The morphological and functional characteristics of spermatozoa in subfertile men

Male factors of infertility, including a decrease in the quality of sperm, account for 25-60% of cases of infertility in general, of which about 30% of all cases are attributed to the so-called idiopathic infertility. This requires a more detailed study of the morphological and functional characteristics of spermatozoa and their ultrastructural components. The aim of the study was to study the main morphological and functional characteristics of spermatozoa in subfertile men of reproductive age. The material for the study was sperm samples from 85 patients aged 25 to 45 years. The study included 25 clinically healthy men - comparison group; the group of patients who asked for help in order to optimize reproductive health and planning for procreation consisted of 60 men. Routine examinations were performed using a phase contrast microscope. Sperm counts were performed in Makler's chamber. The study of the ultrastructure of the spermatozoa was carried out by the method of electron microscopy. The average values of percentage of progressively motile spermatozoa in the group of subfertile men with reproductive health problems were 33.08±2.1%, which is lower than in patients in the comparison group -54.35±2.58%. An ultrastructural study of sperm cells in subfertile men revealed fragmentation of sperm DNA. The highest percentage of DNA fragmentation was found in subfertile male smokers and elderly men (more than 22%). In a group of patients with normozoospermia, abnormal acrosome morphology was revealed in samples of spermatozoa with a normal head shape. Acrosome abnormalities are found in more than 50% of men with idiopathic infertility. A study of men with astheno-teratozoospermia and men with idiopathic infertility indicates the presence of large (more than 1/3 of the nucleus area) vacuoles in the chromatin of sperm nuclei with a normal head shape, which reduces the chance of pregnancy. In the group of men with normozoospermia - patients with idiopathic infertility, spermatozoa with a missing postacrosomal sheath were found. Thus, spermatozoa with structural abnormalities are found in varying amounts in the ejaculate of subfertile men, including cases of idiopathic infertility. Subfertility in men can be caused by an increased content of spermatozoa in the ejaculate with certain structural anomalies. The use of electron microscopy in the examination of men with reproductive dysfunctions gives a more complete picture in elucidating the causes of spermatogenesis disorders.