Abstract

Ebirien-Agana S. Bartimaeus* and Sule A. Sewu

ABSTRACT

Aim: This study aimed at providing baseline data on the fertility status and profile of male residents in Aba metropolis, South East Nigeria. Materials and Methods: One hundred and eighty-six men (186) between the ages of twenty-five to fifty years (25-50), comprising 84 fertile control, and 102 men diagnosed with infertility and attending infertility clinics in Aba metropolis were recruited into the study. The infertile subjects comprised of current smokers (26), those exposed to pesticides used in the control of pests and weeds in the farms and other pollutants (46) and bicycle riders (30). Semen samples were collected from the subjects after a minimum of 5 days abstinence from sexual intercourse. The percentage of motile spermatozoa, viable spermatozoa, sperm count and morphology of the spermatozoa were determined using standard WHO procedures. Follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone and prolactin were analysed using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean differences among subgroups whilst student t-test was used to compare the differences between two groups. Values were considered significant at p