Predictive power of sperm motion analysis in in vitro fertilization

ABSTRACT

The correlation between sperm motion characteristics and in vitro fertilization was studied in 160 cycles, divided in two groups those with male subfertility [N=42] and those with tubal disease [N=118]. The group with male subfertility showed inferior performance, as indicated by a lower fertilization rate per oocyte [40% versus 66%] and per pick-up cycle [67% versus 93%]. These two groups exhibited no significant difference in the mean sperm velocity, linearity, amplitude of lateral head displacement, and beat cross frequency in the pre swim-up and post swim-up specimens. The two groups differed in pre and post swim-up sperm motility, pre and post swim-up concentration, pre swim-up cumulative velocity at 110 to 140 micro m/sec and post swim-up cumulative velocity at 130 micro m/sec. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine those variables that would predict fertilization; pre swim-up count and post swim-up motility proved to be the significant determinants. The results indicate that assessment of motion by automated semen analyzers does not supplement conventional semen analysis in the ability to predict fertilization