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

Seminal volume in the investigation of male infertility

To determine the seminal volume among infertile males and the frequency distribution of hypospermic and hyperspermic patients in infertile males. Cross-sectional observational study. Department of Reproductive Physiology/Health, Public Health Laboratories Division, National Institute of Health, Islamabad, from 2002 to 2009. Semen examinations of infertile male were carried out according to the standardized method of the World Health Organization. Seminal volume of 2-6 ml were considered normal, while volumes less than 2 ml and higher than 6 ml were considered hypospermic and hyperspermic respectively. Out of 1521 patients, 355 were hypospermic [23.34%], 1046 were normospermic [68.78%] while 120 were hyperspermic [7.88%]. In the hypospermic cases, 57 out of 355 [16.05%] had a volume of less than 1 ml. Of those 57 patients, 34 were found to be azoospermic, 12 were asthenozoospermic, one each were terato and polyzoospermic, while 6 had normal counts. Among the hyperspermic patients [n=120], 3 were azoospermic, 24 were oligozoospermic and 19 cases [15.84%] had count within the normal range, while 1 patient was polyzoospermic. Significant differences [p < 0.05] were observed among azoospermic, oligoasthenozoospermic and teratozoospermic groups when comparing hypo and hyperspermic patients. Seminal volume is an important parameter for assessment of infertility investigation and its abnormalities constitute a valuable index of problems with the male partner, even if the count and motility are well within the acceptable limits

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

Prediction of ovulation through urinary LH

Luteinising Hormone [LH] levels were screened in the urine samples taken from normal menstruating women, in order to establish the phase of their menstrual cycle on the basis of their urinary LH concentrations. Urinary LH was quantified using WHO RIA Reagents for serum LH. All the results agreed in the determination of the early follicular ovulation, Peak and Luteal Phases, as indicated by the day of sampling during the menstrual cycle. This suggests that urinary LH, instead of serum LH, can be used for predicting ovulation reliably