Semen quality in male partners of infertile couples in Lagos Nigeria

Abstract

This descriptive study was conducted from January-December 2008 to examine the seminal fluid of the male partners of infertile couples seen in the gynaecology clinic of a tertiary hospital in an urban setting, with a view to determining the prevalence and types of gross abnormalities. All couples who presented for infertility management were counselled and the male partners who consented were recruited. The subjects were requested to collect semen samples by masturbation and these were analysed and the findings were documented. Motility abnormalities (astenozoospermia) were the most common disorders among the study population with 87 (24.9%) in this category, 3.1% were azoospermic while 15.4% were oligozoospermic. Teratozoospermia was seen in 4.3% of the subjects. Some of the abnormal seminal samples demonstrated combined defects with oligo-asthenospermia occurring in 10% of the entire study population. More than two thirds of male partners of infertile couples in this study had some degree of seminal fluid abnormality. The practitioner should therefore endeavour to involve them early in the overall management in order to mitigate the grievous socio cultural impact on the women and commence appropriate investigation and definitive therapy. © Medwell Journals, 2010.