J Infertil Reprod Biol, 2022, Volume 10, Issue 1, Pages: 10-14. https://doi.org/10.47277/JIRB/10(1)/10 10 Comparison of Sperm Indices Selected Markers of Oxidative Stress and Sex Hormones among Males with Primary and Secondary Infertility in Osogbo, Nigeria Mathias Abiodun Emokpae 1* and Muyiwa Adeleye Moronkeji 1,2 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State 2 Department of Chemical Pathology, Ladoke Akintola University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria Received: 02/01/2022 Accepted: 23/02/2022 Published: 20/03/2022 Abstract This study seeks to determine the frequency and the differences in the more accentuating factors between primary and secondary male infertility. Four hundred men evaluated for infertility were consecutively recruited for the study. The socio-demographic information was obtained by interviewer-administered questionnaires. After a medical history and physical examination, their semen was evaluated manually according to WHO guidelines. Serum gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and glutathione (GSH) were determined. The results were compared by unpaired Students’ t-test while categorical variables were compared using chi-square. The frequencies of secondary infertility 129(32.3%) was lower (p<0.001) than primary infertility in the study population. The secondary infertile men were older (p<0.001), had lower levels of sperm count (p<0.046), serum vitamin E (p<0.033), and testosterone (p<0.001) than the primary infertile men. Other independent associated variables were socioeconomic status and duration of the marriage. Serum vitamin E levels correlated negatively with sperm count (r= -0.162;p<0.005) while vitamin C correlated negatively with sperm count (r=-0.136;p<0.02) and morphology (r= -0.144; p<0.04). The mean serum concentrations of vitamin B12, vitamin E, vitamin C, and GSH were not significantly different between primary and secondary infertile males. The more noticeable differences are age, duration of the marriage, levels of vitamin E and testosterone. The levels of vitamin E, testosterone, and sperm count were lower among men with secondary infertility than primary infertility. Keywords: Male, spermatozoa, oxidative stress, gonadal steroid hormones Introduction 1 The decline in fertility potential among humans over the decades has been attributed to several factors such as changes in lifestyle, environmental pollution, consumption of processed foods, stress toxins, and sexually transmitted infections (1, 2). Some have attributed the high rate of male factor infertility to increasing industrialization and the predisposition of individuals to hazardous chemicals, and electromagnetic waves in the environment. These could lead to oxidative stress due to increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body more than the capacity of the naturally available antioxidants to scavenge and have been associated with poor semen quality (3-5). The ability of spermatozoa to fertilize a functional ovum is considered the ultimate function of sperm cells. Male infertility is associated with the quality and quantity of spermatozoa in the seminal fluid. Abnormal sperm characteristics constitute up to 90% of cases of male infertility (6). Infertility can be classified into primary or secondary infertility. Primary infertility describes a man who has never been able to impregnate a fertile female partner after a minimum of 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse while secondary infertility is the inability to achieve pregnancy in a couple who have had at least one successful pregnancy in the Corresponding author: Mathias Abiodun Emokpae (ORCID ID:0000-0002-6266-1774), Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Cell phone: +2348034511182, E-mail: mathias.emokpae@uniben.edu past (7). Male infertility may be due to abnormal sperm indices, hormonal abnormalities, age of couples, retrograde ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, complicated sexually transmitted infections, occupation and socio-economic status, lifestyle changes, and diet (8-10). Some authors have suggested that the malefactor is associated more with primary infertility than secondary infertility while female factor causes are associated more with secondary infertility (11, 12). Studies that relate vitamin deficiencies with male infertility are scarce in our setting. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and contributes up to 65% of the seminal plasma antioxidant content which is 10 times more than the concentration in the plasma (13). Deficiency of vitamin C has been associated with low sperm count, morphology, and motility (14). Vitamin E is a lipid soluble chain-breaking antioxidant and is also involved in several physiological processes ranging from immune function, regulation of inflammation, gene expression and cognitive performance (15). Studies have shown that poor nutrition and high incidence of oxidative stressors including malaria and other infectious diseases predispose individuals in developing countries to vitamin E deficiency. Some authors have shown that men may be at higher risk for deficiency than women (15). It is not however known whether the concentrations of these