[New criterion for determining fertility in men]

The concentrations of testosterone, estradiol, LH and FSH were studied in blood plasma of 84 healthy males and in the seminal plasma of 22 fertile males. The results obtained are juxtaposed to the concentrations of the indicated hormones in seminal fluid of 35 males with oligoasthenospermia and of 46 males with azoospermia. The concentration of the hormones in the seminal plasma was established to be equal to their concentrations in blood plasma. That enables their investigation in the seminal fluid in parallel with the spermogram. Normal fertility is admitted to be that fertility with a concentration of testosterone ranging from 250-550 mg%, of estradiol from 40-60 pg/ml, of LH-25-35 mlU/ml and of FSH from 20-30 mlU/ml. Reduced fertility has the concentrations of testosterone and estradiol reduced with more than 50% of the normal level, and that of gonadotropic--elevated with more than 50% of the normal level.