Qualitative Defects with Normal Sperm Counts in a Patient Attending Infertility Clinic

Background: Sperm morphology is an important qualitative parameter in semen analysis.

Aim: To assess qualitative defects in the semen with normal sperm counts. Setting and Design: This was a prospective and descriptive study done in a tertiary care center.

Materials And Methods: Seventy-five semen samples with normal sperm counts were evaluated. Qualitative defects of sperms on Papanicolaou-stained slides were assessed. The defects were noted as follows: head (tapering head, large head, small head, round head, bifid head), middle piece (bent neck, broad middle piece, excess residual cytoplasm), and tail (coiled tail).

Results: All cases showed the qualitative defects in spite of the normal counts. The defects found in head - pointed/tapering head (1%-20%), round head (1%-7%), large head (1%-3%) and others (0%-2%); in middle piece - bent neck (1%-8%), excess cytoplasm (1%-3%) or broad middle piece (1%-12%); and in tail - coiled tail (1%-5%).

Conclusions: Qualitative defects are often seen even in cases with normal sperm counts.