Are Sperm Strict Morphology and Motility Only for the Selection of Assisted Reproductive Technologies or for the Prediction of Sperm Functional Capacity?

Abstract

ObjectiveIt has been postulated that sperm with higher percentage of normal and motile forms after intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization correlates significantly with better fertilization and pregnancy rates. The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive ability of sperm with strict morphology ≤ or ≥4% and with progressive motility (a+b) ≤ or ≥50% and with total motile sperm count (TMSC) ≤ or ≥10 million for fertilization and pregnancy outcomes of ICSI cycles.DesignProspective, observational, clinical study.Materials and methodsIn this study, sperm parameters, including motility, strict morphology and total motile sperm count were evaluated for ninety-five samples in ICSI cycles. Then the group was divided into groups according to the strict morphology ≤ or ≥4%, progressive motility (a+b) ≤ or ≥50% and TMSC ≤ or ≥10 million. The subgroups were then subjected for the prediction of ICSI cycles’ outcome parameters including fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy rates.ResultsWe found highly specific relations between the sperm parameters and after the multiple logistic regression analysis of sperm parameters for fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy outcomes of ICSI cycles, no significant prediction for any sperm parameter was observed. The groups divided according to the normal cut-off levels also couldn’t predict any of the outcome parameters of ICSI cycles.ConclusionsSperm parameters including strict morphology, motility a+b and TMSC have no value for investigation of sperm functional capacity and they should be used for the selection of assisted reproductive technologies. ObjectiveIt has been postulated that sperm with higher percentage of normal and motile forms after intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization correlates significantly with better fertilization and pregnancy rates. The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive ability of sperm with strict morphology ≤ or ≥4% and with progressive motility (a+b) ≤ or ≥50% and with total motile sperm count (TMSC) ≤ or ≥10 million for fertilization and pregnancy outcomes of ICSI cycles. It has been postulated that sperm with higher percentage of normal and motile forms after intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization correlates significantly with better fertilization and pregnancy rates. The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive ability of sperm with strict morphology ≤ or ≥4% and with progressive motility (a+b) ≤ or ≥50% and with total motile sperm count (TMSC) ≤ or ≥10 million for fertilization and pregnancy outcomes of ICSI cycles. DesignProspective, observational, clinical study. Prospective, observational, clinical study. Materials and methodsIn this study, sperm parameters, including motility, strict morphology and total motile sperm count were evaluated for ninety-five samples in ICSI cycles. Then the group was divided into groups according to the strict morphology ≤ or ≥4%, progressive motility (a+b) ≤ or ≥50% and TMSC ≤ or ≥10 million. The subgroups were then subjected for the prediction of ICSI cycles’ outcome parameters including fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy rates. In this study, sperm parameters, including motility, strict morphology and total motile sperm count were evaluated for ninety-five samples in ICSI cycles. Then the group was divided into groups according to the strict morphology ≤ or ≥4%, progressive motility (a+b) ≤ or ≥50% and TMSC ≤ or ≥10 million. The subgroups were then subjected for the prediction of ICSI cycles’ outcome parameters including fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy rates. ResultsWe found highly specific relations between the sperm parameters and after the multiple logistic regression analysis of sperm parameters for fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy outcomes of ICSI cycles, no significant prediction for any sperm parameter was observed. The groups divided according to the normal cut-off levels also couldn’t predict any of the outcome parameters of ICSI cycles. We found highly specific relations between the sperm parameters and after the multiple logistic regression analysis of sperm parameters for fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy outcomes of ICSI cycles, no significant prediction for any sperm parameter was observed. The groups divided according to the normal cut-off levels also couldn’t predict any of the outcome parameters of ICSI cycles. ConclusionsSperm parameters including strict morphology, motility a+b and TMSC have no value for investigation of sperm functional capacity and they should be used for the selection of assisted reproductive technologies. Sperm parameters including strict morphology, motility a+b and TMSC have no value for investigation of sperm functional capacity and they should be used for the selection of assisted reproductive technologies.