Role of Testicular Size as a Parameter for Predicting Infertility in Indian Males

CONTEXT (BACKGROUND): While the semen analysis appears to be the cornerstone in the evaluation of male fertility, the testicular size is a cheap, easy, and convenient to measure yet an ignored parameter for predicting the same. There is insufficient literature for identifying the testicular size cutoff among the Indian men. AIMS: The study is aimed to correlate between the testicular volume and length with exocrine testicular function and to set a cutoff size for infertility in Indian men. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study examined 354 cases over a period of 2 years. The cases comprised 258 men presenting with infertility as well as 96 fertile men as control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All the patients had their testes examined using Seager's calipers and Prader's orchidometer, infertile men had their semen analysis. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: SPSS software and Chi-square test were applied, keeping P < 0.05 statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean testicular volume and length in azoospermic patients were 10.3 ml and 2.4 cm, respectively, whereas in oligoasthenospermic patients they were 13.2 ml and 3.2 cm, respectively. The mean testicular volume, length among cases, and controls were 12.6 ml, 3.2 cm, 18.3 ml and 3.81 cm, respectively. CONCLUSION: Testicular size correlates significantly with severity of exocrine and endocrine functions. The testicular volume and length average for predicting infertility among Indian men should be 18 ml and 3.8 cm, respectively, unlike the international standards of 20 ml and 4.6 cm.