Male infertility ‘may be linked to other health problems’

Male infertility could potentially be linked to a number of other health problems that were previously considered to be unrelated, according to new research.

Conducted by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine, the study of more than 9,000 men with fertility problems has revealed a correlation between the number of different defects in a man's semen and the likelihood that the individual has other health problems.

Moreover, poor semen quality was also associated with a higher chance of having various specific health conditions, such as hypertension, as well as skin and endocrine disorders in general.

This highlights the potential need for more comprehensive approaches to treating male infertility, including the prospective benefits of carrying out complete physical examinations of men experiencing reproductive difficulties.

Dr Michael Eisenberg, assistant professor of urology and director of male reproductive medicine and surgery at Stanford, said: "We should be paying more attention to these millions of men. Infertility is a warning: problems with reproduction may mean problems with overall health."

In the UK, it is estimated that around one in seven couples have difficulty conceiving, equating to approximately 3.5 million people in the UK.