Comparison of semen parameters in samples collected by masturbation at a clinic and at home
Objective
To investigate differences in semen quality between samples collected by masturbation at a clinic and at home.
Design
Cross-sectional study.
Setting
Fertility center.
Patient(s)
Three hundred seventy-nine men assessed for infertility.
Intervention(s)
None.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Semen was analyzed according to World Health Organization guidelines. Seminal markers of epididymal (neutral α-glucosidase), prostatic (prostate-specific antigen and zinc), and seminal vesicle (fructose) function were measured. Two patient groups were defined according to sample collection location: at a clinic (n = 273) or at home (n = 106).
Result(s)
Compared with clinic-collected semen, home-collected samples had statistically significantly higher values for sperm concentration, total sperm count, rapid progressive motility, and total count of progressive motility. Semen volume, proportion of normal sperm morphology, neutral α-glucosidase, prostate-specific antigen, zinc, and fructose did not differ significantly between groups. An abnormal sperm concentration (<20 × 106/mL) was seen in statistically significantly fewer of the samples obtained at home (19/106, 18%) than at the clinic (81/273, 30%), and the same applied to proportions of samples with abnormal (< 25%) rapid progressive motility (68/106 [64%] and 205/273 [75%], respectively).
Conclusion(s)
The present results demonstrate superior semen quality in samples collected by masturbation at home compared with at a clinic. This should be taken into consideration in infertility investigations.
Key Words: Fertility, infertility, reproduction, semen collection, spermatozoa
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The study was financially supported by the Swedish Research Council (Stockholm, Sweden; Grant No 521-2002-3907), the Swedish Government Funding for Clinical Research (Lund, Sweden), the Crafoord Foundation (Lund, Sweden), the Ove Tulefjord Fund (Malmö, Sweden), and the Foundation for Urological Research (Malmö, Sweden).
PII: S0015-0282(07)01212-5
doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.05.044
© 2008 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

