Erectile Dysfunction among Male Infertile Men Attending the Surgical Outpatient Clinic in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria over a 7-Year Period—A Single Surgeon’s Experience

Abstract

Background: There is misconception about male Infertility and erectile dysfunction (ED) with poor health seeking behaviour in our clime. This study aims at finding the association between erectile dysfunction and male infertility in Ibadan. Methods: This was a retrospective comparative study that analysed records of all men with male infertility between May 2016 and April 2023 at the surgical outpatient in a tertiary hospital in Ibadan. Data included demography, social habit, the severity and prevalence of ED, and type of infertility. The data were analysed with a Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Logistic regression analysed the association between male infertility and erectile dysfunction. A p-value of < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: A total of 109 cases of male infertility of which 65 (59.6%) had ED. The overall mean age for primary and secondary infertility were 37.62 ± 6.95years and 40.62 ± 8.322 years respectively (t=2.892; p< 0.004). The mean age for absence and presence of ED were 39.08 ± 6.61years and 39.56 ± 7.94years respectively (t=0.340; p= 0.734). There is association between alcohol consumption and ED (χ2=6.969; p< 0.008). Similarly, statistically significant association between the ED and the type of infertility as mild, mild-moderate, and moderate ED were commoner among men with primary infertility and all men with severe ED had secondary infertility (χ2=12.283; p<0.015). Conclusions: The prevalence of erectile dysfunction among male infertility was 59.6% with statistically significant association between the severity of ED and male infertility. Public awareness is advocated.