Abstract

Background: Sperm function testing is used to determine if the sperm have the biologic capacity to perform the tasks necessary to reach and fertilize ova and ultimately result in live births. There is growing evidence that damage to spermatozoa by reactive oxygen species may affect sperm function and Antioxidant help to fight against such reactive oxidant species. Aims &
Objective: To find the correlation between antioxidants and sperm function tests.
Materials and Methods: Cross section study done on four group with different fertility potential. Four groups were group 1- control(n=10) normozoospermic fertile, group2-: Normozoospermics (n=18) infertile , group 3- oligoasthenoteratozoospermics (n=27) infertile, and group 4- Asthenoteratozoospermics (n=23) infertile. Their semen analysis was done and levels of the antioxidant Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and the reduced glutathione was measured. Correlation was found between sperm function test and antioxidant level in seminal plasma. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA test and Bonferroni’s post test. Coefficient of correlation (r- value) was found to find relationship between different parameters. Graphpad prism 5 Software was used.
Results: Sperm function test and antioxidant level in seminal plasma was significantly more in group 1 as compared to the other groups. Significant correlation was seen between sperm function test and antioxidant level. Conclusion: Decreasing seminal plasma antioxidants levels could have significant role in etiology of impaired sperm function. Seminal plasma antioxidants levels is closely related to male fertility, and the decreased level of antioxidants levels in seminal plasma may be one of the causes of male infertility.