Sexual Activity of Patients Undergoing Testicular Sperm Extraction

Introduction: For couples who wish for a baby, sexual activity (through intercourse) is the only way to conceive naturally. However, the sexual activity of men undergoing testicular sperm extraction (TESE) and factors that influence it among affected couples are not clearly understood. Aim: To examine sexual activity among infertile men undergoing TESE and to identify factors that influenced it. Methods: Married Japanese male patients undergoing TESE were included. Sexual activity during the previous month was surveyed using a questionnaire, and potential predictive factors influencing sexual activity were examined. Main Outcome Measures: Two hundred twenty-six married men who answered a questionnaire regarding sexual frequency were reviewed retrospectively. Results: The patient mean age was 35.8 +/- 7.5 years (range 23-67) and the mean age of their partners was 32.9 +/- 4.5 years (range 23-44). Most couples (n = 193) were in their first marriage, and 33 were remarried. The mean marriage duration was 52.6 +/- 42.2 months (range 1-192). Microdissection TESE and conventional TESE were performed for 152 and 74 patients, respectively. Overall, the mean sexual activity during the last month was 3.6 +/- 2.6 times (range 0-15). Marriage duration was negatively correlated with the frequency of sexual activity (r = -0.23; P < .01). There were no correlations between sexual activity and patient age, partner age, marriage type (first marriage or remarried), testicular volume, or serum total testosterone concentration. Regression analysis showed that marriage duration (odds ratio = 1.01; 95% CI, 1.003-1.019; P = .009) and testicular volume (odds ratio = 0.94; 95% CI, 0.88-0.99; P= .033) were significant predictors of low sexual activity (0-1 times/month). Conclusion: The sexual activity of patients undergoing TESE was almost the same as reported previously. Patient age, partner age, testicular volume, and serum total testosterone concentration had no correlation with the reported frequency of sexual activity. Copyright (C) 2019, The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the International Society for Sexual Medicine.