Early male aging or poor clinical consideration for males in IVF centers? An original study
Ylenia Duca ORCID Icon, Aldo Eugenio Calogero ORCID Icon, Rosita Angela Condorelli ORCID Icon, Bruno Giammusso ORCID Icon, Sandro La Vignera ORCID Icon & Collaborators (Redox Group Catania)
Received 05 Apr 2019, Accepted 09 May 2019, Published online: 28 May 2019
Download citation  https://doi.org/10.1080/13685538.2019.1618260 

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Abstract
The Italian law 40/2004 allows the use of assisted reproduction techniques only if there are no other effective therapeutic approaches to overcome infertility. According to article 4 paragraph 1, the impossibility of removing the otherwise impeding causes to achieve a pregnancy must be ascertained before the couple undergoes assisted reproduction techniques. On this premises, we sought to evaluate the percentage of couples who underwent or were addressed to assisted reproduction techniques despite a known and potentially treatable male infertility factor in fertility centers in the city of Catania, Italy. To accomplish this, andrologists, urologists and endocrinologists were asked to report the number of couples already addressed to assisted reproduction techniques which they counseled in the trimester April–June 2018 having a under 35-year-old female partner and at least one among the following untreated conditions: (A) oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and FSH <8 mIU/ml, (B) third-degree varicocele (mono or bilateral form), and (C) leukocytospermia or urogenital infections. Of the 320 enrolled couples, 75 (23%) met the criterion A, 45 (14%) the criterion B, and 62 (19%) the criterion C. More than a half couples were addressed to assisted reproduction techniques despite a potentially treatable male infertility factor.

Keywords: Assisted reproduction techniques, ART, law 40/2004, principle of gradualism, male infertility