Occupational, life stress and family functioning: does it affect semen quality?

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Andrology
• Occupational Health Psychology

Background:

• Psychological stress is a known factor in idiopathic infertility, yet less studied in men compared to women.
• Male infertility contributes significantly to couple infertility, highlighting the need for comprehensive etiological research.
• Understanding stressors affecting male reproductive health is crucial for developing targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between occupational stress, life stress, and family functioning with semen quality in men.
• To assess the impact of different stress domains on various semen parameters.
• To identify potential modifiable factors influencing male fertility.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 327 men attending an infertility clinic.
• Psychological stress assessed using the Subjective Work Characteristics Questionnaire and Perceived Stress Scale.
• Family functioning evaluated via the APGAR Family Scale.

Main Results:

• Occupational stressors were positively associated with increased sperm DNA damage (p=0.03) and atypical sperm (p=0.05).
• No significant correlation was observed between life stress levels and semen quality indicators.
• Lower satisfaction with family functioning correlated with a reduced percentage of motile sperm cells (p=0.02), VAP (p=0.05), VSL (p=0.05), and VCL (p=0.04).

Conclusions:

• Occupational stress emerges as a significant factor negatively affecting male semen quality.
• Further longitudinal research is recommended to confirm these findings and elucidate causal relationships.
• Family functioning satisfaction may also play a role in male reproductive health.