Visual versus cinemicrographic evaluation of human sperm motility and morphology.

Ratings of human sperm motility by visual estimation through the microscope remain important measures of semen quality and of male fertility. More objective methods, including cinemicrography, time lapse photography, and videomicrography, are advocated. Subjective (visual) and objective (cinemicrographic) ratings of motility were compared. Sixty workers in 30 laboratories rated motilities of 40 specimens on motion picture film, and motilities were also measured by cinephotomicrographic methods. The morphology of each of the motile and immotile sperm was rated. In 34 of 40 specimens visual ratings were higher (range = +2 to +31%) than actual percentage motility. Specimens with both high sperm concentration and forward progression received the highest overestimations by visual rating. This was especially apparent in specimens with the highest motility. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between sperm motility and morphology rated on a one-by-one basis, but the relationship was too small to influence the visual rating of human sperm motility.