Recent Advances in Understanding and Managing Male Infertility

In 2019, Esteves and Haidl discussed the impact of various factors on male infertility, which affects an estimated 70 million people worldwide. They found that obesity negatively impacts semen and reproductive hormonal parameters, contributing to infertility. Varicoceles, an abnormal enlargement of the veins in the scrotum, were prevalent in adult men and their repair improved pregnancy and live birth rates in men with low sperm counts. The use of testicular sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection resulted in better reproductive outcomes for men with high levels of DNA fragmentation in semen. The authors also highlighted the potential of sperm DNA integrity testing and new technologies like microfluidic sorting and magnetic activated sperm sorting to select sperm with reduced DNA damage for clinical use. They concluded that further research into molecular and genetic factors could enhance understanding and treatment of male infertility.