Cape Town – The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is seeking young men to participate in a vital research project focused on male reproductive health. The Comparative Spermatology Laboratory is calling on individuals to donate semen for a study exploring sperm function in South African men, led by Associate Professor Liana Maree.
"This study is all about researching general sperm function in South African men," said Maree. "It’s not just a Movember initiative, but an ongoing effort to address a growing health concern."
Maree highlights the significant issue of infertility, noting that approximately 15% of couples worldwide struggle to conceive, with male-related factors contributing to 50% of those cases, often due to poor sperm quality. In South Africa, the situation is even more concerning, with recent figures indicating that one in four couples face fertility challenges, and male fertility issues are responsible for 40% of these cases.
The research aims to investigate various factors impacting sperm function. "We’re investigating the impact of environmental contaminants, particularly those found in our marine environments, on sperm function," explained Maree. "Lifestyle factors such as alcohol use, smoking, diabetes, and other illnesses also play a significant role."
This study is part of a larger initiative to raise awareness about male infertility, a topic frequently overshadowed by the assumption that fertility issues are solely female-related. "We want to make people aware that males also contribute to infertility," Maree stated. "In many cases, the cause is unexplained, and that’s what we’re aiming to uncover."
To ensure the accuracy of the research, the lab is specifically recruiting healthy young male donors. "We focus on healthy individuals to eliminate secondary factors," Maree explained. "Donors fill out a detailed questionnaire about their lifestyle — whether they drink, smoke, exercise, etc. — so we can ensure the samples aren’t affected by too many variables."
Participants will be compensated for their time and effort. Maree emphasized the ethical considerations behind this compensation. "It’s not about trading samples for money," she said. "It’s compensation for the effort involved; coming to campus, taking time off to deliver the samples to our lab. It's one of the incentives to encourage donations, as these samples are difficult to obtain."
The program operates under ethical approval and is primarily based on campus, where students are more likely to understand the importance of the research. Maree also noted that compensating donors for their time is a common practice worldwide. "People are compensated for semen samples all over the world, it’s nothing unusual," she said.
Interested individuals can contact Maree directly at lmaree@uwc.ac.za to contribute to this important study.
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