Semen quality and ageing: a 9168 samples study in Cordoba, Argentine.

MOLINA RI; MARTINI AC; TISSERA A; OLMEDO J; SENESTRARI D; FIOL DE CUNEO M; RUIZ RD

ARCHIVOS ESPANOLES DE UROLOGIA.

Iniestares SA

Año: 2010 vol. 63 p. 214 - 221

0004-0614

Concomitantly with the actual trend towards later fathering, more detailed studies are necessary to establish the relationship between male age and seminal features. The objective of the present paper was to evaluate the relationship of men age with semen quality and with the seminal levels of epididymal and accessory gland markers. The study was conducted as a retrospective study of 9168 cases obtained from the Andrology and Reproduction Laboratory in Cordoba, Argentina for 10 years (1995-2004) (men ages 20 to >50). An important number of factors such as abstinence time, toxic habits, work conditions and drugs consumption has been statistically considered. The parameters measured were: seminal volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility, morphology and viability. Seminal levels of alpha-glucosidase, fructose and citric acid were also evaluated. We detected a significant decrease in seminal volume, sperm count, motility, viability and normal morphology, and a reduction in alpha-glucosidase and fructose levels in relation to age. Conclusions:Since semen quality is a tool for fertility prognosis, the weight of evidences indicate that men may become progressively less fertile as they growth older. Couples who decide to delay childbearing should be warned about this matter.