Question

A 36-year-old man and his 32-year-old wife are undergoing an evaluation for fertility. A seminal fluid specimen is collected at home and brought to the lab for routine testing.

Color: Gray Volume: 4.5 mL liquefaction: 50 minutes

Viscosity: 0 (watery) Motility: 70%

Concentration: 15x106/mL Morphology: 70% normal

vitality: 60% Leukocytes: 0.8x106 cells/mL

1. List any abnormal or discrepant results.

2. Do any of the results obtained suggest improper specimen collection or laboratory error?

3. Are any of the results obtained associated with male infertility?

4. Based on these results, what chemical test should be performed to evaluate the functional integrity of the seminal vesicles and ejaculatory ducts?

Answer 1

1)semen analysis or sperm count test is used to diagnose the male infertility and check the effectiveness of vasectomy. The semen mainly analysed for sperm number, shape of sperm and movement of sperm

Normal results of semen analysis

:Normal shape more than 50%

:pH _7.2 to 7.8

:volume _greater than 2 ml

:liquefaction _15 to 30 minutes

:sperm concentration _20 to 200 million/ml

:appearance _white to gray

:morphology_4 to 48%

:leukocyte count_0 to 1×10'6cells/ml

:viscosity :+1 - +4

Abnormal results are

:sperm concentration is low this may cause infertility

:viscosity is also less because of decreased concentration .

:liquefaction time is more it result in the sperm need more time to reach at the site of ovum, so fertility is alter.

All other findings are normal

2)the semen should be kept at body temperature not too hot and not too cold, it may interfere the result and semen should collect before 30 to 60 minutes. From the above case the semen is collecting from home it may alter the result. The main alterations is with fluid volume and concentration.

3)there are mainly 2 values are associated with male infertility that are,

:decreased sperm concentration. It means low sperm count and it is the main cause for male infertility

:increased liquefaction time ,this will result in increased time for sperm to teach at the site of ovum during ejaculation this may result in infertility.

4)the semen analysis is not a confirmatory test for infertility, it is a part of initial diagnosis.based on the above result the sperm should check for zinc, citric acid and glucosides. Low level of this elements indicate problems in seminal vesicles and prostate gland.

The patient is have low concentration of sperm count and we check for endocrine function to know the function of germ cell epithelium and leyding cell. This include monitoring of testosterone, LH, prolactin and FSH value.