Cytogenetic investigations among a referred population of azoospermic males

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to observe the prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities among azoospermic males referred to cytogenetic laboratories in Baghdad. Previous reports on the prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities in this group of patients reveal a wide range of variability depending on the selection of cases and the size of the series. In this study 131 males with azoospermia were karyotyped. Thirty cases [22.9%] revealed a sex chromosome aneuploidy [Klinefelter's syndrome] while four cases [3.5%] showed a polymorphic large Y chromosome. It is thus apparent that males with azoospermia need cytogenetic evaluation with subsequent genetic counselling for the cases revealing chromosome abnormalities