Semen analysis is a basic test for evaluating male fertility potential, as it plays an essential role in driving the future management and treatment of infertility in couples. Manual semen analysis includes the evaluation of both macroscopic and microscopic parameters, whereas automated semen analysis is conducted through a computer-aided sperm analysis system and can include additional parameters that are not evaluated by manual analysis.
Both quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) are important to ensure reproducible results for semen analysis, and represent fundamental checks and balances of all stages (pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical) of semen analysis. To ensure accuracy and precision, the laboratory technicians' performance should be evaluated biannually. This narrative review aims to describe standardized laboratory procedures for an accurate assessment of semen parameters that incorporate both QC and QA practices.
The world journal of men's health. 2021 Apr 21 [Epub ahead of print]
Ashok Agarwal, Rakesh Sharma, Sajal Gupta, Renata Finelli, Neel Parekh, Manesh Kumar Panner Selvam, Camila Pinho Pompeu, Sarah Madani, Andrea Belo, Mahsa Darbandi, Neha Singh, Sara Darbandi, Simryn Covarrubias, Raha Sadeghi, Mohamed Arafa, Ahmad Majzoub, Meaghanne Caraballo, Alyssa Giroski, Kourtney McNulty, Damayanthi Durairajanayagam, Ralf Henkel
American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA. ., American Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA., Instituto Ideia Fértil, Santo André, Brazil., Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Science and Technnology, Houari Boumedien, Algiers, Algeria., Huntington Centro de Medicina Reproditiva S/A, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil., Fetal Health Research Center. Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran., NOVA IVF, Gorakhpur, India., Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor, Malaysia.
PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33987999