Healthy overweight male partners of subfertile couples should not worry about their semen quality.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of body mass index (BMI) on semen quality in a cohort of male partners in subfertile couples.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
A fertility center based in an academic hospital.


METHODS
Between January 2000 and January 2007, 1466 men visiting the Centre for Reproductive Medicine as part of a subfertile couple.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Semen volume (in mL), semen concentration (in millions per mL), percentage of motile spermatozoa, percentage of spermatozoa with normal forms, total sperm count (in millions), and total motile sperm count (in millions).


RESULTS
After exclusion of men without data on BMI, the data of 1401 men could be analyzed. The group of men with a BMI lower than 20 kg/m2, with a BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m2, and with a BMI>30 kg/m2 had a lower semen volume compared with the group with a BMI between 20 and 25 kg/m2. Other semen parameters were not statistically significantly different. Multivariable analysis (generalized linear model), correcting for confounders, showed no statistically significant association between BMI and semen parameters, including semen volume.


CONCLUSIONS
Semen quality was not statistically significantly affected by BMI in a cohort of male partners in subfertile couples.
Duits
Floor H
FH
Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
van Wely
Madelon
M
Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: m.vanwely@amc.uva.nl.
van der Veen
Fulco
F
Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Gianotten
Judith
J
Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D055101:Semen Analysis