Improvement in semen quality in infertile males after treatment with tamoxifen

The effect of the anti-oestrogen Tamoxifen on the seminal quality of 131 men was studied. Parameters studied before and after treatment were sperm density, total ejaculate count, percentage progressive motility, progressively motile ejaculate count, percentage total motility and total motile ejaculate count. In a group of 38 males, the effect on serum LH, FSH, testosterone, oestradiol and prolactin was also studied. Tamoxifen significantly improved (p less than 0.05) the progressive motility in all patient groups where there was reduced pretreatment motility. Sperm density was also significantly improved in oligozoospermic patients. Elevations in the basal serum levels of FSH was noted, even in those patients where the basal level was elevated before treatment. Increases were also observed in the serum levels of the four other hormones studied.