Medical comorbidities are linked to poor semen quality, suggesting that current health condition and genetic factors affect sperm production, according to findings of a study. About 15 percent of all couples have fertility issues, and in half of those cases the male partner has semen deficiencies. We should be paying more attention to these millions of men. Infertility is a warning: Problems with reproduction may mean problems with overall health. An earlier study showed that infertile men had higher rates of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the years after an infertility evaluation. The goal of the present study was to examine the association between semen quality and current health status in a cohort of 9387 men, mean age 38 years, who underwent an infertility workup between 1994 and 2011. Within the cohort, 44% had at least one medical diagnosis unrelated to infertility. Using the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), the investigators showed that men with a higher index had lower semen volume, concentration, motility, total sperm count, and morphology scores. The number of different ways in which a mans semen was deficient was statistically significantly correlated with the likelihood of having a substantial health problem. Rates of semen abnormalities were significantly higher among men with endocrine, circulatory, genitourinary, and skin diseases than in men without these conditions. Hypertension, peripheral vascular and cerebrovascular disease, and non-ischemic heart disease were all associated with higher rates of semen abnormalities. About 15% of all human genes are directly involved in reproduction, and most of these genes also play important roles in other bodily systems. Identifying other specific factors affecting male sperm production may allow better patient counseling.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 04:58:24 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015