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Review
. 2021 Jan 26:10:7.
doi: 10.12703/r/10-7. eCollection 2021.

Non-obstructive azoospermia: current and future perspectives

Tharu Tharakan  1   2 , Rong Luo  1 , Channa N Jayasena  1 , Suks Minhas  2
Affiliations
Review

Non-obstructive azoospermia: current and future perspectives

Tharu Tharakan et al. Fac Rev. .

Abstract

Infertility affects 1 in 6 couples, and male factor infertility has been implicated as a cause in 50% of cases. Azoospermia is defined as the absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate and is considered the most extreme form of male factor infertility. Historically, these men were considered sterile but, with the advent of testicular sperm extraction and assisted reproductive technologies, men with azoospermia are able to biologically father their own children. Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) occurs when there is an impairment to spermatogenesis. This review describes the contemporary management of NOA and discusses the role of hormone stimulation therapy, surgical and embryological factors, and novel technologies such as proteomics, genomics, and artificial intelligence systems in the diagnosis and treatment of men with NOA. Moreover, we highlight that men with NOA represent a vulnerable population with an increased risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular comorbodities.

Keywords: Male infertility; artificial intelligence; azoospermia; genetics; sperm retrieval.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declare there are no competing interests.No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. The causes and male reproductive hormone profiles associated with non-obstructive azoospermia.
FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone; GnRH, gonadotropin-releasing hormone; LH, luteinising hormone.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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