Journal of Andrology
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Published-Ahead-of-Print July 29, 2010, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.110.010199

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Natural Course of Severe Oligozoospermia in Infertile Male: Influence on Future Fertility Potential

Seung-Hun Song , Chong Won Bak *, Jung Jin Lim , Tae Ki Yoon , Dong Ryul Lee , and Sung Won Kwon

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: poweruro{at}chamc.co.kr.

Most couples with severe male factor infertility are treated with assisted reproduction technology and little has been known about the prognosis of severe male factor infertility itself. We investigated the prognosis of the male infertile patients with severe oligozoospermia. Thirty-nine patients with severe nonobstructive oligozoospermia were followed more than 6 months without any medical or surgical intervention. Retrospective analysis of the natural course and influences on the future fertility potential of the study participants were performed. There was no statistically significant difference in sperm concentration, motility and morphology between first semen analysis and last semen analysis. However, during follow-up period, 5 (12.8%) patients became azoospermia. In seven (17.9%) patients, the sperm count was declined to the severe level only checkable after centrifugation. Three patients underwent microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) for sperm retrieval after the confirmation of azoospermia. The sperm retrieval was successful only in one of the three patients. Therefore, male patients diagnosed with severe oligozoospermia should be discussed about possible aggravation of their residual spermatogenesis function and the necessity of intermittent follow-up semen analyses. If follow-up semen tests show a declining tendency, the patients may be recommended with sperm cryopreservation. And if azoospermia develops during follow-up period, early TESE procedure should be considered to improve the sperm retrieval chance.


Key words: Male infertility • Oligozoospermia • Prognosis






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