NONSPERMATOZOAL CELLS IN SEMEN - RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER SEMEN PARAMETERS AND FERTILITY STATUS OF THE COUPLE

In semen samples from 94 men from infertile couples and 42 control pat ients proven to be fertile the occurrence of different kinds of nonspe rmatozoal cells (NSC) was examined. The findings were evaluated in rel ation to other seminal parameters and to the fertility status of the c ouple. The ratios of NSC to sperm and primary spermatocytes to spermat ids revealed increasing values with decreasing sperm counts. Especiall y in a group where the semen samples contained greater-than-or-equal-t o 6 x 10(6) motile sperm per mL and no infertility factor was detectab le in the woman, the concentration of leukocytes was high, with three of eight patients having greater-than-or-equal-to 10(6) leukocytes per mL. A high proportion of abnormal sperm seemed to occur more frequent ly where the cause of infertility could be found in the man. A high nu mber of leukocytes was neither significantly associated to an increase d proportion of abnormal sperm nor to sperm motility evaluated by reco rding the percentage of motile sperm and the 1-h migration distance in sodium hyaluronate medium. No correlation between concentration of ly mphocytes and presence of antisperm antibodies in seminal plasma was d etectable.