title: Fertility in men with spinal cord injury.
abstract: Young men comprise the overwhelming majority of men with spinal cord injury (SCI), the incidence of which has been growing over the years. Due to advances in physical medicine and rehabilitation, remarkable improvements in survival rates have been reported, leading to life expectancies similar to those of the general population. However, many sexual and reproductive functions may be impaired due to erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction and semen abnormalities, characterised by low-sperm motility or viability in SCI males who have not become parents yet. Nevertheless, fatherhood is still possible through the introduction of specialised medical management, by using various medical, technical and surgical methods for sperm retrieval in combination with assisted reproductive techniques. Erectile dysfunction can be managed by the use of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, intracavernosal injections, vacuum devices and penile prostheses. Semen can be obtained from the vast majority of anejaculatory men by medically assisted ejaculation through the use of penile vibratory stimulation or electroejaculation and via prostate massage or surgical procedures. Despite impaired sperm parameters, reasonable pregnancy rates similar to those in able-bodied subfertile cohorts have been reported. However, future research should focus on the optimisation of semen quality in these men and on improving natural ejaculation.
authors.affiliation: a Human Reproduction Unit, Cantonal Hospital Zenica , Zenica , Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Ermin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Čehić
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia , and.
authors.forename: Miro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasum
authors.affiliation: c Human Reproduction Unit, Polyclinic IVF , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Velimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Šimunić
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia , and.
authors.forename: Slavko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orešković
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia , and.
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vujić
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia , and.
authors.forename: Franjo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grgić
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*
keywords: Asthenospermia; erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction; fertility; spinal cord injury