUSSION PAPER"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"H. F. H.Cossa \"Assessing the Effects of Mining Projects on Maternal New\u2010Born and Child Health in Sub\u2010saharan Africa\" (Doctoral dissertation University_of_Basel 2021).","DOI":"10.1186\/s12992-022-00797-6"},{"issue":"5","key":"e_1_2_13_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5143","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph120505143","article-title":"Integrated Assessment of Artisanal and Small\u2010Scale Gold Mining In Ghana\u2014Part 1: Human Health Review","volume":"12","author":"Basu N.","year":"2015","journal-title":"International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"e_1_2_13_6_1","first-page":"112","article-title":"Illegal Small\u2010Scale Gold Mining In Ghana: A Threat to Food Security","volume":"4","author":"Gilbert D.","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Food Security"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sciaf.2021.e00876","article-title":"Assessing Potential Health Effect of Lead and Mercury and the Impact of Illegal Mining Activities in the Bonsa River, Tarkwa Nsuaem, Ghana","volume":"13","author":"Obiri\u2010Yeboah A.","year":"2021","journal-title":"Scientific African"},{"issue":"3","key":"e_1_2_13_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsm.2016.12.001","article-title":"An Analysis of Illegal Mining on the Offin Shelterbelt Forest Reserve, Ghana: Implications on Community Livelihood","volume":"15","author":"Boadi S.","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Sustainable Mining"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_13_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1111\/1745-5871.12573","article-title":"The Dynamics and Livelihood Implications of Illegal Mining in Ghana: A Critical Assessment","volume":"61","author":"Afriyie K.","year":"2023","journal-title":"Geographical Research"},{"issue":"7","key":"e_1_2_13_10_1","first-page":"98","article-title":"Impacts of Illegal Mining (Galamsey) on the Environment (Water and Soil) at Bontefufuo Area in the Amansie West District","volume":"8","author":"Kuffour R. A.","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Environment and Earth Science"},{"issue":"3","key":"e_1_2_13_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"375","DOI":"10.1080\/15715124.2021.2002345","article-title":"Effect of Small\u2010Scale Illegal Mining on Surface Water and Sediment Quality in Ghana","volume":"21","author":"Darko H. F.","year":"2023","journal-title":"International Journal of River Basin Management"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1155\/2020\/2378560","article-title":"The Dangerous Couple: Illegal Mining and Water Pollution\u2014A Case Study in Fena River in the Ashanti Region of Ghana","volume":"2020","author":"Duncan A. E.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Chemistry"},{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_2_13_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.11648\/j.bmb.20210604.11","article-title":"Effects of Illegal Mining on the Environment, Economy, and Agricultural Productivity","volume":"6","author":"Suglo P.","year":"2021","journal-title":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology"},{"issue":"17","key":"e_1_2_13_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.5696\/2156-9614-8.17.43","article-title":"Review of Environmental and Health Impacts of Mining in Ghana","volume":"8","author":"Emmanuel A. Y.","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Health and Pollution"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"360","DOI":"10.1016\/j.toxrep.2020.02.011","article-title":"Health Risk Assessment and Levels of Toxic Metals In Fishes (Oreochromis noliticus and Clarias anguillaris) From Ankobrah and Pra Basins: Impact of Illegal Mining Activities on Food Safety","volume":"7","author":"Kortei N. K.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Toxicology Reports"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_16_1","unstructured":"J.Wilches\u2010Gutierrez \"Sexual and Reproductive Health in Local Mining Contexts in Colombia\" (Doctoral dissertation University of Pittsburgh 2019)."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.5296\/ast.v9i1.17766","article-title":"Assessment of the Reproductive Health Status of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) in a River Impacted by Mercury From Clandestine Gold Mining: A Case Study of Bagoue River, C\u00f4te D'ivoire","volume":"9","author":"Guessan A. K. N.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Aquatic Science and Technology"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_18_1","first-page":"41\u201348","article-title":"Effect of Cadmium on Female Reproduction and Treatment Options","volume":"11","author":"Olaolu T. D.","year":"2018","journal-title":"Research Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology"},{"issue":"2","key":"e_1_2_13_19_1","first-page":"8","article-title":"Environmental Toxins and Infertility","volume":"17","author":"Pizzorno J.","year":"2018","journal-title":"Integrative Medicine (Encinitas, Calif.)"},{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_2_13_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e158","DOI":"10.1016\/S2542-5196(20)30059-0","article-title":"Metal Mining and Birth Defects: A Case\u2010Control Study in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo","volume":"4","author":"Van Brusselen D.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Planetary Health"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envint.2019.105450","article-title":"Maternal Exposure to Arsenic and Mercury and Associated Risk of Adverse Birth Outcomes in Small\u2010Scale Gold Mining Communities in Northern Tanzania","volume":"137","author":"Nyanza E. C.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environment International"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1007\/s11934-018-0804-1","article-title":"Environmental Toxins and Male Fertility","volume":"19","author":"Mima M.","year":"2018","journal-title":"Current Urology Reports"},{"issue":"6","key":"e_1_2_13_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2797","DOI":"10.21037\/tau-20-685","article-title":"Impact of Environmental Toxin Exposure on Male Fertility Potential","volume":"9","author":"Krzastek S. C.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Translational Andrology and Urology"}],"container-title":["Health Science Reports"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/hsr2.70602","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,30]],"date-time":"2025-03-30T13:25:06Z","timestamp":1743341106000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/hsr2.70602"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,3]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1002\/hsr2.70602"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/hsr2.70602","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["2398-8835","2398-8835"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2398-8835","type":"print"},{"value":"2398-8835","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,3]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2024-04-09","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-03-10","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-03-24","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e70602"}}