A Clinical Assessment of Chronic Alcoholism’s Impact on Male Reproductive Health (Abidjan, C？te d’Ivoire)

Introduction: Infertility is a global public health issue affecting 17.5% of adults and 15% of the sub-Saharan African population, and is of particular concern in C？te d’Ivoire. The causes of male infertility include chronic ethanol intoxication. With excessive alcohol consumption being highly prevalent among Ivorian men (43%), our study aimed to evaluate the impact of chronic alcoholism on seminal parameters. Patients and Methods: This was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted from January 2024 to June 2025 at the Laboratory of Histology, Embryology, and Cytogenetics of the UFR of Medical Sciences, Abidjan. The study was based on performing spermograms and spermocytograms. Results: The patients had a mean age of 40.74 ± 8.47 years (with a majority aged 30 - 40 years) and presented with primary infertility in 70.92% of cases. Over half (52%) of the patients had moderate or severe alcohol consumption. Spermogram results were rarely normal (0.34%). Azoospermia affected 15.97% of patients, while oligoasthenoteratozoospermia was the most frequent abnormality (38.66%). Analysis revealed a significant decrease in sperm concentration associated with alcohol consumption. Furthermore, age emerged as a significant factor for the decline in sperm vitality and motility. Conclusion: This study confirms the high prevalence of chronic alcoholism among infertile Ivorian men and its significant association with a decrease in sperm concentration. Further research is needed to establish a causal link and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.