Active clinical trials for "Infertility, Male"

The purpose of this experiment is to test the feasibility of a minimally interventionist protocol for young couples with male factor infertility, which addresses the cause of infertility for these couples which is the inability of the sperm to fertilize the egg.Ultrasound monitoring of natural follicular development utilizing rFSH, GnRH antagonist and rHCG only for the final maturation. Single follicle aspiration and IUI or IVF/ICSI based on sperm charcteristics on the day of fertilization. Fertilized eggs transfered to the uterus on the same day as the aspiration.

Several studies indicate that Nitric Oxide (NO) plays an important role in the physiology of the reproductive system in mammals. It has been shown that NO affects sperm motility, it regulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of different sperm proteins, it enhances the sperm binding ability to the zona pellucida and it modulates the acrosome reaction. The enzyme responsible for NO synthesis, the Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS), has also been identified in the oocytes, cumulus and corona cells, as well as in the oviduct. For these reasons, the NOS presence at the fertilization site could be a key element to determine the success of this process. Therefore, carrying out in vitro studies to better understand NO's role in the fertilization process, especially in human sperm capacitation, could improve the outcome of the Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ARTs) due to an improvement both in the diagnosis of infertility and in the prognosis of treatment success. This study is carried out in collaboration with the Animal Physiology Department from the Veterinary Faculty (University of Murcia, Spain) and it is funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 Programme.

The overall objective of this study is to determine whether serum BPA and/or phthalate concentrations differ in fertile versus infertile men and women in Saskatchewan. The investigators will test the following hypothesis: Serum BPA and/or phthalate concentrations will be greater in women with unexplained infertility or PCOS compared to a control group Serum BPA and/or phthalate concentrations will be greater in men with male factor infertility compared to a control group

This study examines the experience of people who have selected to use the at-home insemination Mosie Kit to understand the user's experience, the perceived safety and the efficiency. People who have recently purchased and voluntarily selected to use the Mosie Kit will be invited to complete a one-time online anonymous survey. The results of the survey will be analyzed to understand their experiences.

Varicocele is a major contributor in male infertility. The improvement of sperm parameters after varicocelectomy supports this contribution. The pathophysiological mechanisms of varicocele-induced male infertility are still under investigation. Cystatin C (Cys C) and endoglin are secreted glycoproteins that recently linked to several cellular changes common in varicocele like apoptosis and autophagy.

Azoospermia is defined as the complete absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate. Two-thirds of azoospermic patients have non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA); the latter comprises up to 10% of infertile men overall. NOA is an untreatable testicular disorder associated with spermatogenic failure and is the most severe male infertility phenotype. Among the available surgical sperm retrieval techniques, microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) is the procedure of choice due to its high sperm retrieval success rates (SRR), minimal tissue extraction, and low complication rates. Even with the use of micro-TESE, the likelihood of retrieving sperm in patients with NOA remain suboptimal (40% to 60%). Hypogonadism is detected in approximately half of the patients with NOA. Given the role of intratesticular testosterone (ITT) levels for spermatogenesis, some studies have explored the clinical utility of testosterone optimization by medical therapy before sperm retrieval. Moreover, some investigators have hypothesized that the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) reset might increase the expression of FSH receptors and improve Sertoli cell function. Hormonal therapy with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has been shown to improve ITT production and decrease FSH levels in patients with NOA. The investigators, therefore, designed an observational cohort study aiming to evaluate whether hormone stimulation with gonadotropins (e.g., hCG alone or combined with FSH) previous to micro-TESE increases sperm retrieval rates in hypogonadal infertile men with NOA, candidates for sperm retrieval. The investigators hypothesize that optimizing ITT production and resetting FSH levels may improve spermatogenesis and successful sperm recovery.

The proposed study is designed to test the following hypotheses: Mouse autosomal or X-linked genes which are exclusively expressed in mouse spermatogonia are also spermatogonia-specific in human. Severe spermatogenic defect, especially hypospermatogenesis or SCOS, is caused by an intrinsic defect in germ line stem cell or speramtogenia. Spermatogonia-specific genes are caudate genes for human spermatogenic defect, especially for hypospermatogenesis or SCOS. For a significant fraction of cases with severe spermatogenic defect, the sterile genes are transmitted via multifactorial inheritance mode. For some cases with severe spermatogenic defect, mutations of spermatogonia- specific genes may be transmitted in the X-linked recessive, autosomal recessive, or autosomal dominant mode.

A correlation between obesity and male fertility has been observed in a few clinical studies. Normal weight men appear to have higher sperm concentrations and sperm motility when compared to obese men, suggesting that weight loss might improve sperm function. However, there also are reported cases of severe male factor infertility following weight loss surgery in previously fertile men. The aim of this study is to determine if there are differences in the semen analyses and hormone levels of men obtained before and after undergoing weight loss (bariatric) surgery. This will direct future research and treatment.

The goal of this study is to determine whether there is a correlation between the levels of Vitamin E in sperm and sperm DNA fragmentation. Previous research has shown that damage to the DNA in sperm may cause infertility or increase the chances of miscarriage, if the damage is extensive (eg. present in the overwhelming majority of sperm). Some studies suggest that DNA damage can be caused by oxidative stress. Antioxidants, such as Vitamin E, which are present in some foods, can prevent damage to cells from "free radicals", which are naturally present by-products of metabolism. We ask whether there is a correlation between sperm DNA damage and Vitamin E

Varicose veins in the scrotum (varicocele) are responsible for >20% of male infertility in the US. Varicocele are associated with decreased sperm number and markedly reduced sperm fertilizing ability. Surgical repair or removal of varicocele restores fertility in only 1/3 of cases. The goal of this study is to identify markers that predict the outcome of variocele correction. This would offer considerable health cost savings. Based on preliminary findings, we will obtain testis biopsies and semen specimens from infertile men with varicocele and prospectively examining the levels of cadmium, a toxic metal, and expression of genes required for normal sperm function. The semen and biopsies will be obtained during clinically dictated procedures. Cadmium and gene expression will be compared with response to varicocele repair (i.e., increased sperm production; pregnancy).