title: Semen quality and reproductive hormones in Faroese men: a cross-sectional population-based study of 481 men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine semen quality and reproductive hormone levels in young Faroese men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive cross-sectional study of Faroese men compared with Danish men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Faroese one-centre study.
  
  
  METHODS
  481 men born from 1981 to 1987 and investigated from 2007 to 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sperm concentration, semen volume, total sperm count, sperm motility, sperm morphology and reproductive hormone levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sperm concentrations for the Faroese men were lower than for the Danish men (crude median 40 vs 48 mill/ml, p<0.0005). Semen volume was higher, and thus the total sperm counts did not differ (159 vs 151 mill, p=0.2). Motility and morphology did not differ between the Faroese and Danes. The inhibin B/follicle-stimulating hormone ratios for the Faroese men were lower than for the Danes (64 vs 76, p=0.001). Similarly, lower total testosterone/luteinising hormone (LH) ratio (4.6 vs 6.0, p<0.0005) and lower calculated free-testosterone/LH ratio (94 vs 134, p<0.0005) were detected for the Faroese men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Semen quality among the Faroese men is at the same low level as reported for Danish men, and the reproductive hormone levels furthermore indicated a lower Leydig cell capacity for testosterone production. The influence of environmental exposure and genetic factors on semen quality has to be studied further.
authors: Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands.
authors: Jónrit
authors: J
authors: Halling
authors: Maria Skaalum
authors: MS
authors: Petersen
authors: Niels
authors: N
authors: Jørgensen
authors: Tina Kold
authors: TK
authors: Jensen
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Grandjean
authors: Pál
authors: P
authors: Weihe