Given that modern assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) can overcome some of the most severe forms of male factor infertility, many men are not referred to a reproductive urologist for a full evaluation.
Evaluating the male partner is crucial for optimizing an infertile man’s overall health and providing couples with the least invasive and most cost-effective care.
For couples affected by nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), reproductive urologists are essential for retrieving sperm through advanced microdissection testicular sperm extraction (microTESE) techniques.
For couples affected by obstructive azoospermia (OA), reproductive urologists are required to either retrieve sperm or perform a microsurgical vasal reconstruction procedure (vasovasostomy or vasoepididymostomy), which may offer couples the chance to conceive naturally or with less invasive ART techniques.
Reproductive urologists can also use their surgical skills to help nonazoospermic couples use less invasive ART techniques and/or optimize ART outcomes through microsurgical varicocelectomy.
Using less invasive ART techniques is both cost-effective and may result in improved health outcomes for the offspring, though additional high-quality evidence is needed to fully understand this potential risk.
Through collaboration, male and female fertility specialists can combine their relative expertise to help couples successfully navigate the complex, rapidly evolving world of reproductive medicine and contribute to better reproductive outcomes.
