title: Cumulative parenthood rates in 1735 couples: impact of male factor infertility.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most studies assessing the outcome of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have reported live birth rates in couples by taking mainly the female factor into account. However, infertility is a couple's concern, and the majority of publications do not take into consideration the true impact of male infertility on having the desired number of children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a follow-up study to evaluate the probability of having a child during treatments at the Toulouse Male Sterility Centre and after discontinuation from 2000 through 2008. Couples were followed for at least 4 years until discontinuation of treatment or delivery of a live infant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We were able to contact 65% of the 1735 male partners by telephone. Of the 1131 respondents, 56% had become parents (60% if adoption is included), 28% after ART, 16% by natural pregnancy, 8% after non-ART treatment and 4% after ART in another centre. The cumulative rates of success reached 64% [95% confidence interval (CI), 60-67] for men ≤35 years and women ≤35 years after 9 years, and 31% (95% CI, 24-39) in older patients. With optimistic analysis, which assumes that patients for whom no information was available have the same chance of success in having a child as those whose reproductive outcome was known, the cumulative rate of success was 48% (95% CI, 45-50) in the 1735 couples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than half of couples consulting for male infertility succeeded in having a child. Male age over 35 years old appears as a key risk factor as well as the woman's age, and these findings should encourage couples to attempt parenthood earlier.
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, UPS, Groupe de Recherche en Fertilité Humaine (EA 3694, Human Fertility Research Group), TSA 70034, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. walschaerts.m@chu-toulouse.fr
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walschaerts
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bujan
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Isus
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parinaud
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mieusset
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thonneau
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome