Evaluación de la calidad espermática en estudiantes de la Facultad de Ciencias Químicas durante el período enero - diciembre 2025

Abstract

Semen quality has shown a progressive decline worldwide over recent decades. A systematic review published in Human Reproduction Update reported an average annual decrease of 0.87 million/ml in sperm count between 1973 and 2018, particularly in North America, Europe, and Australia. In Cuenca, there is a lack of data regarding semen quality among the university population, which highlights the need to study this issue in local young men. This study aimed to assess the current status of sperm quality in university students and analyze its relationship with lifestyle variables. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 140 male students from the Faculty of Chemical Sciences at the University of Cuenca, who underwent semen analysis and completed a lifestyle survey, including diet and nutritional status. The mean sperm concentration was 84.59 million/ml, with normozoospermia observed in 27.14%, increased viscosity in 49.29%, and teratozoospermia in 30% of cases. Statistically significant associations were found between increased viscosity and overweight (p = 0.0229), as well as between teratozoospermia and poor dietary habits (p = 0.0284). These findings indicate that a considerable proportion of students present altered seminal parameters, potentially linked to modifiable lifestyle factors, underscoring the importance of promoting healthy habits from an early age as a preventive strategy in reproductive health.