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Men's Sexual Health and Fertility pp 159–171Cite as

Hypogonadism and Infertility

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Abstract

Male factor infertility is found in approximately 50 % of couples presenting for infertility evaluation in the United States. Hypogonadism (HG), or symptomatic low serum testosterone (T), is frequently associated with oligospermia and azoospermia. Patients presenting for infertility evaluation require a thorough evaluation as multiple etiologies with varying treatment paradigms exist.

This chapter will review the pathophysiology of HG and evaluation of men with infertility in the context of HG. HG should be classified according to the underlying etiology, such as Klinefelter’s syndrome (KS), hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH), or varicocele. Management options for HG, in the context of fertility desire, are directed at the cause of the condition. Treatment may consist of one or more of the following medical modalities: gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), estrogen receptor modulators (ERM), gonadotropin therapy, and aromatase inhibitors. Surgical repair of scrotal varices may also be indicated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Beth Israel Medical Center, A Member of the Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY, USA

    Geoffrey S. Gaunay

  2. Department of Urology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Seth D. Cohen

  3. Department of Urology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Peter J. Stahl

  4. Department of Urology, Beth Israel Medical Center, Mount Sinai Health System, 10 Union Square East, Suite 3A, New York, NY, 10002, USA

    Doron S. Stember

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  1. Geoffrey S. Gaunay
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  2. Seth D. Cohen
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  3. Peter J. Stahl
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  4. Doron S. Stember
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Correspondence to Doron S. Stember .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA

    John P. Mulhall

  2. Department of Urology, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, California, USA

    Wayland Hsiao

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Gaunay, G.S., Cohen, S.D., Stahl, P.J., Stember, D.S. (2014). Hypogonadism and Infertility. In: Mulhall, J., Hsiao, W. (eds) Men's Sexual Health and Fertility. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0425-9_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0425-9_10

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