OBJECTIVES: To report and compare the pregnancy rates and sperm parameters of infertile Filipino men with and without varicoceles in an infertility clinic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Charts of couples consulting in an infertility clinic from 2008 to 2015 were reviewed. After applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, a total of 135 infertile men were included in the final analysis (mean age = 33.6 ± 5.7, range = [25, 58]). Sperm parameters (motility and sperm count) were categorized as "abnormal" if they were below the lower reference limit based on WHO 1999 criteria . Presence of varicocele was noted along with type of management. Pregnancy rate was the main outcome measure.

RESULTS: Prevalence of varicocele for the entire sample was 24.4%, with pregnancy rate of 15.2% after conservative treatment. Subjects without varicocele had 2.5 times higher chances of pregnancy than subjects with varicocele who underwent conservative treatment. For subjects with normal sperm parameters, pregnancy rates of men with varicocele versus without varicocele were not significantly different. However, among subjects with abnormal sperm parameters, pregnancy rate was significantly lower for those with varicocele. Baselinesper motility, sperm count and total signimotile sperm count (TMSC) of men with varicocele were significantly lower than those without varicocele. After varicoceler repair, sperm count and TMSC significantly increased but no significant difference was observed in terms of motility. Pregnancy rate after varicocelectomy was 26.3%, but with no significant difference was observed in terms of motility. Pregnancy rate after varicocelectomy was 26.3%,but with no significant difference noted between men with normal sperm parameters versus abnormal sperm parameters at baseline. Pregnancy rate after conservative management of infertile men without varicocele was not significantly different from the pregnancy rate after varicocelectomy.

CONCLUSION: infertile Filipino men who have normal and abnormal sperm parameters may have varicoele. Gynecologists and infertility specialists should suspect varicocele for unexplained male infertility with normal sperm parameters. Infertile Filipino men with varicocele and without varicocele benefited from conservative treatment. Varicocelectomy significantly improved the sperm parameters in terms of sperm count and total motile sperm count. Varicocelectomy showed similar beneficial effect as with treatment for other cause-specific treatment of male infertility.