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. 2023 Jan;11(1):45-53.
doi: 10.1111/andr.13301. Epub 2022 Oct 10.

Perceived stress and semen quality

Katrine H Lund  1 , Anne Sofie D Laursen  1 , Therese K Grønborg  1 , Gunnar Toft  1   2 , Bjarke H Jacobsen  1 , Tanran R Wang  3 , Amelia K Wesselink  3 , Elizabeth E Hatch  3 , Greg J Sommer  4 , Michael L Eisenberg  5 , Kenneth J Rothman  1   3   6 , Henrik T Sørensen  1   3 , Lauren A Wise  3 , Ellen M Mikkelsen  1
Affiliations

Perceived stress and semen quality

Katrine H Lund et al. Andrology. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Psychological stress is prevalent among reproductive-aged men. Assessment of semen quality for epidemiological studies is challenging as data collection is expensive and cumbersome, and studies evaluating the effect of perceived stress on semen quality are inconsistent.

Objective: To examine the association between perceived stress and semen quality.

Material and methods: We analyzed baseline data on 644 men (1,159 semen samples) from two prospective preconception cohort studies during 2015-2021: 592 in Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO) and 52 in SnartForaeldre.dk (SF). At study entry, men aged ≥21 years (PRESTO) and ≥18 years (SF) trying to conceive without fertility treatment completed a questionnaire on reproductive and medical history, socio-demographics, lifestyle, and the 10-item version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; interquartile range [IQR] of scores: 0-40). After enrollment (median weeks: 2.1, IQR: 1.3-3.7), men were invited to perform in-home semen testing, twice with 7-10 days between tests, using the Trak Male Fertility Testing System. Semen quality was characterized by semen volume, sperm concentration, and total sperm count. We fit generalized estimating equation linear regression models to estimate the percent difference in mean log-transformed semen parameters by four PSS groups (<10, 10-14, 15-19, ≥20), adjusting for potential confounders.

Results: The median PSS score and IQR was 15 (10-19), and 136 men (21.1%) had a PSS score ≥20. Comparing men with PSS scores ≥20 with <10, the adjusted percent difference was -2.7 (95% CI: -9.8; 5.0) for semen volume, 6.8 (95% CI: -10.9; 28.1) for sperm concentration, and 4.3 (95% CI: -13.8; 26.2) for total sperm count.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that perceived stress is not materially associated with semen volume, sperm concentration, or total sperm count.

Keywords: cross-sectional study; in-home semen testing; male fertility; perceived stress; preconception; semen quality.

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Conflict of interest statement

PRESTO has received in‐kind donations from Sandstone Diagnostics (for semen kits), Swiss Precision Diagnostics (home pregnancy tests), Kindara.com (fertility app), and FertilityFriend.com (fertility app). Dr. Lauren Wise serves as a fibroid consultant for AbbVie, Inc.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Directed acyclic graph illustrating the association between perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS] score) and semen quality
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Evaluation of the association between perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS] score) and semen quality (semen volume, sperm concentration, and total sperm count) using restricted cubic splines, N = 644. The solid line represents the median estimate, and the grey area represents the 95% CI. The splines are adjusted for cohort, abstinence time, education, employment, caffeine intake, fever, ever impregnated a partner, and sleep duration, and each spline has four knot points at 5, 12, 17 and 25
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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