Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Sperm Count”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Relation between sperm count and semen volume, and pregnancies obtained during a twenty-year follow-up period.

The clinical fertility of 1077 men investigated with sperm analysis including sperm count and semen volume during the years 1950-52 was studied 20 years later using a questionnaire, replied by 785 (72.9%). There was a significant correlation (P less than 0.01) between sperm count and number of living children, but no relation to abortions and pathological pregnancies. Furthermore, sperm count was correlated (P less than 0.01) to time interval from wish of pregnancy to pregnancy obtained. Of 53 men with sperm count less than or equal to 5 mill/ml 22.6% obtained living children compared with 52.2-63.1% living children in 730 men with sperm count greater than 5 mill/ml. Sperm count is concluded to be proper for fertility classification, and sperm count 5 mill/ml is found to be the clinically significant borderline of male infertility. There was no relation between semen volume and pregnancies obtained, however, there was a statistical relation (P less than 0.01) to time interval to pregnancy obtained. Semen volume is concluded not to be suited for fertility classification.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1995

Have sperm counts been reduced 50 percent in 50 years? A statistical model revisited.

OBJECTIVE: To reanalyze data that were used in a linear model to predict that mean sperm counts have been reduced globally by approximately 50% in the last 50 years. DESIGN: The mean sperm counts and their temporal distribution were reanalyzed via several different statistical models (quadratic, spline fit, and stairstep). CONCLUSION: There are several reasons why a published linear regression model is inappropriate to infer a 50% reduction in mean sperm counts in the last 50 years. These include [1] the potential selection biases that may have occurred with the 61 assembled studies such that they are not representative of their underlying populations; [2] the likely variability in collection methods, in particular, the lack of adherence to a minimum prescribed abstinence period, as has been stated for the largest study, which contained 29.7% of all the subjects included in the analysis; [3] the paucity of data in the first 30 years of the 50-year trend analysis; [4] the fact that if the last 20 years of data are examined, which contains 78.7% of all the studies and 88.1% of the total number of subjects, there is no decrease in sperm counts, in fact, sperm counts were observed to have increased; [5] the conflicting data from a large individual laboratory, which was not prone to the collection variability that likely occurred between the 61 studies, that did not suggest a decline in mean sperm count or seminal volume during a comparable time period, even though this laboratory published the data that were largely responsible for the high historical values in the linear model; and, most importantly, [6] the variety of other mathematical models that perform statistically better at describing the recent data than the linear model and thus offer substantially different hypotheses. The data are only robust during the last 20 years of the analysis, in which all the models, except the linear model, suggest constant or slightly increasing sperm counts.

Female↗
PubMed1999

Quantitative evaluation of biopty gun testis needle biopsy. Correlation between biopsy score of varicocele-bearing testis and sperm count.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the applicability of quantitative evaluation of needle biopsy of the testis and any correlation between biopsy score and sperm parameters in infertile or subfertile men with varicocele. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 45 infertile men with clinical left varicocele were included in the study. All patients underwent left varicocelectomy and bilateral biopty gun needle biopsy of both testes. Spermiograms were obtained before and three months after the operation. The biopsy specimens were evaluated for Johnsen and Agger score, Leydig cell score, germ cell/Sertoli cell ratio, mean tubular diameter, peritubular fibrosis, and tubular and basement membrane hyalinization. RESULTS: Mean sperm count, motility and normally configured motile sperm counts increased 20%, 25% and 60% by month 3, respectively (P < .05). We did not observe any significant change in normally configured sperm counts. A mean of 14 tubuli per testis were obtained with single-pass needle biopsy. Johnsen and Agger scores, Leydig cell scores, mean tubular diameter and germ cell/Sertoli cell ratios of both testes were comparable. However, there was significantly less peritubular fibrosis, tubular hyalinization and basal membrane hyalinization in the right testis when compared to the varicocele-bearing left testis (P < .05). We found positive correlations between Johnsen and Agger score of varicocele-bearing left testis and preoperative normally configured motile sperm counts (Pearson's r = .34 and P < .05 and Pearson's r = .41 and P < .05, respectively). The Leydig cell score of varicocele-bearing testis correlated inversely with sperm counts (Pearson's r = -0.37, P < .05). CONCLUSION: These observations may prove of prognostic value in infertile or subfertile men with varicocele.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A meta-analysis of 61 sperm count studies revisited.

OBJECTIVE: To re-examine data on sperm counts over time from 61 studies from around the world. DESIGN: Parametric analyses and flexible nonlinear models of the relation between sperm counts and time. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Mean sperm concentrations per milliliter and regression coefficients for possible trends of concentrations over time. RESULT(S): A significant decline was found only in U.S. studies. CONCLUSION(S): Studies from specific sites have found declines in sperm counts, but a world-wide decline has not been demonstrated. Rigorous assessment of statistical models should be done before conclusions are drawn. Flexible smoothing models are a useful addition to currently available analytic methods.

Global Health↗
PubMed1996

Worldwide variations in sperm counts.

OBJECTIVES: Based on the premise that various human disease processes manifest differently depending on geography, we set out to determine whether sperm counts vary from different nations and different regions within the United States. METHODS: We reviewed the literature of all significant population-based studies that evaluated sperm counts from fertile or presumably fertile men from 1930 to the present. RESULTS: We found that sperm counts did, in fact, vary greatly. Throughout the United States, average sperm counts ranged from a low of 48 million/cc in lowa to a high of 134 million/cc in New York, with multiple values in-between from Texas, Minnesota, Washington State, and California. Internationally, average sperm counts ranged from a low of 52.9 million/cc in Thailand to a high of 102.9 million/cc in France. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that sperm counts are subject to a wide range of variation among geographic locations.

Global Health↗
PubMed1997

Effect of motile sperm count after swim-up on outcome of intrauterine insemination.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognostic value of motile sperm count after swim-up in IUI with husband's sperm in a large group of subfertile couples. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT(S): Nine hundred two couples undergoing 3,037 treatment cycles. INTERVENTION(S): Intrauterine insemination with husband's sperm after swim-up was performed after mild ovarian stimulation with clomiphene citrate and hCG under hormonal and ultrasonographic control of follicle development. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Pregnancy rate (PR) in correlation to motile sperm count after swim-up. RESULT(S): A nonlinear increase in PR per treatment cycle was observed with increasing numbers of motile sperm used for IUI. Insemination with < 0.8 x 10(6) motile sperm after swim-up resulted in a PR of < 1% per treatment cycle. When the motile sperm count was above this level, the PR per cycle reached a plateau of 6.9% to 10.2%, with a minor tendency for increase with higher sperm numbers. CONCLUSION(S): Strict analysis of motile sperm count after swim-up is a useful prognostic factor for PRs after IUI. There is a good chance for conception if > or = 0.8 x 10(6) motile sperm are available after appropriate selection methods. Intrauterine insemination performed with considerably higher numbers of motile sperm does not lead to a significant increase in PRs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Fallopian tube sperm perfusion: the impact of sperm count and morphology on pregnancy rates.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of changed criteria for sperm count and morphology when performing fallopian tube sperm perfusion (FSP) in unexplained infertility. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report on a longitudinal study in which two periods of insemination cycles are compared. One hundred and eighty-three couples who started 361 stimulation cycles intended for FSP were included in the first period and 190 couples starting 303 cycles in the second period. The sperm requirement in the first study period was at least 7 million sperm in the prepared test sample. The FSP cycle included downregulation, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), ovulation induction and intrauterine and intrafallopian tube insemination using a sperm suspension of 3 mL volume. To avoid high-order multiple pregnancies, cycles at risk were converted to in vitro fertilization (IVF). Based on the results from the first period, sperm requirements were lowered to a sperm count of 3 million and at least 5% normal morphology according to strict criteria. RESULTS: FSP was performed in 51% and 60% of started cycles during the two periods with similar pregnancy (24% and 23%) and birth (15% and 19%) rates. Neither sperm count nor morphology above the requirements affected pregnancy rates. IVF-converted, completed cycles reached equal pregnancy (41%) and delivery (32%) rates in both periods. Multiple pregnancy rates were higher after IVF (38%) than after FSP (24%). CONCLUSION: The lowered requirements for sperm count and morphology have not impaired pregnancy results after FSP. Patients who either completed an FSP cycle or had their cycle converted to IVF were all at high risk of multiple pregnancy.

Fallopian Tubes↗
PubMed1996

Geographic variations in sperm counts: a potential cause of bias in studies of semen quality.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether geographic variations in sperm counts might bias conclusions drawn from studies of semen quality. DESIGN: Reanalysis of published data from a meta-analysis of 61 studies from 1938 to 1990 that concluded a worldwide decline in semen quality over the last 50 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Influence of geographic location on sperm counts. RESULTS: Of 61 studies in the meta-analysis, only 20 included > or = 100 men. These 20 studies collectively comprised 91% of the total men studied. We focused our reanalysis on these 20 studies. Of the studies before 1970, all were from the United States and 80% were from New York. These studies represented locations with the highest sperm counts. In contrast, after 1970, 80% of the studies were from locations not represented earlier, including five studies from third world countries, where sperm counts were low. CONCLUSIONS: Sperm counts vary dramatically among different geographic locations.

Bias↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Have sperm counts deteriorated over the past 20 years in healthy, young Japanese men? Results from the Sapporo area.

Changes in semen quality of healthy men is a controversial issue throughout the world. It is suspected that many chemical endocrine disrupters may affect the quality of semen. Although exposure to them may be extensive in Japan, no evidence of changes in semen quality has been reported. In this study, changes in semen volume and sperm counts were analyzed over 20 years in the Sapporo area of Japan. Semen volume and sperm counts were measured in 254 and 457 normal, healthy volunteers who lived in the Sapporo area in 1975-1980 and 1998, respectively. Posters and handbills were used to recruit participants in both studies. Semen samples were collected by masturbation after 3 days or more of abstinence. There was no change in semen volume between 1975-1980 and 1998. Mean sperm counts were 70.9 +/- 47.3 x 10(6)/mL in 1975-1980 and 79.6 +/- 49.3 x 10(6)/mL in 1998. Sperm counts did not decline over about 20 years. No significant correlation between age and sperm counts was recognized in either study. The rates of subjects with oligozoospermia and azoospermia were the same in both studies. In the 1975-1980 study, 34 of 254 (13.4%) participants had a child, and in the 1998 study, 51 of 457 (11.2%) participants had a child. Mean sperm count was significantly (P < .02) lower in the earlier study (66.0 +/- 44.9 x 106/mL) than in the 1998 study (98.7 +/- 60.2 x 10(6)/mL). This is the first reliable report in which changes in sperm counts in Japan were studied. We conclude that there was no evidence of deterioration in sperm counts of normal healthy men who lived in the Sapporo area of Japan over 20 years. However, selection bias in the recruitment of volunteers and the issue of variable abstinence might have affected the results of these studies. Therefore, well-designed prospective studies should be performed in several different regions to extrapolate our results on sperm counts to healthy, young Japanese men in general. Key words: Fertility, endocrine disruptors, seminalysis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

The accessory sperm count is related to early embryonic diversity in pigs.

In pigs, embryonic diversity has been related to embryonic mortality. The relative importance of differences in the duration of ovulation and in the average accessory sperm count (number of sperm cells in the zona pellucida) between sows as a cause of differences in within-litter embryonic diversity was studied. Two experiments were performed in which sows were either ovulating spontaneously (Experiment 1; n=13) or were induced to ovulate with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (Experiment 2; n=15). The sows were slaughtered at 98+/-8 and 118+/-2 h after ovulation, respectively, for observation of embryonic diversity. The duration of ovulation varied between 1 and 4 h and was on average 1.8+/-0.6 and 2.3+/-0.5 h (P>0.10) for Experiment 1 and 2, respectively. Embryonic development in terms of the number of cell cycles tended to differ between Experiment 1 and 2 (3.5+/-0.8 and 5.6+/-0.5, respectively; P<0.10). Within-litter embryonic diversity (SD of number of cell cycles) was 0.83+/-0.35 and 0.60+/-0.27 (P>0.10), respectively. The average per litter accessory sperm count was variable (ranging from 1 to 75) and was affected by experiment (median: 32+/-27 and 12+/-14, respectively; P<0.05). Within-litter embryonic diversity was not related to the duration of ovulation (P>0.10) but was negatively related to the average or median accessory sperm count (P<0.025). The significant relationship between the accessory sperm count and embryonic diversity suggests that the duration of fertilization is a determinant for embryonic diversity.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Year of birth and sperm count in 10 Danish occupational studies.

OBJECTIVES: Several reports indicate a secular decline of human sperm counts. It is still not known if these findings are artifacts related to shortcomings in the data and applied methodologies. Even less is known about possible mechanisms, but it has been proposed that potential changes may be related to disruption of the hormonal regulation of testicular development in prenatal life. The objective of this study was to examine whether sperm count was related to year of birth. METHODS: An analysis was made of the sperm count of 1196 men participating in 10 cross-sectional occupational sperm studies in 3 regions of Denmark from 1986 through 1995. RESULTS: The median sperm concentration was 63 million per milliliter for men born in 1937-1949 and 52 million per milliliter for men born in 1970 or later, and the median total sperm was 206 million and 117 million, respectively. The inverse relationship between sperm concentration and year of birth was statistically significant even after adjustment for duration of sexual abstinence, season of the year, and study population. However, bias because of differential participation related to age and fertility or lack of comparability across the populations cannot be ruled out. CONCLUSIONS: The apparent decline of sperm count with increasing year of birth is compatible with the hypothesis of a common risk factor for male reproductive health operating in prenatal life or early childhood, but the evidence is circumstantial. Age-related selection bias is an alternative and perhaps not a less likely explanation.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The relationship between total motile sperm count and the success of intrauterine insemination.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if the total motile sperm count is predictive of IUI success and to apply life-table analysis to a large database of IUI procedures. DESIGN: Contingency table and life-table analyses were used to analyze a large group of couples (n = 546) undergoing 1,205 cycles of therapeutic IUI with husband's sperm. SETTING: Clinical infertility practice at a medical school referral center. PATIENTS: Five hundred forty-six couples with varying etiologies of infertility. RESULTS: There was a trend toward an increasing percentage of conception with increasing total motile sperm count. Significance was reached when the total motile sperm count used for IUI exceeded 20 x 10(6). The cumulative pregnancy rate calculated from this data reached 52% after the sixth attempted cycle of IUI.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

The impact of the total motile sperm count on the success of intrauterine insemination with husband's spermatozoa.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the total motile sperm count and the success of IUI treatment cycles with postwashed husband spermatozoa in couples with infertility in a large patient population. PATIENTS: When 939 couples underwent 1375 cycles of IUI with varying etiologies of infertility which included male factor, endometriosis, tubal factor, ovulatory dysfunction, uterine factor, cervical factor, and unexplained infertility, the results were 207 pregnancies. RESULTS: The overall pregnancy rate per cycle was 15.1% (207/1375). The total motile sperm count were significantly increased in the pregnant group than the nonpregnant group (38.7 x 10(6) versus 28.6 x 10(6); P < 0.001). There was a trend toward an increased success rate with increased total motile sperm count. Significance was reached when the total motile sperm count exceeded 5 x 10(6). Life table analysis was performed and the curve representing a cumulative chance of pregnancy calculated from our data reached 72%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a final postwashed total motile sperm count used for IUI may be considered predictive of the success for pregnancy and allow couples to be informed of the chances of success.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Long-term trends in sperm counts of dairy bulls.

A possible decline in sperm counts in men and its potential relation to exposure to environmental contaminants are subjects of a broad discussion. Whereas data for human research in this area are limited, records over prolonged periods on sperm counts in dairy bulls are amply available and provide useful information. Therefore, 75,238 ejaculates collected between 1977 and 1996 from 2,314 bulls at Noordwest, a center for artificial insemination (AI) in the Netherlands, were used to evaluate long-term trends in sperm output. Data were adjusted for known effects, of which age was the most important, followed by interval between semen collections, breed and season of collection. Mean sperm output per year of collection from 1978 through 1996 varied between 6.2 x 10(9) and 9.5 x 10(9) without any long-term decline. Mean sperm output per year of birth from 1970 through 1995 showed less variation, between 6.7 x 10(9) and 9.0 x 10(9), also without any long-term decline. Earlier published data of 22,120 ejaculates of 3,030 bulls of the same region, tested between 1962 and 1977, showed a corresponding sperm output, confirming the absence of any decline. The unaffected sperm output in bulls in the Netherlands during the last decades in spite of exposure to pesticides and other polychlorinated organic compounds, the type of environmental contaminants under discussion, is a positive signal, although a complete extrapolation to the human situation remains difficult.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2004

Iodine intake as a possible cause of discontinuous decline in sperm counts: a re-evaluation of historical and geographic variation in semen quality.

In order to examine whether iodine supplements may have caused a global decline in sperm concentrations during the past several decades, the synchronicity of the decline in mean sperm counts and the introduction of iodine supplements was analyzed statistically. A positive correlation between the incidence of thyroid disease and sperm counts has been detected in Europe. In addition, it has been shown that sperm counts began falling around 1965 in the United States, 40 years after iodine supplements were introduced. Mean sperm counts before and after 1965 were 111 x 10(6)/ml and 70 x 10(6)/ml, respectively, in calculations weighted by the number of subjects included in each individual publication. The timing of the declines coincided with the introduction of iodine supplements in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. The implications are that the global decline in sperm concentrations may be caused by iodine intake. Geographical variation in the types of sperm count decline also appears to be present.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Estrogens and falling sperm counts.

Extravagant claims have been made repeatedly in recent years that human sperm counts are falling and that global exposure to environmental estrogens are responsible. The basis for these two distinct claims is reviewed. The claims of falling human sperm output, reviving an old debate, are prompted by a paper by Carlsen et al. (1992). This meta-analysis, however, is marred by numerous flaws that invalidate its claims. Major defects include severe heterogeneity of component studies, rendering them unsuitable for aggregation, and defective data analysis based on arithmetic mean rather than median, which showed no significant changes over time. This debate is likely to remain unresolved until valid, representative population-based studies of human sperm output can be achieved. None have been reported, or seem feasible in the near future, and so alternative strategies, based on surrogate variables for human male fertility not requiring sperm counts, need to be developed and validated. The plausible hypothesis that prenatal estrogen exposure might influence development of the human testis through effects on Sertoli cell replication and sperm carrying capacity has, however, been conclusively refuted by studies of boys born to women exposed to high doses of oral diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy. Neither fertility nor sperm output were adversely influenced by massive maternal estrogen exposure during pregnancy, although minor urogenital malformations did occur. The still wider claims of deteriorating male reproductive health, notably changes in prevalence or incidence of hypospadias or cryptorchidism, also lack convincing population-based evidence, although cancer registry data indicate a gradual increase in testis cancer in some countries. In summary, the available evidence does not support claims of falling sperm counts or any general deterioration in male reproductive health. Population-based studies of valid surrogate variables for male fertility not requiring semen analysis are needed. If population-based evidence regarding male fertility or sperm output could be generated, it is highly unlikely that prenatal estrogen exposure could be a valid explanation of any deterioration as massive maternal exposure to oral estrogen has negligible effects on male fertility or sperm output.

Estrogens↗
PubMed2005

The high incidence of meiotic errors increases with decreased sperm count in severe male factor infertilities.

BACKGROUND: The high frequency of aneuploidy sperm raises concerns that there may be an increased incidence of aneuploid offspring in ICSI programmes. In order to assess the role that chromosome complement plays in normal and abnormal fertility, detailed molecular cytogenetic studies must be done on sperm samples from men with normal and abnormal fertility. METHODS: To understand more clearly the cytogenetic make-up of sperm from oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) patients, multi-colour fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to determine numerical chromosome abnormalities. RESULTS: Increased aneuploidy frequencies for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y were detected in sperm from OAT patients. The frequencies of diploidy also increased. There were no differences in non-disjunction at meiosis I compared to meiosis II. Sperm count inversely correlated with the frequencies of diploidy, aneuploidies for chromosomes 13 and 21 in OAT patients. Twenty-two cycles of ICSI and 18 embryo transfers were performed in 20 couples. Only three cases achieved successful pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: A higher incidence of meiotic errors and lower sperm counts was found in sperm from OAT patients.

Adult↗