title: Advanced methods for evaluation of sperm quality.
abstract: Routine semen analysis includes measurements of sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. In our study, three additional tests were evaluated in relation to fertilization rate in an in vitro fertilization program: the freezing and hypo-osmotic swelling tests that evaluate the functional integrity and stability of the sperm membrane under extreme osmotic conditions, and migration sedimentation test that isolates high-quality motile sperm cells. The study was performed on semen delivered by men of couples treated at the In Vitro Fertilization Unit, and men who served as semen donors (fresh or cryopreserved semen). No correlation was found between the sperm fertilization rate, and the decrease in motility percent following the freezing-thawing process. Thus, the freezing test cannot be used to predict semen fertilization capacity. The hypo-osmotic swelling test was applied on semen given by a similar population of men. While the hypo-osmotic swelling test values carried out with fresh semen was found to have good correlation with fertilization, no correlation was found when frozen thawed semen was used. Post-migration sedimentation test sperm characteristics, and especially the recovery rate of the motile sperm, were significantly better in in vitro fertilization cycles with fertilizations. Both the hypo-osmotic swelling test and migration sedimentation test can assist in evaluating semen quality, judged by the fertilization rate in an in vitro fertilization program.
authors.affiliation: Institute for the Study of Fertility, Serlin Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yavetz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yogev
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Botchan
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lessing
authors.forename: Z T
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Homonnai
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paz
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007038:Hypotonic Solutions