title: Critical appraisal of World Health Organization's new reference values for human semen characteristics and effect on diagnosis and treatment of subfertile men.
abstract: In 2010, the World Health Organization established new reference values for human semen characteristics that are markedly lower than those previously reported. Despite using controlled studies involving couples with a known time to pregnancy to establish the new limits, the reference studies are limited with regard to the population analyzed and the methods used for semen evaluation. The present review discusses concerns related to the new reference values for semen characteristics, including the effect on patient referral, diagnosis, and treatment of recognized conditions, such as varicocele, and on the indications for assisted reproductive technologies.
authors: Androfert, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas, Brazil.
authors: Sandro C
authors: SC
authors: Esteves
authors: Armand
authors: A
authors: Zini
authors: Nabil
authors: N
authors: Aziz
authors: Juan G
authors: JG
authors: Alvarez
authors: Edmund S
authors: ES
authors: Sabanegh
authors: Ashok
authors: A
authors: Agarwal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000592:standards*; D013076:Sperm Count / Q000592:standards; D014646:Varicocele / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult