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Performance anxiety during infertility treatment: effect on semen quality
K R Hammond1, P A Kretzer, R E Blackwell
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294.
Fertility and Sterility
|February 1, 1990
Summary
Performance anxiety during infertility treatments does not negatively impact semen quality. In men with lower initial motile sperm counts, semen parameters actually improved during treatment procedures.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Andrology
- Infertility Research
Background:
- Infertility treatments often require timely semen sample collection, potentially causing performance anxiety in men.
- This anxiety may theoretically impact semen quality, affecting treatment outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of performance anxiety associated with infertility treatments on semen quality.
- To compare semen parameters before and during assisted reproductive technology (ART) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedures.
Main Methods:
- Paired t-tests were used to compare semen analyses.
- Data included pretreatment, procedure-specific (first and last), and most recent pretreatment analyses.
- The study involved 77 patients undergoing ART and 121 patients undergoing IUI.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in semen quality were observed between pretreatment and procedure analyses in the overall ART and IUI groups.
- However, men with a total motile sperm count below 40 million showed significant improvements in semen parameters during procedure analyses.
- This suggests a potential positive adaptation or reduced anxiety in some patient subgroups.
Conclusions:
- Performance anxiety linked to infertility treatments does not appear to be detrimental to overall semen quality.
- Semen quality may even improve in specific patient groups, particularly those with lower initial motile sperm counts.
- These findings may help alleviate patient concerns regarding the impact of anxiety on fertility outcomes.