Computer-assisted measurement of sperm swimming speed in human semen: correlation of results with in vitro fertilization assays.

A semiautomatic computerized technique for the measurement of sperm swimming speed is presented. The equipment is easy to use and would be suitable for routine clinical laboratories. The value of the sperm speed measurements obtained from over 100 individuals in relation to fertility has been studied by the correlation of these results with human in vitro fertilization (IVF) data and sperm penetrating capability in the zona-free hamster egg assay. The results show that sperm speed measurements correlate very well with those of the IVF, both human and hamster, and can be used successfully, in conjunction with multivariate statistical methods, to predict the outcomes of such techniques with about 75% accuracy.