When viewing this topic in a different language, you may notice some differences in the way the content is structured, but it still reflects the latest evidence-based guidance.

Male factor infertility

Última revisión: 14 Jul 2025
Última actualización: 27 Jan 2025

Resumen

Definición

Anamnesis y examen

Principales factores de diagnóstico

  • inability of an opposite-sex couple to conceive
  • vasectomy
  • palpable and dilated testicular veins
  • erectile dysfunction and decreased libido
  • testis atrophy (testis smaller than 20 cm³)
  • body habitus, abnormal hair distribution, and gynecomastia
  • absent vasa or epididymis
Todos los datos

Otros factores de diagnóstico

  • headaches, galactorrhea, and visual disturbance
  • anosmia
  • frequent respiratory infections
  • pain, blood, or pus with ejaculation
Todos los datos

Factores de riesgo

  • varicocele
  • cryptorchidism
  • prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy
  • current medications
  • cystic fibrosis and congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (CBAVD)
  • Y chromosome abnormalities
  • Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY)
  • endocrinopathy
  • previous infertility
  • genital tract infection
  • erectile dysfunction
  • retrograde ejaculation
  • obesity
  • testicular torsion or trauma
  • lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol, and cannabis use
  • exposure to androgen
  • age >55 years
  • environmental toxin exposure
  • history of coronary artery disease or diabetes mellitus
  • history of STI
  • hot tub use
Todos los datos

Pruebas diagnósticas

Primeras pruebas diagnósticas para solicitar

  • sperm concentration
  • sperm motility
  • sperm morphology
  • seminal fluid parameters
Todos los datos

Tests to avoid

  • antisperm antibody (ASA) serology
  • sperm function testing
Todos los datos

Pruebas diagnósticas que deben considerarse

  • sperm viability
  • sperm membrane function
  • hormonal assays
  • MRI of the pituitary and hypothalamus
  • color flow Doppler imaging
  • post-ejaculation urine testing for retrograde ejaculation
  • genetic analysis
  • sperm DNA assays
  • acrosome reaction test
  • sperm longevity test
  • electron microscopy
  • testicular biopsy
Todos los datos

Algoritmo de tratamiento

Agudo

obstructive azoospermia

gonadotropin or gonadotropin-releasing hormone deficiencies

primary hypogonadism

high estrogen levels in combination with low testosterone

hyperprolactinemia due to pituitary adenoma

presence of antisperm antibodies

presence of varicocele and no other cause of infertility detected

idiopathic male infertility

En curso

medical/surgical intervention ineffective, contraindicated, or unlikely to succeed

Colaboradores

Autores

Samuel Ohlander, MD

Assistant Professor

Co-Head of the Division of Andrology

University of Illinois

Chicago

IL

Divulgaciones

SO declares that he has no competing interests.

Mahmoud Mima, MD

Assistant Professor

Department of Urology

University of Illinois

Chicago

IL

Divulgaciones

MM declares that he has no competing interests.

Rodrigo Pagani, MD

Assistant Professor

Co-Head of the Division of Andrology

University of Illinois

Chicago

IL

Divulgaciones

RP declares that he has no competing interests.

Agradecimientos

Dr Samuel Ohlander, Dr Mahmoud Mima, and Dr Rodrigo Pagani would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Ali A. Dabaja, Dr Ahmad O. Hammoud, and Dr Benjamin Emery, previous contributors to this topic.

Divulgaciones

AAD, AOH, and BE declare that they have no competing interests.

Revisores por pares

Peter N. Kolettis, MD

Associate Professor

Division of Urology

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham

AL

Divulgaciones

PNK declares that he has no competing interests.

Referencias

Nuestros equipos internos de evidencia y editoriales colaboran con colaboradores expertos internacionales y revisores pares para garantizar que brindemos acceso a la información más clínicamente relevante posible.

Artículos principales

Salonia A, Bettocchi C, Boeri L, et al; EAU Working Group on Male Sexual and Reproductive Health. European Association of Urology guidelines on sexual and reproductive health - 2021 update: male sexual dysfunction. Eur Urol. 2021 Sep;80(3):333-57.Texto completo  Resumen

Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Collaboration with the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology. Electronic address: asrm@asrm.org. Diagnostic evaluation of sexual dysfunction in the male partner in the setting of infertility: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2023 Nov;120(5):967-72.Texto completo  Resumen

Brannigan RE, Hermanson L, Kaczmarek J, et al. Updates to male infertility: AUA/ASRM guideline (2024). J Urol. 2024 Dec;212(6):789-99. Resumen

Artículos de referencia

Una lista completa de las fuentes a las que se hace referencia en este tema está disponible para los usuarios con acceso a todo BMJ Best Practice.
  • Diferenciales

    • Cystic fibrosis (CF)
    • Primary hypogonadism
    • Hypopituitarism
    Más Diferenciales
  • Guías de práctica clínica

    • Updates to male infertility: AUA/ASRM guideline (2024)
    • Diagnostic evaluation of sexual dysfunction in the male partner in the setting of infertility
    Más Guías de práctica clínica
  • Folletos para el paciente

    Erection problems

    Erection problems: questions to ask your doctor

    Más Folletos para el paciente
  • padlock-lockedInicie sesión o suscríbase para acceder a todo el BMJ Best Practice

El uso de este contenido está sujeto a nuestra cláusula de exención de responsabilidad