Study on Influencing Factors of Semen Quality in Fertile Men

Ning Wang; Haike Gu; Yiyuan Gao; Xiaoyan Li; Ge Yu; Fang Lv; Cuige Shi; Shangming Wang; Meifang Song; Shucheng Zhang

doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.813591

Male Fertility · Semen Analysis

Study on Influencing Factors of Semen Quality in Fertile Men

Wang N, Gu H, Gao Y, Li X, Yu G, Lv F, Shi C, Wang S, Song M, Zhang S

Published March 12, 2022 Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 813591

DOI 10.3389/fphys.2022.813591 PMID 35273518 PMC PMC8902237

RRM Academy Synopsis

Abstinence period correlates with semen quality in fertile men

In 1,039 fertile men whose partners were pregnant, semen quality correlated with abstinence period and frequency of intercourse, in an observational study across six Chinese regions. The authors combined five semen measures into one score and split the men into high, medium, and low score groups. Smoking and drinking correlated with lower semen quality only in the high score group.

Key Findings

The study analyzed semen results from 1,039 men of Han nationality in six administrative regions of China. Each man's female partner was pregnant.
Factor analysis of five semen measures (semen pH, motility, progressive motility, semen density, total sperm number) extracted three common factors with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 94.649%.
Across the whole group, semen quality correlated with abstinence period, frequency of intercourse, and age at first spermatorrhea. The other factors assessed showed no correlation.
In the high score group, only drinking, smoking, and place of residence correlated with semen quality. Within that group, smoking and drinking correlated negatively, and rural residents had higher semen quality.
In the medium score group, abstinence period correlated positively with semen quality and no other factor did. The low score group showed no correlation with any assessed factor.

Interpretation

This cross-sectional study examined semen quality in 1,039 fertile Han men across six regions of China. The team built one score from five semen measures, then tested it against lifestyle and body factors with a statistical method called Pearson correlation. The authors note that an uneven mix of men with normal fertility may explain why smoking and drinking showed no link to semen quality in the whole group. The findings support more studies that test this scoring method in other groups.

RRM Context

Restorative reproductive medicine treats conception as a question for the couple. That keeps the male partner's semen quality in view from the start. The paper observes that earlier semen research has mainly examined men with reproductive defects. Reference data from men whose partners conceived give a comparison group. Cycle charting records intercourse alongside the fertile signs.

Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.

Abstract

Objective

To establish a system for evaluation of semen quality in fertile men by factor analysis (FA).

Methods

The FA method was used to analyze five sperm test indicators for fertile men (sperm pH, sperm motility, sperm progressive motility, semen density, and total sperm number) to determine the evaluation standard of semen quality. Pearson analysis was adopted for correlation testing.

Results

The comprehensive score formula for semen quality of normal fertile men was as follows: comprehensive score of semen quality = (0.38272 F1 + 0.36359 F2 + 0.20018 F 3)/94.699. Across the whole fertile population, semen quality was found to be correlated with abstinence period, age of first spermatorrhea, and frequency of intercourse. Smoking, drinking, and place of residence were correlated with semen quality in the high semen quality population. In the population with medium semen quality, only the abstinence period was associated with semen quality.

Conclusion

It is feasible to evaluate the semen quality of fertile men using the FA method. The comprehensive indicators of semen volume, sperm motility, and semen pH can be used as evaluative measures. Across the whole fertile population, the abstinence period and age of first spermatorrhea were correlated with semen quality. In the high semen quality population, smoking and drinking were negatively correlated with semen quality, and participants living in rural areas had better semen quality.

Topics

Male Fertility › Semen Analysis › Reference Standards · Research Methods › Measurement and Statistics › Statistical Methods · Clinical Guidelines and Standards › Diagnostic Criteria and Classification › Diagnostic Criteria

Ning Wang, Haike Gu, Yiyuan Gao, Xiaoyan Li, Ge Yu, Fang Lv, Cuige Shi, Shangming Wang, Meifang Song, Shucheng Zhang

N Wang, H Gu, Y Gao, X Li, G Yu, F Lv, C Shi, S Wang, M Song, S Zhang

PMID 35273518 35273518 DOI 10.3389/fphys.2022.813591 10.3389/fphys.2022.813591 Wang et al. 2022, Wang 2022

Study on Influencing Factors of Semen Quality in Fertile Men

Abstinence period correlates with semen quality in fertile men

Key Findings

Interpretation

RRM Context

Abstract

Topics

By this author

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