Predictive power of sperm motion analysis in in vitro fertilization

The correlation between sperm motion characteristics and in vitro fertilization was studied in 160 cycles, divided in two groups: those with male subfertility (N=42) and those with tubal disease (N=118). The group with male subfertility showed inferior performance, as indicated by a lower fertilization rate per oocyte (40% versus 66%) and per pick-up cycle (67% versus 93%). These two groups exhibited no significant difference in the mean sperm velocity, linearity, amplitude of lateral head displacement, and beat cross frequency in the pre swim-up and post swim-up specimens. The two groups differed in pre and post swim-up sperm motility, pre and post swim-up concentration, pre swim-up cumulative velocity at 110 to 140 Amicrom/sec and post swim-up cumulative velocity at 130 microm/sec. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine those 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 analyzers does not supplement conventional semen analysis in the ability to predict fertilization.