Semen Characteristics and Embryo Outcomes in IVF

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Andrology
• Infertility Research

Background:

• Male infertility affects a significant portion of couples seeking fertility treatment.
• Standard semen analysis parameters are traditionally used to assess male fertility potential.
• The predictive value of these parameters for in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes, specifically embryo quality, remains a subject of investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between key semen parameters and the formation of grade A embryos in infertile men undergoing IVF.
• To evaluate the clinical utility of conventional semen analysis in predicting successful IVF embryo development.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cross-sectional study of 104 men with male-factor infertility was conducted.
• Semen parameters analyzed included sperm count, motility, morphology, and volume.
• Logistic regression was employed to assess the relationship between semen parameters, age, and grade A embryo formation.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in semen volume, sperm count, motility, or morphology were found between successful and unsuccessful IVF groups.
• Younger age was weakly associated with a higher likelihood of grade A embryo formation (OR=0.935, p=0.012).
• Semen parameters demonstrated no statistically significant association with the quality of embryos formed during IVF.

Conclusions:

• Conventional semen analysis parameters have limited predictive power for grade A embryo formation in IVF.
• While younger male age showed a slight association with better embryo quality, its clinical impact is minimal.
• These findings suggest that male fertility assessment for IVF success may require approaches beyond standard semen analysis.