J Korean Med Assoc.  2007 May;50(5):415-423. 10.5124/jkma.2007.50.5.415.

Causes and Diagnosis of Male Infertility

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Urology, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Korea. pnc@pusan.ac.kr

Abstract

Male factors can be identified as the cause of infertility in 30~40% of couples and a contributing factor in 50% of cases. This situation means the reproduction ability in human is directly related not only to the underlying diseases of infertility but also to the general health status. Therefore, clinical approaches should be made by a comprehensive evaluation including a detailed history, careful physical examination, qualified semen analysis, and second-line specific tests under a thorough understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the reproductive organ, on both sides of the couple in parallel. Additionally, it is very important to evaluate male factors with rapid, noninvasive, and cost-effective modalities. This article will provide a review of clinical causes of male infertility as well as how to perform a comprehensive evaluation in infertile couples.

Keyword

Male infertility; Cause; Diagnosis

MeSH Terms

Diagnosis*
Family Characteristics
Humans
Infertility
Infertility, Male*
Male
Male*
Physical Examination
Physiology
Reproduction
Semen Analysis

Figure

  • Figure 1 Algorithm for the workup of isolated abnormal semen parameters.


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