Effects of urine on the functional quality of human spermatozoa.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of urine on sperm function and to elucidate the reason by which it may be deleterious.

DESIGN

Prospective controlled in vitro study.

INTERACTIONS

Sperm were exposed to various concentrations of pooled urine in Ham's F-10 Medium supplemented with 3.5 g% bovine serum albumin (GIBCO, Grand Island, NY) and sperm exposed to Ham's F-10 Medium with pH and osmolality adjusted to mimic that of the urine (pH 5.4; 520 mOsm).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Sperm motility and the ability of sperm to penetrate and migrate into mucus and to penetrate hamster oocytes were determined.

RESULTS

All sperm variables studied were significantly decreased when the sperm were exposed to > or = 40% urine. Potential of hydrogen- and osmolality-adjusted Ham's F-10 did not significantly affect the sperm function.

CONCLUSION

Urine is deleterious to sperm function and may involve other biochemical factors that are unrelated to pH and osmolality of urine.