15% of infertile men, the average life expectancy is only 48.8 years, according to a new Danish study. We are talking about people with a certain kind of infertility azoospermia, i.e. the absence of living sperm in the ejaculate. Their results, scientists said at a conference of the American society for reproductive medicine, held this week in Denver.
The researchers analyzed data from 50 000 Danes, gathered from 2006 to 2015. The study’s lead author, Dr. Clara Helen Glazer (Glazer Clara Helene) from Copenhagen, says he was stunned to see that men suffering from azoospermia, so high risk of death compared to men with other causes of infertility.
According to Glaser, it may be due to genetic factors, but to confirm this further studies are needed. In addition, previous studies have shown that men with azoospermia, there is an increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
Azoospermia affects about 1% of all men. Azoospermia is obstructive or non-obstructive. The cause of obstructive azoospermia, lies in the anatomical features that prevent the penetration of spermatozoa in the seminal fluid. Non-obstructive azoospermia is usually caused by genetic disorders, associated with testicles.
Azoospermia is determined only laboratory. Usually men, but not trying to have kids, I don’t know about this problem.
The results of the study suggest that in men suffering from azoospermia, twice as likely to die from cancer or cardiovascular disease. At the same time, in men with oligospermia (insufficient sperm in semen), increased risk of death was observed. This is the novelty of the research, since previously all types of male infertility were considered together.
In addition, according to Glaser, previous studies usually focused on the question of the effects of female infertility on the health, and the effects of different types of male infertility has received far less attention. The results of this Danish study suggests the need for further studies of the effect of azoospermia and male infertility overall health.
Dmitry Kolesnik