Infertility, Male, Semen Analysis
Conditions
Keywords
Fit of underpants worn, Genital heat stress, Basic semen parameters, Sperm DNA integrity, Thai male partners
Brief summary
The goal of this observational study is to investigate the impact of underpants fit among Thai males attending the Infertility Clinic, whether alone or with their spouses. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Assessing the effect of underpants fit on basic semen parameters and sperm DNA integrity. * Determining the prevalence of preferred type of underpants worn by Thai males. The participants will need to provide informed consent, complete a questionnaire consisting of 28 questions, and provide a semen sample.
Detailed description
This research aims to investigate the impact of underpants fit on basic semen parameters, with secondary objectives including an examination of its effect on sperm DNA integrity and an assessment of the prevalence of different underpants types among Thai male partners. The study will enroll approximately 120 Thai male partners, aged 20-55 years, attending the Reproductive Biology Unit (Infertility Clinic) at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, either alone or with their spouses. Participants will be required to provide informed consent, complete a 28-question questionnaire, which should take no more than 10 minutes, and undergo semen analysis. The analysis will assess basic semen parameters and sperm DNA integrity, preferably after a 2-7 days abstinence period. The research will be conducted over a single day for each participant. The data will be divided into two groups based on underpants fit: loosely fitted and tightly fitted. Statistical analysis will be conducted using STATA software version 18, employing regression analysis to assess the independent impact of underpants fit on semen quality. This analysis will control for potential confounding factors such as age, obesity, alcohol and caffeine consumption, cigarette smoking, physical activity, excessive heat exposure, recreational drug use, recent COVID-19 infection, duration of abstinence, previous children, and stress. This study seeks to build on previous findings, address genital heat stress in Thai male partners, and potentially influence lifestyle changes to reduce male-factor infertility. Future research could explore additional factors such as underwear material and the type of trousers worn by men.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALFit of underpants worn
Tight or loose-fitted underpants
Sponsors
Chulalongkorn University
Study design
Observational model
OTHER
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
20 Years to 55 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Male partner, Thai citizen * Age 20 - 55 years * Participants able and willing to fill in an informed consent form * Participants capable of completing questionnaire form * Semen sample collection after 2-7 days of abstinence * Participants wearing specific type of underpants not less than 8 hours per day
Exclusion criteria
* Any congenital factor (e.g. cystic fibrosis, congenital absence of vas deferens, cryptorchidism) * Any testicular disorder (e.g. varicocele, testicular torsion, testicular trauma) * Any genital tract disorders/ infections (e.g. prostatitis, epididymitis, urogenital tract obstruction) * Severe systemic disorder (e.g. liver cirrhosis, renal failure) * Sexual dysfunction (erectile dysfunction) * Exogenous factors (chemotherapy, medications, radiation) * Any surgery comprising vascularization of testis * Participants wearing both tight and loose-fitted underpants
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Total sperm count | Semen sample will be collected once, on a date advised by the doctor, following a period of ejaculatory abstinence ranging from 2 to 7 days. The sample will be evaluated within 30 minutes of collection. | The total sperm count will be assessed as the total number of sperm cells in millions in the entire ejaculate. |
| Sperm motility | Semen sample will be collected once, on a date advised by the doctor, following a period of ejaculatory abstinence ranging from 2 to 7 days. The sample will be evaluated within 30 minutes of collection. | Sperm motility will be evaluated as the percentage of sperm cells exhibiting movement. |
| Sperm morphology | Semen sample will be collected once, on a date advised by the doctor, following a period of ejaculatory abstinence ranging from 2 to 7 days. The sample will be evaluated within 30 minutes of collection. | Sperm morphology will be evaluated as percentage of sperm cells with normal shape. |
| Semen Volume | Semen sample will be collected once, on a date advised by the doctor, following a period of ejaculatory abstinence ranging from 2 to 7 days. The sample will be evaluated within 30 minutes of collection. | Semen volume will be assessed in milliliters. |
| Sperm concentration | Semen sample will be collected once, on a date advised by the doctor, following a period of ejaculatory abstinence ranging from 2 to 7 days. The sample will be evaluated within 30 minutes of collection. | Sperm concentration will be quantified as the number of million sperm cells per milliliter. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sperm DNA integrity | The leftover semen sample after basic semen analysis will be stored and slides will be prepared. Sperm DNA integrity will be assessed immediately after slide preparation or after freezing the slide for one day, if necessary. | Sperm DNA integrity will be evaluated as percentage of abnormal DNA fragmentation (%). |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred type of underpants | The analysis will commence upon completion of the anticipated data collection period of 3-months. | It will be evaluated as the percentage of participants who predominantly wear different types of underwear. |
Countries
Thailand
Outcome results
None listed