Age related semen parameters and ICSI pregnancy outcomes of 8046 men in Turkey over a 9-year period

Figures & data

Table 1. WHO semen analysis normal values, 2021.*

Variable	Cut-off level
pH	≥7.2
Sperm volume	>1.4 ml
Sperm concentration	>16 × 10⁶/ ml
Total sperm count	>39 × 10⁶
Total motility	>42
Sperm progressive motility (A + B)	>30%
Vitality	>54%
Sperm morphology	>4%
Sperm DNA fragmentation	<30%
Non-sperm cells	<1 × 10⁶/ ml

*WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen (World Health Organization, 2021).

Table 2. Descriptive characteristics of 8046 cases. The data are shown as mean ± standard deviation (SD) or % and number (n).

Parameter		Overall (n = 8046)
Paternal age (mean ± SD)		37.39 ± 6.16
Sperm concentration (mean, 10⁶/ml)		31.28 ± 28.17
Male age groups	21–30	12% (n = 995)
	31–40	60% (n = 4786)
	41–50	25% (n = 2039)
	50+	3% (n = 226)
Sexual abstinence		3–5 day
Female age (mean)		34.47 ± 5.49
Female age groups	20–30	31.9% (n = 2570)
	31–40	58.4% (n = 4697)
	41–50	9.7% (n = 779)
Pregnancy (n = 5583)	positive	56.6% (n = 3162)
	negative	43.4% (n = 2421)

Figure 1. Pie chart demonstrating the distribution of men with normozoospermia, oligozoospermia, oligoasthenozoospermia, azoospermia, and asthenozoospermia based on the sixth edition of the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen, 2021.

Table 3. Comparison of semen parameters, pregnancy and live birth rates according to the paternal age.

Male age (year)		21–30	31–40	41–50	50+
Maternal age^a (mean ± SD)		27.91 ± 4.14^###	33.79 ± 4.51***	33.83 ± 4.85***	38.97 ± 3.94^***###
Sperm concentration (10^6/ml)^a		24	26***	24**	21
(min–max)		(0–144)	(0–223)	(0–280)	(0–158)
Motility Grade A^a		6%	6%	5%*	4%***
(min–max)		(0–71)	(0–85)	(0–67)	(0–61)
Motility Grade B^a		30%	30%	30%^#	25%^###
(min–max)		(0–84)	(0–100)	(0–100)	(0–81)
Progressive motility^a		40%^###	40%	40%^#	36%^##
(min–max)		(0–119)	(0–142)	(0–127)	(0–89)
Azoospermia^b		6.53%	3.6%***	2.99%***	7.52%
Oligozoospermia^b		19.40%	17.13%	17.41%	10.18%***
Asthenozoospermia^b		5.62%	9.77%***	9.86%***	16.37%***
Oligoasthenozoospermia^b		16.28%	14.13%	16.48%	22.57%***
Normozoospermia^b		52.16%	55.41%	53.26%	43.36%***
Pregnancy rates^b,c	positive	58.17%	56.69%	55.67%	57.14%
	negative	41.83%	43.31%	44.33%	42.86%
Live birth^a,c		52.1%^###	73.4***	42.02^**###	44.6^**###

^aKruskal–Wallis Tamhane’s T2 Post hoc. ^bChi-square Bonferroni Post hoc. ^cMANOVA.

Data are presented as mean ± SD and min–max. Significant difference compared to the 21–30 age group (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, and ***p < 0.001). Significant differences compared to the 31–40 age group (^#p < 0.05, ^##p < 0.01, and ^###p < 0.001).

Table 4. Pregnancy and live birth rates by maternal age.

Women age (year)		20–30	31–40	41–50
Pregnancy rates^b,c	positive	57.9%	56.6%	54.7%
	negative	42.1%	43.4%	45.3%
Live birth^a,c		76.3%^###	59.6%***	46.1%^***##

^aKruskal-Wallis Tamhane’s T2 Post hoc. ^bChi-square Bonferroni Post hoc. ^cMANOVA.

Data are presented as %. significant difference compared to the 20–30 age group (***p < 0.001). Significant differences compared to the 31–40 age group (^##p < 0.01, and ^###p < 0.001).

Data availability statement

The datasets analyzed in the present study include all data of a IVF center. Due to the potential for further analysis of the data, it cannot be made publicly available. However, it may be obtained from the corresponding authors upon request.