Qualitative defects with normal sperm counts in a patient attending infertility clinic

Sperm morphology is an important qualitative parameter in semen analysis.

To assess qualitative defects in the semen with normal sperm counts. Setting and Design: This was a prospective and descriptive study done in a tertiary care center.

Seventy-five semen samples with normal sperm counts were evaluated. Qualitative defects of sperms on Papanicolaou-stained slides were assessed. The defects were noted as follows: head (tapering head, large head, small head, round head, bifid head), middle piece (bent neck, broad middle piece, excess residual cytoplasm), and tail (coiled tail).

All cases showed the qualitative defects in spite of the normal counts. The defects found in head - pointed/tapering head (1%-20%), round head (1%-7%), large head (1%-3%) and others (0%-2%); in middle piece - bent neck (1%-8%), excess cytoplasm (1%-3%) or broad middle piece (1%-12%); and in tail - coiled tail (1%-5%).

Qualitative defects are often seen even in cases with normal sperm counts.