Low birth weight and subsequent male subfertility

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Developmental Biology
• Andrology

Background:

• Male subfertility frequently lacks a clear cause.
• Severe intrauterine growth retardation has been associated with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism.
• The relationship between reduced fetal growth and unexplained male subfertility requires further examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between reduced fetal growth, indicated by birth weight, and unexplained male subfertility.
• To determine if lower birth weight within the normal range correlates with male infertility.

Main Methods:

• Birth weight and gestational age data were collected via questionnaire from men seeking fertility treatment.
• Birth weight standard deviation (SD) scores were calculated.
• Semen analysis results were used to categorize men into groups: normal, explained subfertility, and unexplained subfertility.

Main Results:

• Men with unexplained subfertility had a significantly lower median birth weight SD score (-0.5) compared to men with normal semen analysis (0.0).
• The birth weight SD scores for men with unexplained subfertility were within the normal range, extending previous findings.
• No significant difference in birth weight SD scores was observed between men with normal semen analysis and those with explained subfertility.

Conclusions:

• Reduced fetal growth, even within normal birth weight parameters, is associated with unexplained male subfertility.
• These findings highlight a potential link between early developmental factors and later male reproductive health.
• The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this association warrant further investigation.