SEMEN PARAMETERS AND SPERM MORPHOLOGY IN MEN IN UNEXPLAINED RECURRENTSPONTANEOUS-ABORTION, BEFORE AND DURING A 3 YEAR FOLLOW-UP PERIOD

To investigate the role of the 'male factor' in the pathogenesis of re current spontaneous abortion (RSA), especially sperm morphology abnorm alities, 120 previously selected couples with unexplained RSA were stu died for sperm parameters retrospectively and prospectively, The patie nts were subdivided into three subgroups, depending on their reproduct ive outcome during the 3 years of follow-up study: (i) 48 RSA couples who achieved a successful pregnancy; (ii) 39 RSA couples who experienc ed further abortions; and (iii) 33 RSA couples who experienced inferti lity during the follow-up period, A semen analysis was performed twice at the time of inclusion in the study, and twice again during the 3 y ear follow-up period, No significant differences in semen parameters w ere observed between the RSA males and fertile controls, Instead, sign ificant differences were observed between the group of RSA couples who experienced infertility during the follow-up and the other two groups (RSA couples who achieved successful pregnancy and RSA couples who ex perienced miscarriages and no live birth during the follow-up) for spe rm concentration (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01 respectively), sperm motility (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01 respectively) and sperm morphology abnormalitie s (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01 respectively), Sperm morphology abnormalities cite not seem to be involved in determining RSA; instead, they are an aetiological factor in determining infertility in patients, along wit h the other semen parameters, in the RSA couple's subsequent reproduct ive life, Semen analysis is an important test in the clinical manageme nt of RSA couples.