The Role of the Urologist in the Era of In Vitro Fertilization-Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

The use of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection has dramatically increased. In spite of this, the male partner in the couple is often not evaluated for fertility status or other general health conditions associated with male infertility. Such an approach goes against established guidelines recommending dual partner evaluations and does not address longer term male health risks. In this review, we discuss the urologist's role in the era of in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection, which includes diagnosing serious conditions associated with infertility, treating reversible causes of infertility, defining untreatable causes of testis failure, and, when appropriate, facilitating sperm retrieval.