Reduced fertility affects men and women equally, yet men have been largely ignored in terms of research, diagnosis, and treatment! Studies in other countries have suggested that male subfertility may contribute to adverse health later in life as well as early death, however such research has not been conducted in the UK despite the availability of nationwide data on fertility assessments and treatments and hospital records of care.
My research team at the Institute of Child Health, University College London, wants to shed light on the consequences of male subfertility in the UK. We are planning to do that by utilising existing health records maintained by the Human Fertilization & Embryology Authority (HFEA) and the National Health Service (NHS). We have used this information previously to study the health of children conceived after assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and the health of women and mothers who have undergone ART to conceive a child, and this data will be an invaluable resource for investigating the long-term health of men in the UK affected by fertility problems. Find out more about the study we are planning here.
Male subfertility may be an early and identifiable risk factor for the development of diseases later in life, and research like ours is essential to improve diagnosis and treatment. But we need your help to ensure that our study addresses the concerns of those affected! Make your views heard by completing this short (~2 minutes) anonymous survey:
Thank you for your help with this important study!
Professor Alastair Sutcliffe, Professor of General Paediatrics
University College London
