SEMINALYSIS

SEMEN IS COMPOSED OF FOUR

FRACTIONS THAT ARE
CONTRIBUTED BY THE TESTES,
EPIDIDYMIS, SEMINAL VESSELS,
PROSTATE, AND BULBOURETHRAL
GLANDS.
 1. Specimens are collected
SPECIMEN following a period of sexual
abstinence of from 2 to 3
COLLECTION days to not longer than 5
days.
2. Specimens collected following
prolonged abstinence tend to
have higher volumes and
decreased motility
3. The laboratory should provide warm sterile glass or
plastic containers. Whenever possible, the specimen is
collected in a room provided by the laboratory. However,
if this is not appropriate, the specimen should be kept at
room temperature and delivered to the laboratory within
1 hour of collection.
SPECIMEN 4. Laboratory personnel must record the time
of specimen collection and specimen receipt.
Specimens awaiting analysis should be kept at
COLLECTION 37C. Specimens should be collected by
masturbation
5. If this is not possible, only
nonlubricant-containing rubber or
polyurethane condoms should be used.
Ordinary condoms are not acceptable
because they have spermicidal properties

ALL SEMEN SPECIMENS ARE POTENTIAL

RESERVOIRS FOR HIV AND HEPATITIS
VIRUSES, AND STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
MUST BE OBSERVED AT
ALL TIMES DURING THE ANALYSIS.
SPECIMENS ARE DISCARDED AS
BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE
 SEMINALYSIS
consists of both macroscopic and microscopic examination

Parameters reported include appearance, volume, viscosity, pH,

sperm concentration and count, motility, and morphology

Normal semen has a gray-white color, appears

translucent, and has a characteristic musty odor

Increased white turbidity indicates the presence of

white blood cells (WBCs) and infection within the
reproductive tract.
 LIQUEFACTION VOLUME
A fresh semen specimen is Normal semen volume ranges

DEFINITIONS clotted and should liquefy between 2 and 5 mL. It can be

within 30 to 60 minutes after measured by pouring the
collection specimen into a clean graduated
cylinder calibrated in 0.1-mL
increments

VISCOSITY PH
LSpecimen viscosity refers to
the consistency of the fluid and The normal pH of semen is
may be related to specimen alkaline with a range of 7.2 to
liquefaction 8.0. Increased pH is indicative of
infection within the reproductive
tract
MOTILITY
The presence of sperm capable of forward,
progressive movement is critical for fertility, because
once presented to the cervix, the sperm must propel
themselves through the cervical mucosa to the uterus,
fallopian tubes, and ovum. Traditionally, clinical
laboratory reporting of sperm motility has been a
subjective evaluation performed by examining an
undiluted specimen and determining the percentage of
motile sperm and the quality of the motility
SPERM COUNT
Normal values for sperm concentration are
commonly listed as greater than 20 million
sperm per milliliter

The total sperm count for the ejaculate can

be calculated by multiplying the sperm
concentration by the specimen volume. Total
sperm counts greater than 40 million per
ejaculate are considered normal (20 million
per milliliter x 2 mL)4

The most commonly used

dilution is 1:20 prepared diluting the specimen and
using a mechanical counting the cells in the
(positive-displacement) Neubauer chamber
pipette.
SPERM COUNT
Using the Neubauer hemocytometer, sperm
are usually counted in the four corner and
center squares of the large center square—
similar to a manual RBC count.

The presence of more than 1 million

spermatids per milliliter indicates disruption
of spermatogenesis. This may be caused by
viral infections, exposure to toxic chemicals,
and genetic disorders
CALCULATION OF Calculation of sperm concentration is dependent on
the dilution used and the size and number of squares
SPERM COUNT counted. When using the 1:20 dilution and counting
the five squares (RBCs) in the large center square as
described previously, the number of sperm can be
multiplied by 1,000,000 (add 6 zeros) to equal the
sperm concentration per milliliter
THANK YOU!
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