Human Sperm Velocity and Postinsemination Cervical Mucus Test in the Evaluation of the Infertile Couple

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Abstract
Homologous artificial insemination (AIH) followed by postinsemination cervical mucus test (PIT) was performed in 100 couples in a prospective study to evaluate suspected cervical of male factor infertility. A portion of the ejaculate was submitted for standard semen analysis as well as turbidimetric analysis of sperm velocity. In a review of 333 cases evaluated for infertility, the average sperm velocity in a normal semen analysis was 96.5 .mu./s for those with normal postcoital test (PCT) 96.6 .mu./s and in those that established a pregnancy 91.6 .mu./s. These are significantly higher than the values obtained for abnormal semen analysis and abnormal PCT (64.6 and 63.6 .mu./s, respectively; P < 0.001). Patients with normal PIT (WHO criteria for normal PCT consisting of .gtoreq. 7 motile sperm per high-power field) had sperm velocity of 87 .mu./s compared to velocities of 46 .mu./s for abnormal PIT (P < 0.001). Four of the 5 patients with abnormal PIT (in spite of normal semen analysis and normal cervical mucus) had sperm velocities < 75 .mu./s. Likewise, all 8 patients who had normal PIT in spite of abnormal semen anslysis had sperm velocities > 75 .mu./s, even though the sperm motility was below normal in 5 of them. Sperm velocity is a more sensitive indicator of sperm function when compared to standard semen analysis results.