The State of Semen Analysis over Time

Contrary to public opinion on the causes of infertility, male factor accounts for over 50% of infertility during repro-ductive age of couples and even there are several reports on its increase during the recent years. semen analysis as one of the main laboratory tests provides valuable information about male fertility status. in spite of huge development in diagnostic tests and laboratory innovation, this test has never lost its place and importance during the last decades and many researchers focused on its standardization and accuracy. furthermore, world health organization (who) has emphasized its importance and published the book entitled who laboratory manual for the examination of human semen and semen-cervical mucus interaction for standard methods in semen analysis. this book is upgraded periodically and its fifth edition was published in 2010. although there is consensus on the importance and position of semen analysis in diagnosis of male infertility, numerous reports have challenged the practice due to its lack of compliance with spermogram results. in fact, in less than 10% of men with normal semen parameters, there is no ability to conceive naturally. on the other hand, equally the same number of men with abnormal semen parameters are quite fertile and have no problem to have a child through natural pregnancy.