Association between pus cells and semen parameters in infertile Pakistani males

This study evaluated the association between pus cells and semen parameters in infertile Pakistani males. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the Department of Reproductive Physiology/Health, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, Pakistan, from 2004 to 2009. A total of 1,521 subjects were analysed, along with 97 proven fathers as controls. The mean of pus cells was 7.43 +/- 0.43, 4.35 +/- 0.34, and 4.26 +/- 0.17 per high field in teratozoospermic, oligoasthenozoospermic, and asthenozoospermic groups, respectively, while it was 3.25 +/- 0.26, 3.10 +/- 0.19, and 2.98 +/- 0.04 per high field in azoospermic, oligozoospermic and the proven father groups, respectively. The fewest pus cells were observed among proven fathers, which varied nonsignificantly [P >0.05] with all cases, except with teratozoospermic, oligozoospermic, and oligoasthenozoospermic cases. Pus cells showed an inverse relationship to sperm motility and count, except in azoospemia cases. Similarly, the fewest pus cells were observed among groups where normal forms where significantly more frequent [P <0.05]. More pus cells were observed in cases where motility, and concentration or morphology was compromised. Similarly, low pus cell counts were seen in cases where sperm had the fewest head and neck defects. All kinds of sperm defects varied non-significantly [P >0.05] between proven fathers and normal concentration cases. High pus cell counts were observed in various subclasses of infertile patients. Ignorance of this pyospermic factor will make pyospermic patients to be misdiagnosed as normozoospermic. Therefore, the presence of pyospermia must be considered by physicians as a male infertility factor

Assessment of male reproductive health by conventional method of semen analysis

Data available over the past twenty years reveal that in approximately 30% of cases of infertility, pathology is found in man alone, and in another 20% both man and woman are abnormal. Therefore, the male factor is at least partly responsible in about 50% of infertile couples. The longer a couple remains sub fertile, the worse is their chance for an effective cure. This study was planned to analyse the complete semen picture of infertile men for assigning the specific cause to male infertility related to concentration, motility and morphology and to know the distribution and pattern of male infertility in the various subclasses in Pakistani population. It was a prospective descriptive analytical study conducted at Department of Reproductive Physiology/ Health, Public Health Divisions, National Institute of Health [NIH], Islamabad. One thousand five hundred twenty-one [1,521] infertile male patients, and 97 proven fathers, taken as a control. Conventional semen analysis was performed on all samples. Out of 1,521 infertile men, 13.3% were azoospermic, 23.2% oligozoospermic, 0.9% polyzoospermic, 14.5% normozoospermic, 35.2% asthenozoospermic 10.5% oligoasthenozoospermic and 2.4% teratozoospermic. Sperm concentration and active motility of proven fathers, was significantly higher [p<0.05] than the normal concentration group. Least liquefaction time was recorded in case of polyzoospermic subjects, and highest for azoospermic cases. Although, the liquefaction time of azoospermic and oligozoospermic subjects varied non-significantly [p>0.05] with the proven fathers. Normal forms were significantly higher [p<0.05] among the proven fathers and polyzoospermic cases, in comparison with the other groups. Head defects were more in teratozoospermic group, followed by oligoasthenozoospermic and oligozoospermic patients. Neck defects were more profound in oligoasthenozoospermic and oligozoospermic patients, while, tail defect showed significant increase in teratozoospermic and asthenozoospermic cases only. Head and neck defect varied significantly [p<0.05] with proven fathers in all groups, while tail defect varied significantly [p<0.05] in oligozoospermic, asthenozoospermic and teratozoospermic groups only when compared with proven fathers. Complete semen analysis which provides important information about the quality and quantity of the sperm, should be performed before reaching a final conclusion

Prevalence of hyperprolactinemia in different age groups of women with fertility problems

Hormonal disturbance is one of the major causes of infertility and higher prolactin concentration, causes ovulatory dysfunction and infertility in women. Aim of our study was the evaluation of disordered prolactin concentration for fertility related complaints in female patients and prevalence of hyperprolactinemia in various age groups. The study was carried out in Reproductive Physiology/Health, PHLD NIH [National Institute of Health, Islamabad]. 246 women complaining fertility problems were included in study. Subjects were divided into two major groups ranging from 13-50 years [n=165] in Normal and 13-40 years [n=81] in Hyperprolactinemic group where Normal group had reference value of 1.9-25.9 ng/ml and Hyperprolactinemic group was having prolactin level >25.9 ng/ml. They were further sub-divided into age groups, four groups in Normal category and three groups in Hyperprolactinemic category. 66% women in all had serum concentration of prolactin in normal limits [1.9-25.9 ng/ml] whereas 33% women had elevated prolactin level. The mean serum concentration of prolactin Hyperprolactinemic groups [in each age group] varied significantly from Normal groups [P<0.01]. Decrease in prolactin level was seen in advancing age

Contraceptive properties of natural substances used as delicacies nature's system of check and balance

Nature maintains a check and balance between the available resources and animal and plant populations. In a similar way, natural substances possess fertility affecting properties for human beings as well. The present paper reports five such substances used as contraceptives in the traditional system of medicine, namely, Piper nigrum, Curcuma longa, Allium sativum, Syzygium aromaticum and Momordica charantia, which are used as delicacies in our society

Serum FSH levels in pre-pubertal and peri-pubertal Pakistani males a preliminary study

Pre and peri-pubertal boys were subjected to evaluation of serum FSH levels, which were 2.830+/-.832 and 2.381+0.199 for the respective groups. During the course of the investigations, it was also found that several boys had elevated levels, which indicated the onset of testicular disorders. These represent the preliminary data for the Pakistani population. Further studies, with a broader population size need to be carried out to establish normal levels for the Pakistani population

Prevalence of blood groups and Rh factor in Bannu region [NWFP] Pakistan

Objective: The objective was to determine the frequency of different blood groups in the region, which would not only help in blood transfusion services but also eliminate the risk of erythroblastosis fetalis in the neonates

Method: Blood group determination was carried out over a period of 16 months from January 2002 to April 2003, and encompassed 2581 subjects, in which 57.09% were male and 42.9% female, these were categorized by their groups, A, B, AB, and O

Results: The percentage of these groups were 31.03% [A], 36.23% [B], 7.67% [AB], and 25.07% [O]. The Rh positive and negative distribution in the studied population was 89.23% and 10.77% respectively

Conclusion: The studied population exhibited a predominance of group B, in the order of B>A>O>and AB, as well as Rh positive antigen for both male [90.26%] and female [87.98%] subjects within the population, with Rh negative men and women being 9.74% and 12.02% respectively

Evaluation of serum testosterone level among Pakistani women with a history of infertility

Objective: This study was designed to estimate the incidence of testosterone elevation among infertile women

Method: Three hundred twenty seven married women, presenting with a complaint of infertility, were evaluated at the Reproductive Physiology Laboratory of the NIH, Islamabad. Serum testosterone level was determined using Enzyme Immuno Assay [EIA]

Statistical Analysis: Data were compared using student `t`-test

Results: The results revealed that 36.08% of the infertile women had significantly elevated level of serum testosterone, a predominately male hormone

Conclusion: The estimation of serum testosterone is not usually advised for assessment of the fertility status, unless the patient presents with symptoms of hyper androgenic status. However, the prevalence of a significantly high level of serum testosterone in more than one third of the studied subjects warrants the inclusion of serum testosterone level estimation as a routine component of female factor fertility assessment