The Relationship between Anogenital Distance, Fatherhood, and Fertility in Adult Men

Michael L Eisenberg, Michael H Hsieh, Rustin Chanc Walters, Ross Krasnow and Larry I Lipshultz

PLOS ONE, 2011, vol. 6, issue 5, 1-7

Abstract: Background: Anogenital distance (AGD), a sexually dimorphic measure of genital development, is a marker for endocrine disruption in animal studies and may be shorter in infant males with genital anomalies. Given the correlation between anogenital distance and genital development, we sought to determine if anogenital distance varied in fertile compared to infertile adult men. Methods: A cross sectional study of consecutive men being evaluated for infertility and men with proven fertility was recruited from an andrology clinic. Anogenital distance (the distance from the posterior aspect of the scrotum to the anal verge) and penile length (PL) were measured using digital calipers. ANOVA and linear regression were used to determine correlations between AGD, fatherhood status, and semen analysis parameters (sperm density, motility, and total motile sperm count). Findings: A total of 117 infertile men (mean age: 35.3±17.4) and 56 fertile men (mean age: 44.8±9.7) were recruited. The infertile men possessed significantly shorter mean AGD and PL compared to the fertile controls (AGD: 31.8 vs 44.6 mm, PL: 107.1 vs 119.5 mm, p

Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0018973

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018973

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