Treatment of oligospermia with tamoxifen at Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

Tamoxifen is pure anti-estrogen free from demonstrable intrinsic estrogenic activity in men. Eleven patients were treated with 20mg of Tamoxifen given orally as a single daily dose. Three of these had persistent oligospermia after surgical treatment for varicocele; the other eight patients had no demonstrable cause for the oligospermia and were considered as idiopathic. The treatment was continued for a period of six months. In all the patients there was a significant increase in the total sperm output per ejaculate and the sperm concentration after 3 months or more. The hormone levels were also increased above the basal levels throughout the period of drug intake.

So far no pregnacies have been reported; however considering the increase in the sperm output per ejaculate after giving the drug; tamoxifen can be considered a valuable drug for treatment of Oligospermia.

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of male factor in infertile couples as seen in the hospital clinics has been reported from many areas to be between 5 to 40% (i,2,3). In United States of America 'a similar incidence is reported (4). Nasak reported also similar findings in Cameroon (5).

Infertility consumes a large proportion of reproductive health services in developing countries. About 30 to 40% of consultations of the family planning clinic or gynaecologic clinics relate to complaints of infertility (5).