TY - JOUR
T1 - Abstinence Time and Its Impact on Basic and Advanced Semen Parameters
AU - Agarwal, Ashok
AU - Gupta, Sajal
AU - Du Plessis, Stefan
AU - Sharma, Rakesh
AU - Esteves, Sandro C.
AU - Cirenza, Caroline
AU - Eliwa, Jasmine
AU - Al-Najjar, Wedad
AU - Kumaresan, Deepika
AU - Haroun, Namariq
AU - Philby, Sara
AU - Sabanegh, Edmund
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2016/8/1
Y1 - 2016/8/1
N2 - Objective To assess the effect of ejaculatory abstinence (EA) periods on routine and advanced sperm tests. Methods Men with normozoospermia provided semen samples after 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11 days of abstinence. A standard semen analysis was performed on all samples. Each specimen was assessed for levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and sperm DNA fragmentation. Comparison was also made by grouping EA periods into short (1 day), recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) (2-7 days), and long (9-11 days). Results Semen volume (P < .001), sperm concentration (P < .001), and total sperm count (P < .001) increased significantly with abstinence length. Sperm DNA fragmentation was associated with the length of EA (P < .001). Both 1 and 2 days of EA had the least amount of DNA fragmentation (P < .001). Significant increase was seen in volume, pH, viscosity, total count, total motile sperm, and DNA fragmentation between short and recommended EA (P < .05), and between recommended and long EA (P < .05). Short EA had no detrimental impact on semen characteristics according to the 2010 WHO thresholds. Conclusion Shortening of EA time is not detrimental to sperm quality in men with normozoospermia and is proposed as a method for reducing sperm DNA fragmentation. This strategy could help optimize sperm quality and the chances of natural and assisted conception. Accurate abstinence time should be considered when managing men with infertility problems with semen analyses even when it is within the recommended range.
AB - Objective To assess the effect of ejaculatory abstinence (EA) periods on routine and advanced sperm tests. Methods Men with normozoospermia provided semen samples after 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11 days of abstinence. A standard semen analysis was performed on all samples. Each specimen was assessed for levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and sperm DNA fragmentation. Comparison was also made by grouping EA periods into short (1 day), recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) (2-7 days), and long (9-11 days). Results Semen volume (P < .001), sperm concentration (P < .001), and total sperm count (P < .001) increased significantly with abstinence length. Sperm DNA fragmentation was associated with the length of EA (P < .001). Both 1 and 2 days of EA had the least amount of DNA fragmentation (P < .001). Significant increase was seen in volume, pH, viscosity, total count, total motile sperm, and DNA fragmentation between short and recommended EA (P < .05), and between recommended and long EA (P < .05). Short EA had no detrimental impact on semen characteristics according to the 2010 WHO thresholds. Conclusion Shortening of EA time is not detrimental to sperm quality in men with normozoospermia and is proposed as a method for reducing sperm DNA fragmentation. This strategy could help optimize sperm quality and the chances of natural and assisted conception. Accurate abstinence time should be considered when managing men with infertility problems with semen analyses even when it is within the recommended range.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.urology.2016.03.059
DO - 10.1016/j.urology.2016.03.059
M3 - Article
C2 - 27196032
AN - SCOPUS:84979697024
SN - 0090-4295
VL - 94
SP - 102
EP - 110
JO - Urology
JF - Urology
ER -