Investigating male factors and their relationships with reproductive health outcomes: a case-control study protocol for Towards Optimal Fertility, Fathering, and Fatherhood studY (TOFFY) in Singapore

Abstract

Introduction: despite the global prevalence of low fertility rates, male contributions to fertility and reproductive health outcomes have been understudied. This study aims to investigate the male contribution to fertility and explore the underlying biological mechanisms. Specifically, we aim to (1) identify male factors associated with successful pregnancy; (2) develop a fertility index incorporating modifiable factors for both males and females to predict pregnancy rate; and (3) explore the relationship of male modifiable factors with semen parameters and molecular characteristics.

Methods and analysis: we will conduct an unmatched case-control study involving 240 couples with impaired male fertility (cases) and 240 couples with normal male fertility (controls). Between July 2024 and June 2026, we will recruit the 480 eligible couples from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore. Male and female participants will complete questionnaires on socio-demographics, general health and lifestyle factors, and their anthropometry and body fat composition will be measured. Blood and semen samples from the male participants will be collected for biochemical, molecular, and semen analyses. Predictive male factors will be identified using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method, accounting for female factors. We will construct a logistic regression model incorporating both male and female factors to derive a fertility index, which will be evaluated using cross-validation on subsets of the study population. Multivariable linear regression will be used to explore relationships between male modifiable exposures and semen parameters.

Ethics and dissemination: the study protocol has received approval from the Centralised Institutional Review Board of SingHealth (2024/2120), Singapore. Participants will provide written informed consent. Study results will be disseminated through conferences and peer-reviewed scientific journals.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Keith Godfrey: orcid.org/0000-0002-4643-0618

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