Status of the childless couple

Abstract

Data of 150 couples were evaluated in a retrospective study at the Infertility Outpatient Clinic of the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the University of Graz. Investigations were based on a standardised andrological schedule of inquiry, consisting of 163 items. 23 of them concerned the couple itself, 111 items referred to the man, 29 to the woman. Obtaining general data on the situation of the couple was a special aim of the study. The age of the patients, duration of marriage and the desire to have children, contraception and sexual habits were assessed. Furthermore, special andrological problems, such as previous diseases of the genital organs, results of palpation and spermatograms, were points of interest. Anamnestic data on the evaluation of the female partner have also been an important subject of investigation in the present study. The average duration of an infertile marriage was 5.1 +/- 3.3 years, the average time of desire of children was 3.8 +/- 2.7 years. 36% of the couples had practised contraception for a mean time of 1.0 +/- 1.7 years. 33% of the men had suffered from a disease of the genital organs. Pathological palpatory findings occurred in 49%. Only 10% of the patients had a normal spermiogram. In 21% of women an attempt had been made to evaluate sterility via invasive diagnostic methods without sufficient evaluation of fertility in the male partner. An overall pregnancy rate of 24.7% was achieved.