Genetically determined male infertility and assisted reproduction techniques

This is a review of the common chromosome and genetic disorders associated with male infertility that need to be considered by the clinician and the couple in the context of treatment. Until recently the most relevant disorders have been those inherited from parents, however, with the advent of technologies enabling recovery of sperm from the testicle in men with severely damaged spermatogenesis there is increased interest in those genetic abnormalities that may occur in mitosis and meioses. It is likely that over the next ten years there will be increasing focus on this aspect of male fertility genetic disorders. This article needs to be read in conjunction with the specific in depth reviews in this journal edition.