Best practice policies for male infertility

The Practice Guidelines Committee of the American Urological Association, Inc. (AUA) commissioned a Male Infertility Best Practice Policy Committee (MIBPPC) in 1998 to bridge the gap in male infertility between leading edge science and clinical practice, and provide urologists, gynecologists, reproductive endocrinologists, primary care practitioners, reproductive researchers and other health care providers with guidance for excellence of care in this rapidly changing field. The MIBPPC chose not to create a comprehensive treatise on male infertility, but rather to focus on areas that are new, poorly understood, poorly standardized, controversial and/or rapidly changing. The MIBPPC divided its efforts into 4 interrelated sections: 1) optimal evaluation of the infertile male, 2) evaluation of the azoospermic male, 3) management of obstructive azoospermia, and 4) varicocele and infertility. A separate report was created for each topic. The reports were submitted to peer review by 125 physicians and researchers from the disciplines of urology, gynecology, reproductive endocrinology, primary care and family medicine, andrology and reproductive laboratory medicine. The reports were then reviewed and approved by the Practice Guidelines Committee of the AUA the Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the boards of the 2 organizations. The reports were printed and distributed jointly by the AUA and ASRM in 2001. We reviewed each report of the MIBPPC.