Socio-psycho-behavioural factors associated with male semen quality in China: results from 1346 healthy men in Chongqing.

BACKGROUND Human semen quality in China has decreased in the last few decades. A previous study found that 61.1% of healthy males in Chongqing City in Southwest China had abnormal semen parameters values according to 1999 World Health Organization criteria. OBJECTIVE This cross-sectional study explored the associations between socio-psycho-behavioural factors and semen quality in Chongqing City. METHODS The study participants comprised 1346 eligible healthy men who were examined and researched in respect to 15 socio-psycho-behavioural factors. RESULTS Men from a higher occupational class had better semen volume (β coefficient 1.18, p=0.034), while men who often wore underwear made from man-made fibres had a lower percentage of morphologically normal sperm (β coefficient 0.82, p=0.001). As regards psychological stress, men with less stress had an increased total sperm count and percentage of morphologically normal sperm (β coefficient 1.19 and 1.25 respectively, p=0.02 and 0.04 respectively). The other 12 factors examined in the study demonstrated no significant association with semen quality in Chongqing. CONCLUSIONS Semen quality can be impacted by socio-psycho-behavioural factors (occupational class, psychological stress and wearing man-made fibre underwear). A health programme that deals directly with psychological health and healthy lifestyle, and the implementation of policies that address social factors for men may play a part in the improvement of male reproductive health in China.