Profil épidémiologique et clinique de l'infertilité masculine à l'hôpital général de Grand-Yoff, Sénégal: à propos de 492 cas

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the general profile of male infertility in Senegal in a hospital setting. Materials and Methods: A retrospective and descriptive study was carried out concerning the medical records of 492 patients treated for infertility between 2000 and 2004. The data concerned included clinical, laboratory and radiological investigation results. Results: Mean age of patients was 39 years. The mean duration of the infertility was 6 years. The infertility was primary in 66.5% of cases. Clinically, varicocele was the most common anomaly with 64.6% of cases. Seminal fluid analysis was abnormal in 84.3% of cases. The main anomalies were oligospermia with a count less than 5 million cells/ml in 35.6% of cases and azoospermia in 28.6% of cases. Conclusion: The general profile of infertility is diverse. Exploration is limited by the non-availability of the sexual partner and the lack of coordination between gynaecologists and andrologists. New approaches, including genetic and immunologic research, could help improve management, by finding causes of infertility that are usually hidden. Collaboration between health professionals to create medically assisted conception units could also improve its management. © 2009 Springer.