OBJECTIVETo investigate sperm function indexes that can be used to effectively evaluate the sperm donors' fertility so as to select healthy post-thaw semen samples and improve the success rate of assisted reproductive technology.

METHODSAccording to the pregnancy outcomes, we divided 40 donor semen samples into a high-fertility group (n = 20) and a low-fertility group (n = 20). We measured and compared the concentration, progressive motility, morphology, acrosome intactness, DNA integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of the post-thaw sperm between the two groups.

RESULTSThere were statistically significant differences between the high- and low-fertility groups in the percentages of morphologically normal sperm ([18.50 +/- 6.10]% vs [14.42 +/- 6.44]%, P < 0.01), acrosome intactness ([86.17 +/- 4.49]% vs [80.04 +/- 7.52]%, P < 0.05) and DNA fragmentation index ([9.21 +/- 3.22]% vs [15.72 +/- 8.20]%, P < 0.05), but not in MMP ([56.75 +/- 18.80]% vs [52.23 +/- 18.86]%, P > 0.05). A significantly positive correlation was found between MMP and sperm motility (r = 0.760, P < 0.05), but not between other sperm functions and sperm concentration and motility.

CONCLUSIONSperm concentration, motility, morphology, acrosome intactness rate and DNA integrity contribute effectively to the evaluation of the fertilization capacity of post-thaw donor semen samples.