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Reliability and accuracy of the zona‐free hamster ova assay in the assessment of male fertility
Author(s) -
MARTIN RENEE H.,
TAYLOR PATRICK J.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1982.tb05065.x
Subject(s) - male fertility , reliability (semiconductor) , hamster , fertility , biology , andrology , reliability engineering , medicine , engineering , microbiology and biotechnology , population , physics , environmental health , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
Summary. The efficacy of the zona‐free hamster ova assay in assessing male fertility was studied in 22 men of proven fertility, 16 of unproven fertility, and 31 who were members of infertile couples. The mean hamster ova penetration rates were significantly higher in males of proven fertility (34%) and unproven fertility (30%) than in infertile males (11%). Sperm from 21 of 22 men of proven fertility penetrated >15% of ova; one man had a zero penetration rate. Sperm from 8 of 16 men of unproven fertility and 24 of 31 men of infertile couples penetrated <15% of ova. There was no correlation between penetration rates and any of the traditional measures of semen analysis. Two assays were performed on every male and six assays were performed on six males. There was good interassay reliability in all 69 males ( r =0·86) and in the six males with six tests ( r =0·97). The mean interassay variation was 8·6%.