Effect of thawing temperature on the motility recovery of cryopreserved human spermatozoa.

摘要

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of thawing temperature on sperm function after cryopreservation. The technical aspects of sperm cryopreservation have significantly improved over the last few decades. However, a standard protocol designed to optimize sperm motility recovery after thawing has not yet been established. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Private infertility institute and university-based research laboratory. PATIENT(S): Eighty consenting normozoospermic patients consulting for infertility. INTERVENTION(S): Spermatozoa from donor semen samples were thawed at different temperatures. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Sperm motility, viability, adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) content, acrosomal status, and DNA integrity were evaluated as a function of thawing temperature in cryopreserved human sperm samples. RESULT(S): Thawing at 40 degrees C resulted in a statistically significant increase in sperm motility recovery compared with thawing at temperatures between 20 degrees C and 37 degrees C. There were no statistically significant differences in sperm viability, acrosomal status, ATP content, and DNA integrity after thawing at 40 degrees C compared with thawing at temperatures between 20 degrees C and 37 degrees C. CONCLUSION(S): Sperm thawing at 40 degrees C could be safely used to improve motility recovery after sperm cryopreservation.