Semen quality low in men born after fertility treatment

Article

Men who are the product of fertility treatment have a lower sperm concentration, a lower sperm count, smaller testicles, fewer motile sperm, and fewer morphologically normal spermatozoa as young adults compared with other men the same age, according to a report in the March 1 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Men who are the product of fertility treatment have a lower sperm concentration, a lower sperm count, smaller testicles, fewer motile sperm, and fewer morphologically normal spermatozoa as young adults compared with other men the same age, according to a report in the March 1 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Tina K. Jensen, PhD, and colleagues from Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark, analyzed semen, blood, and data from a medical examination and a questionnaire from 1,925 18-year-old Danish men. Of these, 47 men were conceived as the result of fertility treatment.

The researchers found that after adjusting for confounders, men who were born after fertility treatment had a 46% lower sperm concentration, a 45% lower sperm count, smaller testicles, 4% fewer motile sperm, and 2% fewer morphologically normal spermatozoa. These men also had lower serum testosterone levels and a lower free androgen index, although these did not reach statistical significance.

Jensen TK, Jørgensen N, Asklund C, et al. Fertility treatment and reproductive health of male offspring: a study of 1,925 young men from the general population. Am J Epidemiol. 2007;165:583-590.

Recent Videos
Eran Bornstein, MD, highlights early signs of preeclampsia clinicians need to know | Image Credit: northwell.edu.
Eran Bornstein, MD explains the need for first trimester preeclampsia screening | Image Credit: northwell.edu.
Veerle Bergink, MD, PhD, highlights familial links of postpartum psychosis | Image Credit: profiles.mountsinai.org.
Ivie Odiase, MD
Susan Khalil, MD
Sharon Erdrich, PhD, discusses why oral health should be routine in health care | Image Credit: linkedIn.com.
Sharon Erdrich, PhD, highlights oral health's impact on chronic pain | Image Credit: linkedIn.com.
Fiona Gilbert, MA, MB, discusses breast cancer screening for dense breasts | Image Credit: newn.cam.ac.uk
Expert discussions from the 2025 ACOG meeting | Image Credit: © stevengaertner - © stevengaertner - stock.adobe.com.
Trina Mansour, MD
Related Content
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.