BACKGROUND There are no current pharmacological therapies to improve sperm quality in men with sub-fertility. Reducing the exposure to lifestyle risk factor (LSF) is currently the only intervention for improving… Click to show full abstract
BACKGROUND There are no current pharmacological therapies to improve sperm quality in men with sub-fertility. Reducing the exposure to lifestyle risk factor (LSF) is currently the only intervention for improving sperm quality in men with sub-fertility. No previous study has investigated what proportion of men with sub-fertility are exposed to adverse lifestyle factors. Furthermore, it is not known to what extent men with sub-fertility are aware of lifestyle factors potentially adversely impacting their fertility. METHODS A cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire-based study on self-reported exposure and awareness of LSF was conducted in 1149 male partners of couples investigated for sub-fertility in a tertiary andrology centre in London, UK. RESULTS Seventy-percent of men investigated for sub-fertility had ≥1 LSF, and twenty-nine-percent had ≥2 LSF. Excessive alcohol consumption was the most common LSF (40% respondents). Seventeen-percent of respondents used recreational drugs (RD) regularly, but only 32% of RD users believed RD impair male fertility. Twenty-five-percent of respondents were smokers, which is higher than the UK average (20%). Twenty-seven percent of respondents had a waist circumference (WC) >36inches (91cm), and 4% had WC >40inches (102cm). Seventy-nine-percent of respondents wanted further lifestyle education to improve their fertility. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that men with sub-fertility are: (1) exposed to one or more LSF; (2) have incomplete education about how LSF may cause male sub-fertility; (3) want more education about reducing LSF. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential of enhanced education of men about LSF to treat couples with sub-fertility.
               
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