Can Westgard Quality Control Rules determine the suitability of frozen sperm pellets as a control material for computer assisted semen analyzers?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the drop-to-drop and pellet-to-pellet repeatability and stability of frozen sperm pellets.


METHODS
Ten pellets were thawed per batch (low and normal concentration) and evaluated by two investigators to establish a quality control chart. Then low and normal concentration pellets were thawed and evaluated daily for 10 days by both investigators. The values for both investigators were averaged and plotted on the chart.


RESULTS
The low sperm concentration specimen had a systematic error while the normal sperm concentration specimen had a random error as well as a systematic error. The low sperm concentration specimen violated the warning rule for motility whereas the normal concentration violated the warning rule, the random error rule, and the systematic error rule when applied to motility.


CONCLUSIONS
Frozen sperm pellets are not acceptable as a daily-use quality control material for semen analysis when using a computer assisted semen analyzer.
Johnson
Jane E
JE
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Greenville Hospital System, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, 890 W. Faris Road, Suite 470, Greenville, South Carolina 29605, USA. jejohnson@ghs.org
Blackhurt
Dawn W
DW
Boone
William R
WR
D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D011786:Quality Control; D012015:Reference Standards; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility