OBJECTIVETo analyze the relation between recurrent miscarriage and routine semen parameters.

METHODSWe compared the semen parameters of normal healthy men with those of the spouses of recurrent miscarriage women through 1: 1 age-matched case-control study.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy controls, the men of the case group showed a significantly lower mean semen volume ([1.95 +/- 1.11] ml vs [2.74 +/- 1.43] ml), sperm concentration ([48.68 +/- 20.07] x 10(6)/ml vs [59.26 +/- 25.35] x 10(6)/ml), percentage of grade b sperm ([12.07 +/- 3.34] % vs [16.18 +/- 6.74] %), fruit-sugar content ([1.73 +/- 0.64] g/L vs [2.21 +/- 0.75] g/L), acrosomal enzyme activity ([84.34 +/- 26.69] U/mg prot vs [94.20 +/- 26.35] U/mg prot), alpha-glucuronidase (alpha-GLU) content ([36.28 +/- 15.98] U/ml vs [44.45 +/- 12. 54] U/ml), and acid phosphatase (ACP) content ([68.55 +/- 35.45] U/ml vs [84.78 +/- 51. 10] U/ml) (P < 0.05), but remarkably higher percentages of head teratospermia ([47.36 +/- 4.59] % vs [46.50 +/- 6.32] %) and tail teratospermia ([7.56 +/- 2.27] % vs [7.28 +/- 3.10] %), and elastase content ([885.64 +/- 1 272.30] ng/ml vs [661.08 +/- 764.64] ng/ml) (P < 0.05). Based on the results of discriminant analysis, the semen volume, percentages of grade b sperm and combined teratospermia, and contents of fruit-sugar, alpha-GLU and ACP could be used to evaluate the semen and sperm quality of the spouses of recurrent miscarriage women.

CONCLUSIONRoutine semen and sperm tests might help evaluate the seminal factors of recurrent miscarriage, but they lack specificity and need comprehensive analysis. Poorer semen quality is associated with higher incidence of recurrent miscarriage.

Abortion, Habitual ; etiology ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Semen ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa