Reproductive History, Fertility and Morbidity

Katharina Pyka, University of Marburg
Hanna Seydel, University of Marburg
Ronny Westerman, Philipps-University Marburg
Sabine Groos, University of Marburg
Walter Krause, University of Marburg
Ulrich Mueller, University of Marburg

Based on the results of a recent study in which a higher mortality rate was found for subfertile men without a specific co-morbidity over all age groups in comparison to fertile men the objective of the current retrospective cohort study is to further explore this association by analyzing the effect of male fertility status on life time morbidity. Based on semen analysis of men with fertility problems the reproductive history (i.e. number of children, type of fertility, forms of paternity and marital status), health related behavior and life style factors in the adulthood will be considered to explain the association between male fertility status and morbidity. For this reason survivor cases or rather surviving members of the family will be interviewed on the basis of a modified version of the standardized questionnaire of the German Lebenserwartungssurvey of 1998 with main focus on health related, socio demographic and reproductive related variables.