Evidence mapPaperPMID 35244232Full record

SynthesisAndrologia2022

The association of impaired semen quality and pregnancy rates in assisted reproduction technology cycles: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Francesco Del Giudice, Federico Belladelli, Tony Chen, Frank Glover, Evan A Mulloy, Alex M Kasman, Alessandro Sciarra, Stefano Salciccia, Vittorio Canale, Martina Maggi and 5 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Andrologia, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
25citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

25 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Trial
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Factors associated withFrontiers in endocrinology · 2026
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Semen Characteristics and Embryo Outcomes in IVF.Journal of family & reproductive health · 2025
    Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
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  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Francesco Del GiudiceDepartment of Maternal-Infant and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, Rome, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3865-5988
Federico BelladelliDepartment of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2165-659X
Tony ChenDepartment of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Frank GloverEmory School of Medicine - Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Evan A MulloyDepartment of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Alex M KasmanDepartment of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Alessandro SciarraDepartment of Maternal-Infant and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Stefano SalcicciaDepartment of Maternal-Infant and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Vittorio CanaleDepartment of Maternal-Infant and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, Rome, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5454-7982
Martina MaggiDepartment of Maternal-Infant and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Matteo FerroDepartment of Urology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), IRCCS, Milan, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9250-7858
Gian Maria BusettoDepartment of Urology, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
Ettore De BerardinisDepartment of Maternal-Infant and Urological Sciences, "Sapienza" Rome University, Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Andrea SaloniaUniversity Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0595-7165
Michael L EisenbergDepartment of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.

Funding

Medical Scientist Training ProgramT32GM142617 · NIGMS · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2022 to 2025
$2.6M
NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM142617
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Some studies suggest a relationship between semen quality and pregnancy rates of assisted reproduction technologies (ART). Others have questioned the utility of semen quality as proxy for fertility in couples attempting to conceive with or without assistance. We aimed to investigate the current body of evidence which correlates semen parameters and clinical pregnancy among couples utilizing ART (i.e. in vitro fertilization [IVF], intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]) through a systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional and retrospective cohort studies. Pooled Odd Ratio (OR) for oligo-, astheno- and teratospermic compared to normospermic number of ART cycles were calculated among. Meta-regression and sub-group analysis were implemented to model the contribution of clinical/demographic and laboratory standards differences among the studies. Overall, 17 studies were analysed representing 17,348 cycles were analysed. Pooled OR for impaired sperm concentration, motility and morphology was 1 (95%Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.97-1.03), 0.88 (95%CI: 0.73-1.03) and 0.88 (95%CI: 0.75-1) respectively. Further analysis on sperm morphology showed no differences with regard of IVF versus ICSI (p = 0.14) nor a significant correlation with rising reference thresholds (Coeff: -0.02, p = 0.38). A temporal trend towards a null association between semen parameters and clinical pregnancy was observed over the 20-year observation period (Coeff: 0.01, p = 0.014). The current analysis found no association between semen quality (as measured by concentration, motility or morphology) and clinical pregnancy rates utilizing ART. Future investigations are necessary to explore the association between semen parameters and other ART outcomes (e.g. fertilization, implantation, birth and perinatal health).

Indexed as

Fertilization in VitroSemen AnalysisCross-Sectional StudiesEmbryo ImplantationFemaleHumansMalePregnancyPregnancy RateRetrospective StudiesTechnologyART cyclesassisted reproductive technologiesICSIIVFsemen parameters

Identifiers

PMID35244232
PMCPMC9540664

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.