Short summary

Men with azoospermia often have their own biological children by using spermatozoa retrieved from their testicles or epididymides. The right testicle may predict the chance to obtain testicular spermatozoa better than the left testicle.

Rationale

In 1-2% of all men the semen quality is so reduced, that they suffer from azoospermia - meaning that no sperm at all can be detected in the seminal fluid. JF has worked with this patient group for more than 20 years, and we have performed many scientific studies with the aims to identify etiological factors, to improve examination and treatment, and at the same time verify that children born after microinsemination using testicular and epididymal sperm from those patients are healthy and without increased malformation rates.

  Specific causes as well as parametric variables such as testicular volume and FSH have predictive value for the chance to be able to identify and harvest spermatozoa from the testicles of the man. It may be important for the azoospermic men not to be exposed to unsuccessful sperm retrieval procedures.

  In animal species, including human, there are differences in the potential of the two gonads to develop into testicles and ovaries, respectively. In birds, like fx hens, only the left gonad develop into an ovary, while both gonads have the potential to develop into testicles given the conditions required. Since a similar, but weaker, tendency has been observed in mammals (including humans), it may be suggested that the volume of the right testicle predicts the chance to obtain testicular spermatozoa to a higher degree than the volume of the left testicle does.

    This hypothesis will be examined in our big cohort of azoospermic men. The volumes of the respective testicles will be compared to specific etiologies and other possible predictors. An algoritm including two or more predictors may be superior in predicting the presence of testicular spermatozoa.

Description of the cohort

The cohort includes about 650 unselected, adult men with azoospermia referred to our Centre of Andrology & Fertility Clinic, dept. D, OUH, for examination and treatment.

Data and biological material

Clinical data, including hormonal parameters and genetic data