Background: Lead (pb )is suspected to be one of the endocrine disruptors. People are exposed to high levelsof it in the environment through several ways .In the last years there was an evidence that it affects semenquality. The aim of the study is to assess the level of lead in the blood of male patients and correlate it with theseminal fluid parameters and hormonal levels.Methods: Fifty three infertile male patients, attending the infertility clinic in Baghdad Teaching Hospital fromFebruary 2016 till June 2016, participated in this study. Detailed history was taken and careful examinationwas done. Semen was collected from the patients and analyzed. Blood was withdrawn for hormonal and leadanalysis.Results: There was an increase in blood lead level with increasing age and duration of infertility which has asignificant negative correlation with sperm count and hormonal levels (LH and FSH), but it was not significantconcerning sperm morphology.There was no statistical significance between smokers and non- smokers regarding lead level and between thosewith primary and secondary infertility although it was higher in smokers and in patients with primary infertility.Conclusion: Blood lead level affects male fertility since it has a negative impact on semen parametersincluding sperm count, in addition to the hormonal disturbance in those patients bringing LH and FSH towardslow levels. Smoking on the other hand had been found to increase lead level in blood.
