ABSTRACT
Semen analysis is arguably the most important clinical laboratory test available in the evaluation of male infertility. Measures of semen quality are used as surrogate measures of male fecundity in clinical andrology, reproductive toxicology, epidemiology, and risk assessment. However, the implications of even moderate alterations in semen quality are poorly understood, and only limited data are available for relating these measures to the likelihood of achieving pregnancy. In general, the number and/or concentration of motile spermatozoa is a significant factor affecting success. In particular, success rates are poor when low numbers of motile spermatozoa (approximately less than 1×106/mL) are used for insemination.1
