title: The effect of the new 2010 World Health Organization criteria for semen analyses on male infertility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the effect of the new 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) semen analysis reference values on reclassifying previous semen analysis parameters and definition of patients with male factor infertility.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multi-institutional retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  University and private male infertility clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Men referred for infertility evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparison of semen analysis values based on 2010 versus 1999 reference criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantification of the change based on individual sperm parameters and as a whole.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 184 men had at least two semen analyses; 13 (7%), 17 (9.2%), 34 (18.4%), and 29 (15.7%) patients changed classification to being at or above the reference values by the 2010 criteria for semen volume, sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, respectively. A total of 501 men had one semen analysis on file; 40 (7.9%), 31 (6.2%), 50 (9.9%), and 74 (19.3%) would change classification for volume, concentration, motility, and morphology, respectively. Overall, 103 patients (15.1%) who had one or more parameter below the reference value on the original analysis were converted to having all parameters at or above the 2010 reference values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 2010 reference values result in some infertile men being reclassified as fertile if status is based on semen analysis alone. This may lead to fewer men being referred for proper infertility evaluation or treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas 66160, USA.
authors.forename: Katie S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: McGeady
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Wayne W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: Ajay K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nangia
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000175:diagnosis*; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012016:Reference Values; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D055101:Semen Analysis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D014944:World Health Organization