title: Time to pregnancy in relation to semen quality assessed by CASA before and after sperm separation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In order to provide a reference for infertile men, we defined normal values of semen quality in a population of fertile men, using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) before and after sperm separation. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between semen quality and time to pregnancy (TTP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Semen samples were obtained from 315 proven fertile men. The median sperm concentration in fresh samples was 107 x 10(6)/ml (5-95 percentiles: 16-322 x 10(6)/ml), the median percentage of motile sperm cells was 65% (14-87%) and the median percentage of progressively motile cells was 37% (5-64%). After density gradient sperm separation, the median total sperm count was 46 x 10(6) (4-350 x 10(6)), the median percentage of motile sperm cells was 77% (16-95%) and the median percentage of progressively motile cells was 63% (11-84%). No significant associations were found between TTP and sperm counts or sperm motility, either before or after sperm separation. This may be due in part to the fact that the study comprised couples with proven fertility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have defined semen parameters, including the results of density gradient separation, in a population of normal fertile men which may be of interest in the evaluation of semen samples from infertile men.
authors.affiliation: The Fertility Clinic, Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. agma@get2net.dk
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ziebe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Skakkebaek
authors.forename: A Nyboe
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013997:Time Factors