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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on July 29, 2005
Human Reproduction 2005 20(12):3441-3445; doi:10.1093/humrep/dei230
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org

Lack of compliance by UK andrology laboratories with World Health Organization recommendations for sperm morphology assessment

Denise Riddell1, Allan Pacey2 and Kate Whittington1,3

1 University of Bristol, Clinical Science at South Bristol (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), St Michael’s Hospital, Southwell Street, Bristol and 2 Academic Unit of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, Level 4, The Jessop Wing, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, S10 2SF, UK

3 To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: K.Whittington{at}bris.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: Sperm morphology is known to correlate with the probability of conception both in vitro and in vivo, but the assessment of sperm morphology in the laboratory remains problematic. The 4th edition (1999) of the World Health Organization (WHO) Laboratory Manual has attempted to improve matters by giving rigorous recommendations regarding sperm morphology assessment. However, it is unknown how well these recommendations have been implemented in practice. METHODS: A survey of the methods used to undertake the assessment of sperm morphology during semen analysis was undertaken in 37 laboratories in the UK. RESULTS: In total, only two laboratories (5%) were compliant with all current WHO guidelines regarding morphology assessment, including methods of staining and observation, classifying and sampling methods, and the participation in internal and external quality control programmes. CONCLUSION: These results illustrate an urgent need for education and training initiatives to encourage laboratories to become compliant with current WHO guidelines for sperm morphology assessment.

Key words: compliance/morphology/semen analysis/sperm/World Health Organization


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