Semen analysis: a workflow for an appropriate assessment of the male fertility status

Abstract

Infertility is a worldwide problem that affects 9-15% of couples in reproductive age. In about half of the cases, it recognizes, alone or in combination, a male cause. In addition to a reproductive problem, male infertility can result from a systemic disease. Consequently, semen analysis, a fundamental test in the diagnosis of male infertility, represents a useful indicator not only of a man's reproductive capacity but also of his health and lifestyle. Given the key role of semen analysis, only accredited laboratories should perform it and experienced clinicians should be called into play in its interpretation. In this article, we have extensively examined how the macroscopic and microscopic parameters of semen analysis, alone or associated with each other, allow clinicians to orient towards specific diagnoses that can be confirmed by further ad-hoc tests. On this basis, we also proposed a diagnostic flowchart focused on the results of the semen analysis.