Variability in the morphologic assessment of human sperm: use of the strict criteria recommended by the World Health Organization in 2010

Yongxin Wang; Jiali Yang; Yanping Jia; Chengliang Xiong; Tianqing Meng; Huangtao Guan; Wei Xia; Mingyue Ding; Ming Yuchi

doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.12.047

Research Methods · Measurement and Statistics

Variability in the morphologic assessment of human sperm: use of the strict criteria recommended by the World Health Organization in 2010

Wang Y, Yang J, Jia Y, Xiong C, Meng T, Guan H, Xia W, Ding M, Yuchi M

Published April 2014 Fertility and Sterility, 101(4), 945-949

DOI 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.12.047 PMID 24524830

Abstract

Objective

To determine the variability in the recognition of normal sperm and various sperm defects using the strict criteria recommended by the World Health Organization (5th edition, 2010).

Design

Sperm morphologic assessment by three experienced evaluators.

Setting

Image processing laboratory and reproduction research institute.

Patients

Semen donors from a sperm bank.

Interventions

The morphology of 5,296 sperm was evaluated using statistical analyses of variability.

Main Outcome Measures

The proportion and coefficients of variation (CVs) of normal sperm, defects of specific parts, and the categories of defects were measured. The degree of agreement between any two of the three evaluators was calculated. The multiple anomalies index, teratozoospermia index, sperm deformity index, and the CVs were also measured.

Results

The CVs of normal sperm, multiple anomalies index, teratozoospermia index, and sperm deformity index were 4.80%, 4.14%, 5.75%, and 6.81%, respectively. A broader range (4.80%-132.97%) of CVs was observed for the recognition of various defects. The coefficients of the degree of agreement concerning specific morphologic parts of sperm varied (0.387-0.607), with lower relative values for the head and mid-piece than for the tail and cytoplasm.

Conclusions

The sperm head is more difficult to evaluate than the other parts using the criteria recommended by the World Health Organization in 2010. The degree of agreement concerning specific parts and various defects varied in broad ranges. A stricter definition for each defect is needed.

Topics

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

Yongxin Wang, Jiali Yang, Yanping Jia, Chengliang Xiong, Tianqing Meng, Huangtao Guan, Wei Xia, Mingyue Ding, Ming Yuchi

Y Wang, J Yang, Y Jia, C Xiong, T Meng, H Guan, W Xia, M Ding, M Yuchi

PMID 24524830 24524830 DOI 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.12.047 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.12.047 Wang et al. 2014, Wang 2014

Keywords

Adult, Cells, Cultured, China/epidemiology, Female, Humans, Infertility, Male/epidemiology/pathology, Male, Observer Variation, Practice Guidelines As Topic, Prevalence, Reproducibility of Results, Risk Assessment, Semen Analysis/standards/statistics & Numerical Data, Sensitivity and Specificity, Spermatozoa/pathology, Tissue Donors/statistics & Numerical Data, Young Adult, Sperm Morphology Assessment, Agreement Analysis, Evaluation Variability

Variability in the morphologic assessment of human sperm: use of the strict criteria recommended by the World Health Organization in 2010

Abstract

Topics

By this author

Effect of photobiomodulation on alleviating primary dysmenorrhea caused by PGF2α

Related research

A WHO 2021-based comprehensive scheme outlining sperm parameters' associations with IVF outcomes in PGT-A cycles

Study on Influencing Factors of Semen Quality in Fertile Men

Processed meat intake is unfavorably and fish intake favorably associated with semen quality indicators among men attending a fertility clinic

The mean of sperm parameters in semen donations from the same donor. An important prognostic factor in insemination

Keywords