PREDICTIVE POWER OF SPERM MOTION ANALYSIS IN IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION

The correlation between sperm motion characteristics and in vitro fert ilization was studied in 160 cycles, divided in two groups: those with male subfertility (N=42) and those with tubal disease (N=118). The gr oup with male subfertility showed inferior performance, as indicated b y a lower fertilization rate per oocyte (40% versus 66%) and per pick- up cycle (67% versus 93%). These two groups exhibited no significant d ifference in the mean sperm velocity, linearity, amplitude of lateral head displacement, and beat cross frequency in the pre swim-up and pos t swim-up specimens. The two groups differed in pre and post swim-up s perm motility, pre and post swim-up concentration, pre swim-up cumulat ive velocity at 110 to 140 mum/sec and post swim-up cumulative velocit y at 130 mum/sec. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine t hose 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 analyzer s does not supplement conventional semen analysis in the ability to pr edict fertilization.