Journal article
Semen and reproductive hormone parameters in fertile men with and without varicocele
Andrologia (Berlin, West), Vol.51(10), pp.e13407-n/a
11/2019
DOI: 10.1111/and.13407
PMCID: PMC6819219
PMID: 31448444
Abstract
Although varicoceles are a widely accepted identifiable male factor in infertile couples, the benefit of varicocele repair in improving pregnancy and live birth rates remains uncertain. The Study for Future Families obtained semen and reproductive hormone samples from US men whose partners were currently pregnant. In our analysis cohort of 709 men, a varicocele was detected by clinical examination in 56 (8%) of men. Men with varicocele had smaller left testis, and lower total and total motile sperm counts than men without varicocele. Gonadotropin levels were higher as well in men with varicocele. Interestingly, testosterone levels were also slightly higher in men with varicocele. Despite these differences, there was no difference between the groups in the time to achieve the study pregnancy or percentage of men with a previous pregnancy. We conclude that even in fertile men, varicoceles are associated with some degree of testicular hypofunction. This would support current recommendations to consider varicocele repair in male partners in infertile couples who demonstrate both a varicocele and abnormal semen parameters and after evaluation for treatable female factors.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Semen and reproductive hormone parameters in fertile men with and without varicocele
- Creators
- J Bruce Redmon - University of MinnesotaErma Z Drobnis - University of Missouri Health SystemAmy Sparks - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USAChristina Wang - Los Angeles Biomedical Research InstituteShanna H Swan - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Andrologia (Berlin, West), Vol.51(10), pp.e13407-n/a
- DOI
- 10.1111/and.13407
- PMID
- 31448444
- PMCID
- PMC6819219
- ISSN
- 0303-4569
- eISSN
- 1439-0272
- Grant note
- R01 ES009916 / NIEHS NIH HHS Cedars-Sinai Research Institute M01-RR0425 / NIH HHS M01-RR00400 / NIH HHS Harbor-UCLA Medical Center UL1 TR001881 / NCATS NIH HHS M01 RR000400 / NCRR NIH HHS M01 RR000425 / NCRR NIH HHS R01-ES09916 / NIH HHS ULITR000124 / NIH HHS UL1 TR000124 / NCATS NIH HHS University of Iowa Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/2019
- Academic Unit
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Record Identifier
- 9984318224802771
Metrics
25 Record Views