title: Etiology of severe asthenozoospermia and fertility prognosis. A screening of 5216 semen analyses.
abstract: A review of n = 5216 semen analyses performed in our two Clinics from January 1986 to December 1989 allowed to identify n = 35 patients whose sperm had constantly very low motility (less than 5% progressive motile gametes in three subsequent analyses; necrozoospermia cases were excluded from this study). This apparently rare but severe anomaly was found to be associated not only with ultrastructural anomalies (n = 18), but also with positive seminal bacteriology (n = 8) or the presence of antisperm antibodies (n = 2). In eight cases the cause(s) for this constant asthenozoospermia remained obscure. The fertility potential of the men affected was followed-up and is discussed in relation to their anamnesis, physical exam and seminal characteristics.
authors.affiliation: First Obstetric and Gynecology Clinic, University of Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Losa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Falcone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piffaretti-Yanez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeeb
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balerna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012661:Semen / Q000382:microbiology; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies