EFFECTS OF PERITONEAL FLUIDS FROM PATIENTS WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS ON CAPACITATED SPERMATOZOA

Objective: To determine the effects of peritoneal fluid (PF) from pati ents with endometriosis on capacitated sperm. Design: Capacitated dono r sperm were allowed to migrate into straws filled with pooled PF from patients with unexplained infertility without endometriosis (n = 4) a nd those with mild (n = 4) and moderate-severe (n = 4) endometriosis, respectively, for 3 hours. Main Outcome Measures: Sperm motility, sper m membrane integrity, and acrosomal loss were determined. Results: Sta tistically, no significant differences were found among the various sp erm parameters determined. Conclusion: Peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis does not appear to adversely affect capacitated spe rmatozoa.