Semen parameters in 114 fertile men

We studied the quality of semen in 114 fertile men (their wives were in the first trimester of pregnancy), aged 31.9 ± 5.7 yr. The results (mean ± S.D.) were as follows: number of spermatozoa, (72 ± 61.6) · 10⁶/ml; motile spermatozoa, 56.6% ± 13.5; spermatozoal velocity, 34.2 ± 4.3 μm/s; motility index, 19.5 ± 5.6 μm/s; normal forms, 51.7% ± 13. It was found that the percentage of motile spermatozoa and the index of motility decrease progressively, at a rate of about 5–10% per hour. In contrast, in the majority of cases, sperm velocity increases during the first 4 h. Low significant correlation was found between percentage of motility and spermatozoal velocity the first hour after ejaculation. Furthermore, moderate significant correlations were found between number of spermatozoa/ml, percentage of motility and normal forms. Finally, low significant negative correlation was found between number of spermatozoa/ml and spermatozoal velocity.