Enhancing Sperm Quality Through Consecutive Ejaculation After Short Abstinence in Men with Low Semen Parameters...

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Andrology
• Infertility Research

Background:

• Prolonged abstinence may increase reactive oxygen species (ROS), potentially harming sperm quality.
• Reduced abstinence periods through consecutive ejaculations are proposed to improve sperm parameters.
• Improved sperm motility and morphology are linked to better outcomes in assisted reproductive technologies like ICSI and IUI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of consecutive ejaculates on sperm quality in men with severe oligoasthenozoospermia.
• To assess fertilization, cleavage, and embryo quality rates using sperm collected within one hour of abstinence.
• To determine the efficacy of a shortened abstinence period for improving ICSI outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study conducted from August 2020 to April 2022 at Halim Fertility Center.
• Inclusion criteria: male partners undergoing ICSI with a history of severe oligoasthenozoospermia.
• Statistical analysis using Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests with a significance level of 5%.

Main Results:

• Consecutive ejaculates showed a statistically significant improvement in total sperm motility compared to the first ejaculate (31.53% vs. 22.52%, p<0.001).
• Fertilization rates were higher in the consecutive ejaculate group (61.41% vs. 55.45%), though not statistically significant (p=0.081).
• Cleavage rates were also higher with consecutive ejaculates (88.10% vs. 81.07%), but this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.262).

Conclusions:

• Collecting consecutive ejaculates within an hour can enhance sperm total motility in men with severe oligoasthenozoospermia.
• This method shows potential for improving fertility and cleavage rates in patients undergoing ICSI.
• Shortened abstinence periods may be a viable strategy to optimize sperm quality for assisted reproduction.