Reproductive History and Mortality of Fertile and Subfertile Men

In one of the first studies ever on the subject we have reported a higher lifetime mortality rate for subfertile and sterile men without co-morbidity over all age groups in comparison to fertile men. The objective of this retrospective cohort study is to explore the association between male fertility and life time mortality. Little is known from literature reviews and own research about eventual biological mechanisms behind these mortality differentials. Here we go on reporting on a survey of surviving subjects and proxys on life time morbidity and reproductive biography details which may give additional information. Databases are general and semen parameters of 1408 patients attending the andrological service at Marburg University Hospital in 1949 and later and data from a core interview with 973 survivors and a proxy interview with 435 surviving family members. Results may indicate a protective effect of cohabiting with children (own/foster/adopted/step) for subfertile men.