The Frequency of Semen Abnormalities Among Jordanian Population: A Retrospective Single-Center Study of 1182 Cases

Background/Objectives: Male infertility is a significant global public health concern, with sperm abnormalities contributing to nearly half of all cases. This retrospective study addressed a critical gap by analyzing 1182 semen records from subfertile Jordanian men at the IVF unit. Methods: We quantified the prevalence of specific abnormalities, oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, teratozoospermia, and azoospermia, and investigated the interrelationships between sperm count, motility, and morphology. Results: Oligozoospermia was the most prevalent single abnormality (29%), while normozoospermia was found in 28% of cases. Combined defects were frequent; oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, with low count, poor motility, and abnormal morphology, was identified in 17% of cases, highlighting the multifactorial nature of subfertility. Correlation analysis showed significant interdependencies. A strong positive correlation was found between normal morphology and progressive motility (r = 0.484, p < 0.0001), suggesting structural integrity is closely linked to movement. Sperm count showed moderate positive correlations with normal morphology (r = 0.508, p < 0.0001) and non-progressive motility (r = 0.522, p < 0.0001). Abnormal morphology exhibited the strongest positive correlation with immotile sperm (r = 0.559, p < 0.0001), consistent with asthenoteratozoospermia. Conclusions: These findings suggest semen issues in Jordanian men include multiple parameters simultaneously. Comprehensive semen analysis is essential for accurate fertility assessment, as focusing on a single parameter like sperm count may overlook critical factors contributing to infertility.