The importance of diagnosis in the clinical management of infertility in the male

This paper examines the importance of a clinical diagnosis in the management of infertility in the male and discusses the reasons for this statement. The treatment of male infertility is now often carried out solely by gynaecologists. These specialists have frequently had little training in the examination of the male genital tract nor have they had any teaching in either urology or in the pathology of the lower genito-urinary tract. The routine application of IVF may be a consequence of these failings and should this form of treatment be shown to have been unnecessary or, especially, should it result in a clinical disaster, then a serious medico-legal problem may result. The degree of training that is given to the gynaecologist working in this field is also examined and suggestions are made as to how this could be improved.