The post-coital test involves direct microscopic examination of sperm number and motility in cervical mucus. The results depend on the quality of the mucus and the distribution of spermatozoa within the sample. To progress from such qualitative data to quantitative measurements of the spermatozoa present in post-coital mucus, we have developed methods to measure sperm concentrations in enzymati...

Background: Obesity and increased body mass index (BMI) affect the reproductive parameters in men such as poor semen quality, decreased sperm concentration, decreased normal-motile sperm cells and increased DNA fragmentation index. Lipid peroxidation contributes to the damage of the sperm plasma membrane. The Curcuma Longa is a resource of antioxidants, hence in this study also was evaluated th...

Blood lead (BPb), activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP), blood cadmium (BCd), serum zinc (SZn), seminal fluid zinc (SfZn), serum copper (SCu), and parameters of semen quality and of reproductive endocrine function were measured in 149 healthy male industrial workers 20-43 years of age. The group contained 98 subjects with slight to moderate oc...

Reports on the influence of semen parameters on natural or assisted pregnancy are contradictory, suggesting that the many confounding variables which contribute to outcome have not been taken into account. However, it is possible to derive some consensus for both natural and assisted conception by focussing on studies which use WHO-recommended semen analysis on relatively large populations, app...

In this study, we compared the effects of repeated freezing/thawing of human sperm by our in-house method of rapid freezing with slow programmable freezing. Sperm samples from 11 normozoospermic subjects were processed through density gradients and divided into three aliquots: non-frozen, rapid freezing and slow programmable freezing. Sperm in the rapid freezing group had better motility and vi...

For males with severe oligospermia or those using sperm extracted from the epididymis testis identifying characteristics that are associated a successful live birth after IVF/ICSI would be valuable for patient counseling. A total of 243 ICSI cycles were performed epididymal (ES; n= 52), testicular (TS; n=64) men (OS; 127), having one million fewer per ml. Sperm assessments made prior to initiat...

BACKGROUND High level of semen reactive oxygen species is considered as an important factor in male infertility. Sesame has antioxidant properties, which could be effective on improvement of semen parameters. This study was designed to determine the effects of sesame on sperm quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-five infertile men entered this clinical trial. They were treated with a 3-month...

Objective: To compare two suites of culture media (one with HSA and one protein-free (PF) supplemented with methylcellulose) for washing human sperm in IVF. Methods: Semen samples (n = 41) underwent parallel density gradient preparation using PF or HSA-supplemented culture medium and subsequent yield, survival, morphology and motility were compared. Results: The PF medium resulted in a signific...

OBJECTIVE To study the impact of sperm swim up technique of seminal processing for the purpose of intrauterine insemination (IUI) in couples presenting with subfertility. METHODS Hundred and twenty-one couples presenting with subfertility underwent 281 cycles of IUI in Combined Military Hospital Kharian, Lahore and PNS SHIFA Karachi from June 2002 to March 2005. Men had prior semen analysis t...