ABSTRACT

Semen examination is one of the key steps in the exploration of infertile couples. The normal ejaculate contains spermatozoa with significant changes in the size and shape of the head, the acrosome, and the intermediate part of the flagellum. Sperm morphology has been recognized as the best predictor of natural fertility or after in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination. Sperm morphology is only one qualitative parameter of spermatogenesis, and the conventional sperm morphological analysis is a descriptive exploration of sperm shape from a representative sample of spermatozoa from one ejaculate. Light microscopy is the most common imaging system used in routine in reproductive biology laboratories and allows after staining of fixed sperm preparations the classification of morphologically normal or abnormal spermatozoa. The evaluation of the integrity of the different structures of the male gamete by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is important in sperm ultramorphology assessment.