Relationship between male infertility and hematological parameters in patients with thalassemia minor.

BACKGROUND

There is no research explaining the relationship between thalassemia minor and male infertility.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between male infertility and hematological parameters in patients with thalassemia minor.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The patients who were identified as thalassemia carriers during premarital thalassemia screening tests performed at the Public Health Laboratory between 2021 and 2023 were evaluated. The patients with normal semen parameters were assigned to the first group, while those with abnormal semen parameters (oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, teratozoospermia, and azoospermia) comprised the second group. The hematologic parameters and hormonal parameters values were examined.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 31 (21-43) years. A total of 49 patients with thalassemia minor were included in the study. Of these, 39 had abnormal semen parameters and 10 had normal semen parameters. Among the patients, 8 (16%) had azoospermia, 6 (12%) had oligozoospermia, 9 (18%) had teratozoospermia, and 16 (32%) had asthenozoospermia. The Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) values were significantly lower in patients with abnormal semen parameters (p = 0.01). According to the regression analysis, Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) increased the likelihood of deteriorating semen parameters by 0.88-fold, while MCHC increased it by 2.64-fold.

CONCLUSION

Deterioration in sperm parameters was observed in men with thalassemia minor, and hematological parameters-particularly MCHC and MCV-were identified as potential risk factors for infertility. These findings underscore the importance of considering hematological parameters when evaluating fertility in men with thalassemia minor. Infertility is multifactorial and other mechanisms such as oxidative stress and inflammation should also be evaluated.