A systematic review and meta-analysis of the placebo effect on both semen quality and male infertility.

Introduction: Placebo influence on such objective indicators, as sperm quality and infertility, has not been studied previously, but some studies report that placebo may distort even objective outcomes. The aim of current study is to assess the placebo effect on fertility in patients suffering from sperm abnormalities and/or infertility.

Evidence Acquisition: We conducted a search of two databases (Scopus and MEDLINE) and identified placebo-controlled clinical trials which focused on sperm abnormalities and/or male infertility treatment.