1) I.P. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg, Russia;
2) International Center for Reproductive Medicine, JSC, Saint Petersburg, Russia;
3) N.A. Lopatkin Research Institute of Urology and Interventional Radiology – Branch of the National Medical Research Radiology Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia;
4) V.A. Almazov National Medical Research Center, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Saint Petersburg, Russia;
5) National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia;
6) NGC Clinic, Moscow, Russia;
7) Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia;
8) V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia;
9) MedСode Men's Health Clinic, Moscow, Russia;
10) Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine Scientific and Practical Center, Moscow, Russia;
11) I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia;
12) Russian University of Medicine, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia;
13) S.P. Botkin Moscow Multidisciplinary Scientific and Clinical Center, Moscow Department of Healthcare, Moscow, Russia;
14) National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Moscow, Russia;
15) Federal Research Center of Fundamental and Translational Medicine, Novosibirsk, Russia;
16) Novosibirsk State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Novosibirsk, Russia;
17) Novosibirsk Center for Reproductive Medicine LLC, “Mother and Child” Group of Companies, Novosibirsk, Russia;
18) N.I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia;
19) Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia;
20) Rostov State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Rostov-on-Don, Russia;
21) SkyFert Center for Reproductive Medicine, Moscow, Russia;
22) Nova Clinic IVF Center, Moscow, Russia;
23) South Ural State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Chelyabinsk, Russia;
24) Dagestan State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Makhachkala, Russia;
25) Family Medical Center, Makhachkala, Russia;
26) N.P. Bochkov Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia
The practical use of terms presented in the Russian Society of Urology clinical guidelines “Male Infertility” is discussed in the article. Male infertility is caused by conditions that lead to impaired reproductive function and inability to conceive: sexual dysfunction and anatomical defects that prevent sperm delivery, azoospermia, cryptozoospermia, functional insufficiency of spermatozoa and of the genetic material they contain, such as 100%- astheno-, necro-, and globozoospermia, etc. Signs of insufficient reproductive function (reproductive dysfunction) in partners may include relative infertility in a couple, miscarriage in the spouse, and failure of treatment using assisted reproductive technologies. Male fertility can be negatively affected by risk factors including diseases, lifestyle factors, and environmental exposures; the probability of conception can be judged by continuously distributed values of reproductive function indicators characterizing sexual activity, ejaculate parameters, functional competence of spermatozoa, and the quality of the genetic material they contain. Unified views on terminology ensure standardization of diagnostic and treatment approaches and provide a basis for interdisciplinary interaction in couple infertility.
infertile couple
male infertility
clinical guidelines
reproductive function
reproductive dysfunction
ejaculate testing methods
interdisciplinary interaction
Corresponding author: I.A. Korneyev – Ph.D., MD, Professor, Department of Urology, I.P. Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University, Chief Medical Officer, International Center for Reproductive Medicine, Saint Petersburg, Russia; e-mail:
iakorneyev@yandex.ru