Prospective, randomized, blinded evaluation of donor semen quality provided by seven commercial sperm banks.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate variability in donor semen quality between seven commercial donor sperm banks, within sperm banks, and between intracervical insemination and intrauterine insemination.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, blind evaluation of commercially available donor semen samples.


METHODS
An academic andrology laboratory.


METHODS
Seventy-five cryopreserved donor semen samples were evaluated.


METHODS
Samples were coded, then blindly evaluated for semen quality.


METHODS
Standard semen quality parameters, including concentration, motility parameters, World Health Organization criteria morphology, and strict criteria morphology.


RESULTS
Significant differences were observed between donor semen banks for most semen quality parameters analyzed in intracervical insemination samples. In general, the greatest variability observed between banks was in percentage progressive sperm motility (range, 8.8 +/- 5.8 to 42.4 +/- 5.5) and normal sperm morphology (strict criteria; range, 10.1 +/- 3.3 to 26.6 +/- 4.7). Coefficients of variation within sperm banks were generally high.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate the variability of donor semen quality provided by commercial sperm banks, both between banks and within a given bank. No relationship was observed between the size or type of sperm bank and the degree of variability. The data demonstrate the lack of uniformity in the criteria used to screen potential semen donors and emphasize the need for more stringent screening criteria and strict quality control in processing samples.
Carrell
Douglas T
DT
Division of Urology and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132, USA. dcarrell@med.utah.edu
Cartmill
Deborah
D
Jones
Kirtly P
KP
Hatasaka
Harry H
HH
Peterson
C Matthew
CM
D002584:Cervix Uteri; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007316:Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012661:Semen / Q000502:physiology*; D013074:Sperm Banks; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014599:Uterus