Published online Nov 10, 2013. doi: 10.5317/wjog.v2.i4.181
Revised: July 21, 2013
Accepted: August 12, 2013
Published online: November 10, 2013
AIM: To profile semen parameters of Malawian men seeking fertility testing.
METHODS: Semen analysis is a key element in the fertility evaluation of men and permits male reproductive potential to be evaluated. Semen samples were collected from consenting men after 3-5 d of sexual abstinence. The samples were collected from 130 males; 78 were male partners of infertile couples while 52 were healthy semen donors. Seminal volume, motility and morphology were assessed. The results were analyzed on Prism 5. All data are expressed as mean ± SD. Student’s t-test was used for statistical analysis. Differences were regarded as statistically significant if P < 0.05.
RESULTS: Semen volume, sperm concentration, progressive motility and normal morphology were significantly higher in the control group when compared to the participant group. On the other hand, no statistically significant difference was found between the control group total sperm motility when compared to the participant group. Oligozoospermia was found in 25 cases, teratozoospermia detected in 17 cases and abnormal seminal plasma in 16 cases. Asthenozoospermia and azoospermia were found in 12 and 8 participants, respectively. This study has shown that most of the infertile patients seeking fertility testing had oligozoospermia. Teratozoospermia was the second most common abnormality found in the patients seeking fertility testing.
CONCLUSION: Our study is in agreement with previous studies which reported that these parameters have been shown to be good predictors for fertilization.
Core tip: In recent years there has been an increase in infertility and some of the causes are due to male factors. Even although some causes of male infertility can be established, others are idiopathic. It has therefore become imperative to investigate infertility patterns in different countries. This paper reports the common causes of male infertility in Malawian men seeking fertility testing.