Seminal fluid features of male partners of infertility patients in southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Semen analysis has remained an objective, inexpensive and readily available means of assessing male factor infertility. There is a paucity of studies on male factor infertility in Nigeria using the current World Health Organization 2010 human values for semen characteristics. Aim: This study was aimed at determining the socio-demographic and semen characteristics of the male partners of infertile couples in Abakaliki. Materials and Methods: The case files of infertility cases managed at Federal Teaching Hospital from January 2011 to December 2015 were retrieved. Results: Out of 730 semen analysis results analysed, 297 (40.7%) have abnormal parameters ranging from abnormal motility (36.7%), to the combination of low sperm count, abnormal motility and morphology (0.68%). While older age and urban dwelling had significant effect on abnormal sperm motility, rural dwelling and low/or no educational status had a significant effect on low seminal fluid volume and sperm count (P-value ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: There is still a high rate of male factor infertility in this environment.