Life time mortality of men with normal and with subnormal sperm counts as young adults

Sabine Gross, Institute of Medical Sociology and Social Medicine, Medical School
Walter Krause, University of Marburg
Ulrich Mueller, University of Marburg

Almost nothing is known about the lifetime morbidity and mortality consequences of male fertility disorders. There are good reasons for studying that issue, though: Spermatogenesis is one of the few non pathological examples of continuous cell proliferation in the adult organism. Disorders of spermatogenesis in some aspects may be considered as useful models of continuous cell proliferation disorders in general. Maybe not childlessness per se, but only if caused by compromised fertility may come with a shorter lifespan in the male, even without any co-morbidity. There are speculations about decreasing sperm quality in industrialized countries. Lifetime morbidity and mortality of men with normal and subnormal sperm counts diagnosed before and during the alleged sperm quality decline may cast additional light on the potential disease burden of that decline.