Comparison between cell motion analyser, autosperm, and conventional semen analysis

With the aim of explaining some of the controversy on the value of computer-assisted methods of semen analysis, a study was conducted comparing the fully automated cell motion analyzer (CMA), the semi-computerized autosperm system (AS) and the conventional manual method. The CMA equipment gave higher values for sperm concentration than the mean of the three methods. Sperm concentration estimated with the conventional method was below the average of the three methods. The conventional method overestimated sperm motility, which was underestimated by CMA. The correlation between sperm velocity characteristics estimated by CMA and AS was significant, but only 18% of variability of one method could be explained by variability of the other. The reasons for the discrepancy between velocity measurements in the two methods are discussed in relation to possible shortcomings in sperm paths smoothing using the CMA method and the effect of technician training in the AS method. The AS method was found to provide more reproducible results which correlated better with those of the manual method as recommended by the World Health Organization.