Evaluation of the Infertile Male’s Partner

Infertility is common, affecting up to 15 percent of couples [1]. One-third of infertility is attributed to a female factor, whereas 20 percent of infertility is attributed to a male factor. In up to 20–40 percent of cases, there are both a female and a male factor contributing to infertility [1, 2]. The evaluation of infertility is warranted after 12 months of unprotected intercourse in couples when the female partner is aged 35 or younger. The natural decline in fertility begins to increase more rapidly after age 35. Thus, in women aged 35 years or older, evaluation should be initiated after 6 months of unprotected intercourse. In women with known risk factors for infertility, such as irregular menstrual cycles or endometriosis, a complete evaluation should be performed sooner. Since infertility may be the result of both female and male factors, couples already diagnosed with male factor infertility should also undergo a complete workup [1]. In this chapter, we will focus on the evaluation of the female partner.