title: Quest for An Ideal, Simple and Cost-Effective Stain for Morphological Assessment of Sperms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent alarming trends of a substantial rise in the number of cases of infertility with as many as 30-40% being attributed to male-factor associated causes have created a need for further studies and advancements in semen analysis. Despite the focus on semen analysis over the years, assessment of sperm morphology has not been given due importance although it is a simple, standard and baseline diagnostic modality. It can be used to predict the need and outcome of Artificial Reproductive Techniques such as Invitro Fertilization, Gamete Intra Fallopian Tube Transfer and Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To find the ideal, simple and cost-effective basic stain for assessment of sperm morphology in a rural tertiary care set- up where advanced equipment for assessment of sperm morphometry are inaccessible.
  
  
  METHODS
  An updated way of determining sperm shape is called the Kruger's strict morphology method. Keeping this as the standard criterion, we studied semen samples of 62 healthy male subjects using four basic staining techniques and the consensus of four independent observers was tabulated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that Haematoxylin and Eosin stain was the best stain for assessment of sperm head morphology. Rapid Papanicolau stain was the most ideal, simple and cost-effective stain for overall assessment of sperm morphology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sperm morphology assessment remains the baseline necessity for the diagnosis and management of male factor associated infertility when advanced techniques are unavailable, inaccessible or unaffordable.
authors.affiliation: Professor and HOD, Department of Pathology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences , B. G. Nagar, Mandya District, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Hemalatha Anthanahalli
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Lingappa
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences , B. G. Nagar, Mandya District, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Abhishek Mandya
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Govindashetty
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate, Department of Pathology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences , B. G. Nagar, Mandya District, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Anoosha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krishnamurthy
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate, Department of Pathology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences , B. G. Nagar, Mandya District, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Ashok Kagathur
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Puttaveerachary
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences , B. G. Nagar, Mandya District, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manchaiah
authors.affiliation: Tutor, Department of Pathology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences , B. G. Nagar, Mandya District, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Indira Channagangappa
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Shimoga
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate, Department of Pathology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences , B. G. Nagar, Mandya District, Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Sushma Hulikere
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mallaradhya
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences , Karnataka, India .
authors.forename: Sarvesh Ballekoppa Mukunda
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Gowda
keywords: Basic stains; Morphology; Spermatozoa