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 normospermic, oligozoospermic, severely oligozoospermic, and azoospermic. Microdeletions 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-contiguous deletions. Overall, 5.5% of infertile men had at least one microdeletion in the long arm of the Y-chromosome. One severely oligozoospermic man 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 populations. Azoospermic men have a higher frequency of microdeletions than men with less severe spermatogenic failure. Men with microdeletions can have reduced fertility, but are not necessarily sterile.