Publication:

Diagnostic utility of semen analysis in infertile couples: a prospective study

Background Infertility is defined as a failure to conceive after at least 12 months of unprotected intercourse. It is broadly established that 40% cases of infertility has male factor. Semen analyses is an imperative diagnostic tool in the valuation of the male partners of infertile couples.

Methods We carried out a prospective study wherein semen analyses of the male partners of infertile couples presented to Department of Pathology, Government Medical College and Associate Hospital, Jammu was done. A total of 300 cases were studied and comparison of each abnormality and combined defects were subjected to incidence distribution.

Results We analysed 300 samples in this study. Mean age of the men was 32.5 years. Duration of infertility in (200; 66.6%) was seen in men married for less than 5 years, (84; 28%) between 5-10 years of married life and there were (16; 5.3%) with more than 10 years of infertility period after marriage. Addiction to alcohol made the majority in our study (187; 62.3%), followed by tobacco chewing and addiction to both tobacco chewing and alcohol consumption (89; 29.6%) and (24; 8%), respectively, men were amongst those with abnormal seminograms.

Conclusions Male infertility is an alarming global health issue. Males contribute towards infertility in couples significantly and further study and assessment is required to accurately predict the importance of this.