Testicular volume and seminal fluid profile in fertile and infertile males in Ilorin, Nigeria

Abstract

Total testicular volume (TTV) measured with a metric tape and vernier calliper in 20 men whose wives were 12-20 weeks gestation, and in 48 infertile men was correlated with the height, weight, Ponderal Index (PI), sperm density, and total sperm in the ejaculate. There was a good correlation between TTV by tape and calliper (r = 0.96, P < 0.001). There was a positive linear correlation between TTV and height but not with the other parameters. Giant head spermatozoa were more common in fertile Nigerian males than in fertile Asian or caucasian males (P < 0.001). Giant head sperm and sperm with tail defects occurred in 6.25%, 11.1% fertile and 37.1%, 47.4% infertile men respectively. Spontaneous abortion due to blighted ova were more prevalent in wives whose husbands had > 8% giant head sperm (P < 0.02).