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Assessment of fertility by sperm mechanical energy using computer-assisted sperm analysis system

  • Original Article
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Reproductive Medicine and Biology

Abstract

Purpose

It is known that the energy distribution of sperm obeys the following equations and the total mechanical energy in a sperm population is expressed as nKλ × a constant. nKλ/102 is defined as the sperm energy index (SEI).

$$ P = \frac{C}{\sqrt t }\left( {\frac{e\lambda }{t}} \right)^{Kt} \quad \frac{1}{C} = \int\limits_{0}^{\infty } {\frac{1}{\sqrt t }} \left( {\frac{e\lambda }{t}} \right)^{Kt} {\text{d}}t. $$

Here, P is the existing probability density of sperm, t is the square of amplitude of lateral head displacement, λ is the mean of t, n is the number of motile sperm in semen in a measurement field, and K is a constant determined for each semen sample. These values can be obtained with the use of computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA).

Methods

Sperm motility parameters were measured using CASA in 163 ejaculated semen samples from 47 infertile men (infertility group), and 162 ejaculated semen samples from 45 fertile men (natural pregnancy group). Kλ is defined for the present investigation as the mean energy index (MEI). SEI and MEI were obtained according to the methods described in sperm energy theory.

Results

There were no natural pregnancy subjects with SEI < 0.5. All subjects with MEI > 2.0 and SEI > 1.0 were in the natural pregnancy group.

Conclusions

An assessment of fertility was possible by using the sperm energy index.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to express his sincere appreciation to embryologist Daizo Matsuura for his work in collecting data, and to Mototsugu Hiraoka, President of Suzuka Kaisei Hospital, for his efforts in providing experimental facilities for conducting this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Medical Center, Suzuka Kaisei Hospital, 112-1 Koucho, Suzuka, Mie, 513-8505, Japan

    Tetsuya Isobe

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Correspondence to Tetsuya Isobe.

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Isobe, T. Assessment of fertility by sperm mechanical energy using computer-assisted sperm analysis system. Reprod Med Biol 8, 25–31 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-008-0004-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-008-0004-7

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