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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects
Published on: April 21, 2022
[Changes of semen parameters in Chinese fertile men in the past 25 years]
Xiao-Wei Liang1, Wen-Hong Lu, Zhen-Wen Chen
1Research Institute of Science and Technology, National Population and Family Planning Commission of China WHO Collaborating Center for Research in Human Reproduction, Beijing 100081, China. lxwbj@yahoo.com.cn
Objective:
To analyze the changes of seminal parameters in Chinese fertile men during the past 25 years.
Methods:
We collected semen samples from 5,834 fertile men in 14 different provinces (including Beijing) between 1980 and 2005 and retrospectively studied their seminal parameters, abstinence durations and total testis volumes by meta-analysis.
Results:
Compared with the first 15 years, a significant decrease was observed in both sperm density and total number of sperm per ejaculate in the semen samples collected between 1996-2000 (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.05), but not obvious in those between 1996-2000 and after 2005 (P > 0.05). As for sperm motility, no time-related changes were noted (P > 0.05) except a reduction with the increase of age.
Conclusion:
There was a decline in sperm density and total number of sperm per ejaculate in Chinese fertile men over the past 25 years, although not significant in the latter 10 years since 1996, but with no time-related changes in sperm motility.
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