Clinical and morphological profile of male infertility in 3 reference hospitals in the city of Douala in Cameroon Profil clinique et morphologique de l’infertilité masculine dans trois hôpitaux de référence de la ville de Douala au Cameroun

Abstract

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization, 48 million couples suffer from infertility and 186 million people are affected by male infertility worldwide. Our study aimed at evaluating the morpho-clinical and biological aspect of male infertility in the city of Douala across three reference hospitals.

Methods: We carried out a retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study over 2 years in three hospitals in the city of Douala: the General Hospital of Douala, the Military Hospital of Douala, the Gyneco-Obstetrics and Pediatric Hospital of Douala. The files of the patients consulting for fatherhood desire were used, the clinical and biological data in connection with the infertility were collected, then analysed by the Epi-Info software.

Results: We considered 134 files out of 318 files of patients who consulted for infertility. The frequency of male infertility in urology and gynaecology consultation was 11.9%, the average age was 36.7 ± 7.4 years, with ends at 21 to 51 years. The most affected age group was that of 31 to 35 years with 26.1%. In this population, 50.7% were married men, 45.5% had a body mass index greater than 25 kg/m². Testicular hypotrophy was found in 50.8%, 23% of patients had a history of varicocele treatment. The main anomaly found in the spermogram was oligoasthenoteratospermia in 73.9% of cases.

Conclusion: Male infertility is a frequent problem in our environment. The 31–35 age group is the most affected. Spermogram abnormalities are dominated by oligoasthenoteratospermia.