Seminal Fluid Analysis Pattern of Infertile Couples: Does The World Health Organization Criteria used make A difference?

Abstract

Background

Male partners are key contributors (30% to 40%) to infertility in many couples because of the high incidence of abnormal sperm parameters. This study examined the semen parameters of couples evaluated for infertility in University College Hospital (UCH) over 10-year period using different editions of WHO Seminal fluid analysis (SFA) criteria.

Methodology

This study was a retrospective study of SFA of male partners of infertile couples presenting at the gynecological clinic of UCH, Ibadan from 2011 to 2020. The SFA results were analyzed using the 1999, 2010 and 2021 editions of WHO SFA criteria for comparison. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25 software and a p-value of <0.05 was set for statistical significance.

Results

The SFA of 2,055 male partners were examined with 17.5%, 46.3% and 46.7% of the subjects qualified as normal according to the WHO 1999, 2010 and 2021 criteria respectively. Also, 57.4%, 61.1% and 60.0% had single sperm parameter abnormality using WHO 1999, 2010 and 2021 criteria respectively. Some of the male partners had combined sperm abnormalities but only few had oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OATS).  Inferential statistical analysis shows statistical significant results (p =0.00) when WHO 1999 criteria was compared to 2010 and 2021 SFA criteria.

 Conclusion

The seminal fluid abnormalities were noted to have increased over the years and the 1999 WHO SFA criteria is significantly different compared to the 2010 and 2021 criteria and this might have relevant clinical significance.

 Keywords: Seminal fluid analysis, male partners, infertile couples, WHO SFA criteria