{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,8]],"date-time":"2026-10-08T16:04:06Z","timestamp":1791475446760,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":88,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]],"date-time":"2026-01-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769126400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Life"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemoglobinopathy in which hemoglobin S polymerization drives hemolysis and vaso-occlusion with progressive organ morbidity. Male reproductive impairment is increasingly recognized but remains underreported. This narrative review summarizes mechanistic pathways, clinical manifestations, and fertility preservation options relevant to men with SCD. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Medscape were searched through 31 December 2025 for human studies addressing endocrine changes, semen quality, priapism and erectile dysfunction, oxidative stress, and treatment-related gonadotoxicity. Evidence supports converging mechanisms: recurrent vaso-occlusion and chronic hypoxia may injure the seminiferous epithelium and impair Leydig cell steroidogenesis; oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to sperm DNA and membrane damage; and disease-modifying or curative therapies such as hydroxyurea and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can further compromise spermatogenesis. Clinically, men with SCD may present with oligozoospermia, azoospermia, hypogonadism, and sexual dysfunction, particularly after recurrent ischemic priapism. Fertility preservation should be discussed early, ideally before prolonged hydroxyurea exposure or transplantation, and may include semen cryopreservation and testicular sperm extraction (TESE) with assisted reproduction when needed. Prospective longitudinal studies are required to define reproductive trajectories and optimize counseling and management.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life16020192","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]],"date-time":"2026-01-23T10:41:34Z","timestamp":1769164894000},"page":"192","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Sickle Cell Disease and Male Infertility: Pathophysiological Mechanisms, Clinical Manifestations, and Fertility Preservation Strategies\u2014A Narrative Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-2566-5125","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christos","family":"Roidos","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4651-312X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aris","family":"Kaltsas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Department of Urology, Attikon University Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6360-0762","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Evangelos N.","family":"Symeonidis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology II, European Interbalkan Medical Center, 55535 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8265-1605","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vasileios","family":"Tzikoulis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nikolaos","family":"Pantazis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chara","family":"Tsiampali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher, 55131 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Natalia","family":"Palapela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Faculty, Medical University of Sofia, 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5287-4450","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Athanasios","family":"Zachariou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nikolaos","family":"Sofikitis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1198-9144","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fotios","family":"Dimitriadis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"803","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-5347(05)65841-7","article-title":"Genitourinary complications of sickle cell disease","volume":"166","author":"Bruno","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. 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