New perspectives in male infertility

Male infertility refers to inability of the male partner to make a fertile female to get pregnant. In humans, it represents about 40–50% of cases of infertility. It occurs most frequently due to either decrease in the quantity of living spermatozoa or defects in semen quality. Causes of male infertility are variable, including pre-testicular, testicular and post-testicular factors. Diagnosis usually needs taking full medical history together with performing thorough physical examination and laboratory and radiological investigations. Management of male infertility is individualized according to the incriminated cause of infertility and the available methods of intervention. Recently, prognosis of cases of male infertility had significantly improved with the advancement in the methods of laboratory and radiological diagnosis together with the improvement in the assisted reproductive techniques. Further studies are needed to develop new techniques for management of resistant cases of male infertility.