Abnormal sperm morphology and other semen parameters related to the outcome of the hamster oocyte human sperm penetration assay.
A new method for evaluation of sperm morphology using strict criteria is currently used in the andrology laboratory at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. A prospective study was designed to evaluate the following semen parameters in samples of all patients over a set period of time: sperm concentration and motility, and normal sperm morphology. These factors were correlated with results of the hamster zona-free oocyte/human sperm penetration assay (SPA). One hundred patients with a sperm concentration ranging from 2 to 219 X 10(6)/ml, a motile sperm fraction ranging from 6.9 to 87%, and normal sperm morphology ranging from 1 to 39%, were evaluated. The statistical analysis system general linear model was used to judge the influence of the different variables. There was a statistically significant relationship between the per cent of sperm with normal morphology and penetration rate in the SPA (P = 0.001). Outcome of the SPA was also correlated with in vitro fertilization, retrospectively, in 84 patients. Thirty-eight patients had an SPA less than 10%, with no fertilization in vitro in 13 patients (33.3%) and fertilization in 25 (66.7%). Forty-five had an SPA greater than 10% with fertilization in 37 (82.2%) and no fertilization in eight (17.8%) patients.
Kruger
T F
TF
Infertility Clinic, Tygerberg Hospital, South Africa.
Swanson
R J
RJ
Hamilton
M
M
Simmons
K F
KF
Acosta
A A
AA
Matta
J F
JF
Oehniger
S
S
Morshedi
M
M
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology*