Effect of semen pH on sperm morphology, motility and concentration in infertile men

Background: The prevalence of infertility is approximately 15% of reproductive-aged couples in worldwide. The cause of 50% infertility cases in couples is male factor problems such as sperm abnormalities, varicocele, immunologic factors causing antisperm antibody formation, ejaculatory duct obstruction and hormonal imbalance. Seminal plasma is microenvironment of sperm which contain mixture of secretions from the testes, epididymides and bulbourethral glands. The pH of semen reflects the balance between the pH values of the various accessory gland secretion which are mainly the alkaline seminal vesicular secretion and the acidic prostatic secretion. According to WHO standard criteria 2010 PH value 7.2 is as a lower threshold value.Methods: All men referred to Infertility Treatment Center of Besat Hospital for semen analyais attending in this study, with a mean age of 27.54 ± 3.98. The semen samples were obtained by masturbation after at least 2-7days of abstinence. In each sample, PH value and sperm parameter were evaluated according to WHO standards. The parameters compared with the pH values.Result: The study showed that all semen samples were in the PH range 5-8. 50% samples were in the pH range 7-8, 36% samples were in pH range 6-7, 12% samples were in acidic pH range and 2% samples were in alkaline pH range. Sperm morphology, sperm motility and sperm concentration of the semen samples acidic PH range 5-6 were significantly reduced as compared to the semen samples with pH range 7-8 PConclusion: The current study suggested that declined PH of semen can directly affect on sperm parameters. Therefore, this results may provide new approaches to treatment of male infertility.

Keywords:

Male infertility , Semen PH , Sperm concentration , Sperm morphology , Sperm motility