title: Spermaturia and puberty.
abstract: The pattern of spermaturia in boys at different stages of puberty was investigated. Fractionated 24 hour urine was collected for nine consecutive days from eight boys aged 13-14 years and 10 boys aged 15-17 years. Spermatozoa were detected by microscopic examination of the sediment. Sex characteristics were recorded. Fifty five per cent of all urine samples were positive for sperm and all boys showed spermaturia. A large variation in spermaturia was found between and within boys at the same stage of puberty. Spermaturia was a more common and regular event during early and mid-puberty than in more mature subjects. This indicates that the mechanism of spermaturia in early and late puberty could be different. It is suggested that spermaturia in non-virilised boys could be a result of a spontaneous, continuous flow of spermatozoa to the urethra in contrast with the peristaltic flow during ejaculation occurring at a later stage of puberty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nysom
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Keiding
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Skakkebaek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D012661:Semen; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D014556:Urine