AIM To illustrate the importance of genetic screening in the assessment of fertility and the correct diagnosis in patients with azoospermia or severe oligospermia. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study examined 500 patients with reproductive failure, having fewer than 5 million sperm/mL detected in at least 2 consecutive spermiograms, who presented at a medical genetics polyclinic between 2008 and...

Men with severe oligospermia (<5 million sperm/mL ejaculate fluid) or azoospermia should receive genetic testing to clarify etiology of male infertility prior to treatment. Categorization by obstructive azoospermia (OA) or non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is critical since genetic testing differs for the former with normal testicular function, testicular volume (~20 mL), and follicle-stimulati...

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has been described in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine as an aphrodisiac that can be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and infertility. This pilot study was conducted to evaluate the spermatogenic activity of Ashwagandha root extract in oligospermic patients. Forty-six male patients with oligospermia (sperm count < 20 million/mL semen) were enrolled and...

Ultrasound imaging and angiography play a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of men with subfertility. The most commonly used imaging modality is ultrasound (US), which can be used for diagnostic purposes or to aid in treatment. Scrotal US can be used to document varicoceles in subfertile men in the context of difficult examination or for confirmation before treatment. Spectral Doppler...

Barcelona, July 2011 Oligospermia, or the low concentration of sperm cells in semen, could be related to the exposure of embryos to the so-called endocrine disruptors or EDCs (chemical compounds that act as estrogens in the human body), has been shown in a study carried out by Institut Marquès’ Investigation Team, ICRA (Catalan Institute for Water Research) and CSIC, published this month in “Re...

Since the birth of the first test-tube baby in 1978, Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) has been performed all over the world to alleviate human infertility. In 1991 with the advent of the Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) technique, a reasonable rate of male infertility cases due to severe oligospermia were successfully solved. However, several concerns about the safety and impact o...

Human in vitro fertilization has become a widely accepted method of treatment for infertile couples. The list of indications for this technique is rapidly growing and includes oligospermia, endometriosis, and unexplained infertility. The techniques of follicular recruitment, ovum maturation, and follicular aspiration, as well as laboratory culture techniques, are described. The various factors ...

Background Genetic factors are candidates for about 30% of male infertility with sperm production-related abnormalities. Y chromosome microdeletions are responsible for around 10% of male infertility. These microdeletions generally occur in azoospermia factor on the Yq. That is often associated with the quantitative reduction of sperm. Objective The aim of this cross-sectional study was to de...

BACKGROUND The AZFc deletion has been associated with wide range of phenotypes including complete absence of germ cells in the testes (SCOS), reduction in germ cells hypospermatogenesis, and maturation arrest. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between AZFc microdeletions and testicular histology in South Chinese men with azoospermia or severe oligospermia. FIND...

Sixty male patients of leprosy (mean age = 27.2 +/- 5.04 years) selected at random, were studied for gonadal involvement and therapeutic efficacy of two indigenous drugs. Of these 34 were married, with the mean duration of illness 4.17 +/- 3.27 years. Only those with lepromatous and dimorphous leprosy developed testicular and epididymal changes. Testicular pain and/or swelling (lepromatous = 62...