Socio-biological status of Nigerian males with primary and secondary infertility

Husbands in 100 consecutive couples complaining of lack of pregnancy after one year of normal intercourse were engaged in this study. Information from a structured questionnaire administered to these 100 men showed that 46% had primary infertility (had never impregnated any woman) and 54% secondary infertility (had in the past impregnated at least one woman irrespective of the outcome of the pregnancy). The mean ages (years) and standard error of mean for the primary and secondary infertile groups were 33.46 +/- 1.45 and 39.28 +/- 1.41 respectively. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Semen culture for growth of bacteria was positive in 59.3% of subjects with secondary infertility as opposed to 40.7% for primary infertility. The difference was, again, statistically significant (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that a higher proportion of husbands in infertile couples in a group of this environment had secondary infertility, were older and were more likely to harbour infections in their semen than those with primary infertility. Hence there should be a greater awareness of the significant involvement of bacterial infection of the genital tract of infertile Nigerian subjects than and before this factor should be taken into account in the prevention and treatment strategies for infertility in this and presumably other tropical countries.