title: Semen quality in men from subfertile couples from the region of Łódź (Poland) according to the new reference values recommended by WHO 2010.
abstract: The semen analysis is the main diagnostic tool for evaluating the male fertility potential. The standard semen analysis includes evaluation of the sperm concentration, motility, and their morphology. The most important question is whether the results from semen analysis may be accurate markers for male fertility. Therefore, we retrospectively studied sperm quality among men attending the infertility clinic due to reproductive problems consistent with the WHO manual from 1999, which were reassessed according to the manual from 2010. Semen results from 571 males from couples undergoing fertility investigation were analyzed. All subjects included in the study had no abnormalities during examination. In 64 samples (11.2%), a leukocyte count above 1 x 10(6)/ml was found and their semen volume (median 3.2 ml) was significantly lower in comparison with the group without leukocytes (3.6 ml; p <0.001). Normal semen parameters were found in 290 subjects (50.8%) according to the 1999 manual and in 362 men (63.4%) according to the 2010 manual. The normozoospermia group, according to the 2010 manual, had a significantly lower percentage of sperm with progressive motility, motile sperm concentration, and total number of motile sperm in comparison with the normozoospermia group according to the manual from 1999. It seems that routine semen analysis is not sufficient to estimate male fertility potential and some men with normal semen parameters may be subfertile. Further investigations are needed.
authors.affiliation: 2 Urology Clinic, Medical University of Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Różański
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, University of Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Wiesław
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Szymczak
authors.affiliation: Infertility Treatment Clinic Salve-Medica, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wójt
authors.affiliation: Infertility Treatment Clinic Salve-Medica, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sobakiewicz
authors.affiliation: 2 Urology Clinic, Medical University of Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lipiński
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology and Reproductive Endocrinology, Medical University of Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marchlewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Perinatology and Obstetrics, Madurowicz Hospital, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gołąb-Lipińska
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology and Reproductive Endocrinology, Medical University of Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oszukowska
keywords: semen quality; sperm concentration; sperm motility; subfertility