title: Comparison of a discontinuous Percoll gradient method versus a swim-up method: effects on sperm morphology and other semen parameters.
abstract: Increasing the proportion of motile and normal spermatozoa is an important objective for assisted reproductive procedures. The aim of this study was to compare the results of a Percoll and swim-up-method, especially on the sperm morphology. The Percoll technique gave a recovery rate of 81.3% of motile spermatozoa against a recovery rate of 28.98% for the swim-up technique. When the percentage of normal spermatozoa was also brought into calculation the recovery rate with the Percoll technique decreased to 62.03% and increased to 31.81% for the swim-up technique. This was due to a decrease in the resultant morphology of the Percoll technique to a median of 8.0% and an increase to 11.5% for the swim-up technique from a median of 10.5% of the original samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tygerberg Hospital, RSA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Menkveld
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kotze
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Kruger
mesh_terms: D002501:Centrifugation, Zonal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011205:Povidone; D012016:Reference Values; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C016039:Percoll; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011205:Povidone