ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the relationships among human follicular fluid-induced acrosome reaction, sperm morphology and in vitro fertilization rates.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The relationships among human follicular fluid-induced acrosome reaction, sperm morphology and in vitro fertilization rates were investigated by Spearman rank correlation in 79 infertile couples. And the sperm morphology analysis was performed by crystal violet staining and based on strict criteria.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A significant positive correlation was found between the percentage of human follicular fluid-induced acrosome reaction and that of normal sperm morphology (n = 49, r = 0.3763, P < 0.01), but no significant correlation was observed either between the percentage of human follicular fluid-induced acrosome reaction and in vitro fertilization rates or between that of normal sperm morphology and in vitro fertilization rates (n = 21, r = 0.2666, P > 0.05 and n = 50, r = 0.0018, P > 0.05, respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is a significant positive correlation between the percentage of human follicular fluid-induced acrosome reaction and that of normal sperm morphology, but no such correlation either between the percentage of human follicular fluid-induced acrosome reaction and in vitro fertilization rates or between that of normal sperm morphology and in vitro fertilization rates.</p>