Global Research Trends on Ejaculatory Abstinence and Semen Quality: A Bibliometric Study

Bakhtiyar Serik, Riza Sharapatova, Akylbek Pshenbayev, Aliya Dauletova, Nadiar Maratovich Mussin, Kulyash R. Zhilisbayeva, Amin Tamadon, Asset Izdenov

2026

Full text Open access: Hybrid Metadata (CSL-JSON)
DOI 10.4103/wkrj.wkrj_18_26
Data confidence 70 medium
How this score is calculated

It is built from checkable properties of the record itself: whether the article has a DOI, how many independent sources confirmed its data, whether the required fields are filled in, and how recent the latest confirmation is. Disagreement between sources and a missing identifier lower it. A value of 80 or above means the record was published without further checking; 60 to 79 means it is published at reduced confidence, with a manual check advisable. A record verified by an editor by hand is never pushed below 90 by a recalculation. This scores our data about the article, not the article itself.

Abstract

A BSTRACT Background: Male infertility accounts for about 40–50% of infertility cases worldwide. Ejaculatory abstinence duration is an important but controversial factor affecting semen quality and male reproductive outcomes. The growing number of publications in this field highlights the need for a bibliometric analysis to identify research trends, key contributors, and emerging topics. Objective: To conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research on ejaculatory abstinence duration and semen quality using PubMed data. Materials and Methods: This study was designed as a bibliometric analysis of the global scientific literature on ejaculatory abstinence duration and semen parameters. The literature search was performed exclusively in the PubMed database using both MeSH terms and free-text keywords related to ejaculatory abstinence and semen quality. Studies involving human subjects were included using the “Humans” filter. Retrieved records were exported and analyzed using the Bibliometrix R package in RStudio. Results: A total of 2407 records were identified in PubMed, of which 1334 human studies were included in the bibliometric analysis. Annual scientific production increased gradually from the 1970s and reached peak productivity in the late 1990s and early 2000s. China ranked first in the number of publications, followed by the United States and Italy. The University of Florence was the most productive institution. Ashok Agarwal was the leading author in this field. Fertility and Sterility was the most influential journal. Co-authorship analysis demonstrated distinct collaboration clusters, although inter-cluster cooperation remained limited. Conclusion: This bibliometric study provides a comprehensive overview of the global research landscape on ejaculatory abstinence and semen quality. The findings identify major contributors, influential journals, and evolving research directions, while also highlighting the need for stronger international collaboration and further studies integrating clinical, molecular, and technological perspectives in male reproductive health.