HUMAN OVIDUCTAL FLUID PROLONGS SPERM SURVIVAL

Objective: To compare the effect of human oviductal fluid on sperm mot ility and hyperactivation during 9 hours' incubation in vitro with fol licular fluid (FF) and medium controls. Design:Fertile donor spermatoz oa were allowed to penetrate human cervical mucus in vitro and then re covered and incubated in either 30% human oviductal fluid, 20% FF, or medium for up to 9 hours. Sperm motion characteristics were measured u sing a sperm motility analyzer. Setting: The donor insemination progra m at the University Clinic within the Jessop Hospital for Women, Sheff ield, United Kingdom. Patients: All donors used in this study were inv olved in the donor insemination program. Main Outcome Measures: Sperm motility, hyperactivation, curvilinear velocity, progressive, lateral head displacement, and linearity were measured using a sperm motility analyzer. Results: After 9 hours' incubation, spermatozoa in human ovi ductal fluid had a significantly higher percentage motility than sperm incubated in FF or the control medium. A more linear sperm motion was consistently observed in the spermatozoa incubated in human oviductal fluid: significantly different from FF and media at 3 hours and 6 hou rs. The effect of human oviductal fluid on maintaining sperm motility was not affected by the addition of P. Conclusion: Human oviductal flu id can maintain sperm motility in a mechanism that is not mediated by the low concentration of P. We suggest that human oviductal fluid is a favorable environment for sperm survival.