RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS WITH SEMEN PARAMETERS IN INFERTILE COUPLES IN KKUH

Objective: To assess the effect of some selected socio-demographic fac tors on sperm quality as measured by sperm density, motility and morph ology. Setting: The study was conducted in the Department of Obstetric s and Gynecology, King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh. Desi gn: Between September 1, 1994 and February 28, 1995, 68 infertile Saud i males of infertile couples attending the Gynecology Clinic of KKUH, and 29 fertile males married to fertile women, who were the controls w ere recruited into the study. All the controls were of similar sociode mographic characteristics as the study group. They all had their semen analysis performed, using the computer assisted semen analysis (CASA) method. The relationship of the sperm parameters with various sociode mographic characteristics were determined. Result: There were wide var iations in the sperm parameters of the study group compared with the W HO normal values and controls, and the differences between the patient s and controls were statistically significant. However, even though th ere were differences in the effect of the socio-demographic variables on the sperm parameters between the study groups and controls, these w ere not statistically significant. Conclusion: The various sperm param eters may significantly influence fertilization in the individual. How ever, there is no consensus on which parameter is the important determ inant of fertility. The variable results obtained from this and other studies may reflect the plethora of the many influences of daily life which may confound the detection of subtle changes in semen quality.