Infertility is an important public health problem affecting around 15% of couples worldwide. A male factor contributes to about 50% of all cases of infertility. Male infertility could be related to a variety of congenital or acquired causes that lead to abnormal reproductive potential and poor sperm quality and function. To this date, semen analysis remains the cornerstone of male infertility evaluation. Clinicians widely reference the World Health Organization (WHO) Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen, which provides a detailed description of a variety of semen tests. However, the manual does not provide a sufficient clinical context for the various tests that are described.
This book is intended to bridge the gap between the laboratory manual and the clinician by explaining in detail the test indication, its clinical utility, interpretation of results, and presenting a decision algorithm based on the test results. The book has 19 chapters grouped under seven sections that follow the chapters of the sixth edition of the WHO manual. Each chapter is written and reviewed by a team of senior clinicians, thus bringing a perspective that is truly clinically relevant. This book will be of great value to all clinicians involved in the management of male infertility and will also be of interest to laboratory scientists involved in semen testing by providing them with clinical perspectives of the test they perform. Human Semen Analysis: From the WHO Manual to the Clinical Management of Infertile Men is a useful guide for utilizing the WHO manual, interpreting test results, and deciding what subsequent clinical actions to take.