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Asian Journal of Andrology (2012) 14, 584-590; doi:10.1038/aja.2011.173; published online 23 April 2012
Decline of semen quality among 10 932 males consulting for couple infertility over a 20-year period in Marseille, France
Cendrine Geoffroy-Siraudin1,2, Anderson Dieudonné Loundou3, Fanny Romain4, Vincent Achard1, Blandine Courbière2,5, Marie-Hélène Perrard6, Philippe Durand6 and Marie-Roberte Guichaoua1,2
1 Reproduction Biology Laboratory, Conception Hospital, AP-HM, Marseille 13005, France
2 Aix-Marseille University, UMR CNRS IMBE 7263, Faculty of medicine of Marseille, Marseille 13005, France
3 Department of medical information, Conception Hospital, AP-HM, Marseille, 147 Bd Baille, Marseille 13005, France
4 Health Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine of Marseille, Marseille 13005, France
5 Centre of Assisted Reproductive Technique (CPMA), Conception Hospital, AP-HM, Marseille 13005, France
6 Functional Genomic Institute of Lyon, CNRS, INRA, ENS of Lyon, Lyon 69007, France
Correspondence: Dr MR Guichaoua, (mguichaoua@ap-hm.fr)
Received 14 September 2011; Revised 19 October 2011; Accepted 14 November 2011
Advance online publication 23 April 2012.
| Abstract |
Semen from 10 932 male partners of infertile couples was analysed and sperm parameter trends were evaluated at the Reproduction Biology Laboratory of the University Hospital of Marseille (France) between 1988 and 2007. After 3–6 days of abstinence, semen samples were collected. Measurements of seminal fluid volume, pH, sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility and detailed morphology of spermatozoa were performed. Sperm parameters were analysed on the entire population and in men with normal total numeration (≥40 million per ejaculate). The whole population demonstrated declining trends in sperm concentration (1.5% per year), total sperm count (1.6% per year), total motility (0.4% per year), rapid motility (5.5% per year) and normal morphology (2.2% per year). In the group of selected samples with total normal sperm count, the same trends of sperm quality deterioration with time were observed. Our results clearly indicate that the quality of semen decreased in this population over the study period.
Keywords: environment; male infertility; regional differences; semen quality; sperm parameters |
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