Shaping the Future of Male Infertility Research
09/03/2025
Background
One in seven couples have difficulties conceiving and it is recognised that this can be due to a problem with the male partner in up to half of
all cases. Research testing new treatments for infertility often measure different outcome to see if the new treatment works. For example, when
a new treatment is tested, one researcher may measure pregnancy (one outcome) while another researcher may only measure live birth (a different outcome). When completed, the results from both studies cannot be easily compared or combined to see which treatments work best. This is a barrier to improving the care couples receive.
The Urology Foundation was therefore delighted to fund the ‘Core Outcomes for Male Infertility’ project; an exciting research study led by Dr
Michael Rimmer. The study aimed to overcome this barrier and develop a common set of outcomes that all researchers studying male
infertility can use.
The Research:
Dr Rimmer’s team at the Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, examined the 100 largest randomized control trials in the past
10 years. Through a global survey of clinicians, researchers and men with infertility, as well as consensus development meetings, they prioritised these outcomes. They have identified 20 key outcomes to be included in future trials. These findings will help to meet the challenge of poor evidence-based interventions in male reproductive health and will support researchers to design and develop clinical trials in the future.
It will also be used as part of the CROWN initiative, a global drive to standardise outcome reporting in clinical trials in women’s health care – for which male fertility is often included.
