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Semen quality pattern and age threshold: a retrospective cross-sectional study of 71,623 infertile men in China,

W N Li1,2, M M Jia3, Y Q Peng2

  • 1The Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, Central South University, Luyun Road 8, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.

Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology : RB&E
|December 10, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Semen quality in infertile Chinese men shows no overall decline. Sperm parameters decrease with age, with motility declining earliest, but sperm concentration best predicts fertility for assisted reproduction technologies.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Andrology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Investigating semen quality patterns in infertile men is crucial for understanding male reproductive health.
  • Establishing age-related thresholds for semen parameters aids in clinical interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze semen quality trends in infertile men in China.
  • To identify age thresholds for key semen parameters.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cross-sectional study of 71,623 infertile men (2011-2017).
  • Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Kendall, linear regression, and joinpoint regression.

Main Results:

  • No significant decrease in overall semen quality observed over 7 years.
  • Median sperm concentration, total count, and progressive motility showed fluctuations but no decline.
  • Sperm progressive motility showed an earlier age-related decrease (28 years) compared to sperm concentration (58 years) and total count (42 years).
  • 47.88% of men met World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for normal semen parameters.

Conclusions:

  • No evidence of semen quality deterioration in infertile men in Hunan, China.
  • Semen parameters decline with age, with distinct turning points for different parameters.
  • Sperm concentration is the strongest predictor for assisted reproductive technology (ART) success, followed by motility.
Abstract

Keywords:
Age thresholdInfertile menSemen parametersSemen quality

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