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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on November 18, 2004
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/deh586
© 2004 by European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
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Received March 23, 2004
Revised August 3, 2004
Accepted October 4, 2004

Article

Duration of sexual abstinence: epididymal and accessory sex gland secretions and their relationship to sperm motility

Saad Elzanaty 1*, Johan Malm 2, and Aleksander Giwercman 1

1 Fertility Center, Lund University, Malmö University Hospital, SE 205 02 Malmö, Sweden
2 Department of Clinical Chemistry, Scanian Andrology Center, Lund University, Malmö University Hospital, SE 205 02 Malmö, Sweden

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Saad Elzanaty, E-mail: saad.elzanaty{at}kir.mas.lu.se


  Abstract

BACKGROUND: The data on the association between the abstinence period and sperm motility are conflicting. METHODS: Ejaculates from 422 men assessed for infertility were analysed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Seminal plasma neutral {alpha}-glucosidase (NAG), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), zinc and fructose were measured. Three groups were defined according to the length of sexual abstinence: G2-3 (2-3 days), G4-5 (4-5 days) and G6-7 (6-7 days). RESULTS: The total percentage of progressively motile spermatozoa was significantly higher in G4-5 compared with G2-3 and G6-7 (medians 55 versus 47 and 42%; P=0.039 and P < 0.001, respectively). The percentage of spermatozoa with tail defects was significantly higher in G6-7 compared with G2-3 and G4-5 (medians 14 versus 10 and 10%; P=0.011 and P=0.002, respectively). NAG was significantly lower in G2-3 compared with G4-5 and G6-7 (medians 23 versus 34 and 34 mU/ejaculate; P < 0.001 and P=0.001, respectively). The same trend was found regarding zinc (medians 6 versus 8 and 8 µmol/ejaculate; P=0.001 and P=0.005, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Within the time interval recommended by the WHO (2-7 days), the length of the abstinence period is associated with sperm characteristics and should be taken into consideration when interpreting results of semen analysis.

Keywords: fructose; NAG; PSA; sexual abstinence period; sperm motility.
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