A simple inexpensive method for objective assessment of human sperm movement characteristics.

A simple, objective method is described for obtaining a well-defined and diversified set of human sperm movement characteristics. These data are suitable for comprehensive statistical comparisons of sperm suspensions. One-second time-exposure photomicrographs are taken with dark-field illumination of slides prepared from semen, cervical mucus, or artificial media. The negatives are projected as a filmstrip and are analyzed on a specially designed console. The filmstrips can be taken and developed in 15 minutes without darkroom facilities, and a complete analysis of the film requires an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Fifty spermatozoa are examined to determine percentage motility, and movement characteristics are recorded for 15 spermatozoa. With these data the swimming trajectories of individual spermatozoa can be reconstructed retrospectively. The sperm suspension as a whole is described in terms of percentage motility, mean swimming speed, percentage of progressive spermatozoa, mean swimming speed of progressive spermatozoa, percentage of straight-swimming spermatozoa, percentage of rolling spermatozoa, and percentage of yawing spermatozoa.