Frequency of microdeletions in the azoospermia factor region of the Y-chromosome of New Zealand men

Aim. To detemrine the frequency of microdeletions in the azoospermic factor (AZF) genes on the Y-chromosome of New Zealand men attending the Fertility Centre. Methods. World Health Organisation criteria were used to classify men as no rmospermic, oligozoospermic, severely oligozoospermic, and azoospermic. Mic rodeletions were detected from DNA of semen samples by the sequence tagged site polymerase chain reaction. Results. Microdeletions were detected in 20% (3/15) of azoospermic men, 4% (2/50) of severely oligozoospermic men, 3.2% (2/62) of oligozoospermic men, and 0.7% (1/ 141) normospermic men. One azoospermic man had multiple non-c ontiguous deletions. Overall, 5.5% of infertile men had at least one microd eletion in the long arm of the Y-chromosome. One severely oligozoospermic m an and one oligozoospermic man had produced unassisted pregnancies. Conclusion. New Zealand men attending a Christchurch fertility centre have a similar frequency of microdeletions in the Y-chromosome to other populati ons. Azoospermic men have a higher frequency of microdeletions than men wit h less severe spermatogenic failure. Men with microdeletions can have reduc ed fertility, but are not necessarily sterile.