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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Fluorimetric Techniques for the Assessment of Sperm Membranes

Fluorimetric Techniques for the Assessment of Sperm Membranes

Published on: November 28, 2018

Relationship between semen parameters and spontaneous pregnancy.

Sreebala Sripada¹, John Townend, Doris Campbell

¹Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, Aberdeen, United Kingdom. ogy302@abdn.ac.uk

Fertility and Sterility

|April 14, 2009

Summary

Sperm motility and morphology show limited predictive value for spontaneous conception in subfertile couples. Sperm density was not associated with pregnancy outcomes in this study.

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Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Fluorimetric Techniques for the Assessment of Sperm Membranes

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Published on: November 28, 2018

Sperm Collection of Differential Quality Using Density Gradient Centrifugation

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Collection of Post-mating Semen from the Female Reproductive Tract and Measurement of Semen Liquefaction in Mice

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Published on: November 18, 2017

Area of Science:

Reproductive Medicine
Andrology
Human Fertility

Background:

Subfertility affects a significant number of couples worldwide.
Predicting spontaneous conception is crucial for managing fertility treatments.
Semen parameters are commonly assessed in fertility evaluations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the association between key semen parameters and the likelihood of spontaneous pregnancy in subfertile couples.
To determine the predictive value of sperm density, motility, and morphology for natural conception.

Main Methods:

A case-control study was conducted involving 1,426 untreated subfertile couples.
Couples were followed for 180 weeks to determine spontaneous conception (cases) versus no conception (controls).
Semen parameters including sperm density, motility, and morphology were analyzed.

Main Results:

Sperm motility and normal morphology were significantly associated with spontaneous pregnancy after adjusting for confounding factors.
Sperm density did not show a significant association with spontaneous conception.
The predictive value for spontaneous conception was limited for both sperm motility (AUC 0.545) and morphology (AUC 0.565).

Conclusions:

In subfertile populations, sperm motility and morphology offer limited predictive capability for spontaneous conception.
These semen parameters may not be sufficient on their own to predict natural fertility success.
Further research may be needed to identify more robust predictors of spontaneous pregnancy.