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Published on: April 21, 2022
Effect of vaginal lubricants on sperm motility and chromatin integrity: a prospective comparative study
Ashok Agarwal1, Fnu Deepinder, Marcello Cocuzza
1Reproductive Research Center, Glickman Urological Institute and Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. agarwaa@ccf.org
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of vaginal lubricants Pre-Seed, FemGlide, Astroglide, and Replens on human sperm motility and chromatin integrity.
Design:
Prospective, comparative, in vitro study.
Setting:
Andrology laboratory at tertiary care hospital.
Patient(S):
Thirteen normozoospermic donors.
Intervention(S):
Semen samples from 13 subjects were incubated in human tubal fluid media (HTF) controls and 10% (vol/vol) of Pre-Seed, FemGlide, Astroglide, and Replens lubricants. After 30 minutes, progressive sperm motility was assessed by light microscopy. Semen samples of 12 patients were placed in positive control (HTF), negative control (10% K-Y Jelly lubricant), and 10% vol/vol Pre-Seed and FemGlide lubricants. After 4 hours culture, spermatozoa were analyzed for percent DNA fragmentation index with use of the acridine orange-based sperm chromatin structure assay.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Sperm motility and percent DNA fragmentation index.
Results:
Percent motility did not differ significantly between HTF controls and Pre-Seed, whereas FemGlide, Replens, and Astroglide lubricants demonstrated a significant decrease in motility. There was no significant difference in percent DNA fragmentation index between the HTF controls and Pre-Seed, but a significant decline in sperm chromatin quality occurred with FemGlide and K-Y Jelly.
Conclusion:
Pre-Seed does not cause a significant decrease in progressive sperm motility or chromatin integrity in contrast to other lubricants used by couples.
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