No abstract available.
Humans ; Sperm Banks* ; Spermatozoa*

OBJECTIVETo build network human sperm bank management information system.

METHODSThe system was developed with SQL Server 2000 and Power Builders 8.0.

RESULTSThe system consisted of 4 modules: file management, physical check-up and laboratory examination management, sperm examination and freezing management, supply and follows-up management. The system worked by long-distance transmission and real time supervision.

CONCLUSIONThe system possesses the advantages of huge information content, great safety and high confidentiality, as well as the functions of long-distance transmission and real time supervision.

Humans ; Male ; Management Information Systems ; Sperm Banks

The use of sperm, which is indispensable for embryo formation in human assisted reproductive technology (ART), has contributed a lot to social harmony, home happiness and advancement of related science and technology. However, it also yields a series of ethical problems. Proper handling of the contradictory relationship of ethical principles with science and technology is conducive to the healthy development of human ART.
Humans ; Male ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; ethics ; Sperm Banks ; ethics ; Spermatozoa

Approximately 15% of couples hoping to conceive are infertile. Male factor infertility is the only cause in 40% of those couples. Approximately 20% of men with infertility have azoospermia. Of these patients, roughly 40% are experience obstruction or absence of sperm passage. However, the other 60% of patients must seek out adoption or conceive using a sperm bank. Currently, recommendations regarding legal issues are needed for sperm banks to be operated safely and effectively, and this paper provides a set of such recommendations.
Azoospermia ; Family Characteristics ; Hope ; Humans ; Infertility ; Male ; Sperm Banks ; Spermatozoa

OBJECTIVETo investigate the safety of assisted reproductive technology (ART) with donated sperm from the sperm bank and the differences in the pregnancy outcomes of different means of promoting pregnancy.

METHODSWe analyzed and compared the feedback data on promoting pregnancy with donated sperm from the sperm bank by artificial insemination by donor (AID), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and intracytoplasm sperm injection (ICSI).

RESULTSTotally, 13 723 tubes of sperm specimens were used for ART. The number of specimens used differed in different clinical reproductive centers, some using 1 tube and others using 2 tubes per cycle. The 13 723 tubes were used for a total of 7 743 cycles. Among the 7 123 cycles of AID, there were 1 415 clinical pregnancies (19.87%), 1 221 normal births (86.29%), 169 abortions (11.94%), 6 cases of birth defects (0.43%), 19 ectopic pregnancies (1.34%), and 0 sexually transmitted infection. Among the 571 cycles of IVF, there were 367 clinical pregnancies (64.27%), 330 normal births (89.92%), 35 abortions (9.54%), 0 birth defect, 2 ectopic pregnancies (0.54%), and 0 sexually transmitted infection. Among the 49 cycles of ICSI, there were 28 clinical pregnancies (57.14%), 25 normal births (89.29%), 3 abortions (10.71%), 0 birth defect, 0 ectopic pregnancy, and 0 sexually transmitted infection. There were statistically significant differences in the rate of clinical pregnancy among AID, IVF and ICSI (P < 0.05), but not between IVF and ICSI (P > 0.05), nor were there any significant differences in the rates of abortion, birth defects and ectopic pregnancy among AID, IVF and ICSI (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONNone of the recipients of the donated sperm from the sperm bank was infected with sexually transmitted diseases. AID, IVF and ICSI showed no significant differences from natural conception in the rates of abortion, birth defects and ectopic pregnancy. ART with donated sperm from the sperm bank is safe. IVF and ICSI are associated with a higher rate of pregnancy than AID, though the latter costs less than the former two.

Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate ; Sperm Banks ; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic ; Spermatozoa

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of seasonal variation with pre- and post-thaw semen parameters as well as the cryosurgical of human spermatozoa.

METHODSA total of 6 414 semen samples were collected from 1 135 donors aged 22 - 32 years by Zhejiang Human Sperm Bank, and divided into spring, summer, autumn and winter groups according to the time of collection. All the samples underwent routine seminal analysis, and the sperm parameters were compared between different seasons. The sperm specimens were cryopreserved in aliquots and analyzed after thawing.

RESULTSThe semen volume was (2.92 +/- 1.17) ml in spring, significantly higher than in summer, autumn and winter ([2.71 +/- 1.07 ], [2.74 +/- 1.15] and [2.83 +/- 1.15] ml, P < 0.05). Sperm density was the highest in autumn ([105.60 +/- 39.76] x 10(6)/ml) as compared with the other three seasons ([101.18 +/- 40.16] x 10(6)/ml, [93.54 +/- 35.10] x 10(6)/ml, and [101.29 +/- 38.37] x 10(6)/ml, P < 0.05). The sperm progressive motility was the highest in spring ([58.49 +/- 10.04] %) and the cryosurgical of sperm the lowest in summer, with statistically significant differences from the other groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSeasonal variations affect human semen quality and cryosurgical of sperm. The semen volume, the percentage of progressive motile sperm, the cryosurgical of sperm, and the post-thaw density of progressive motile sperm are higher in spring than during the rest of the year.

Adult ; Cryopreservation ; Humans ; Male ; Seasons ; Semen Analysis ; Semen Preservation ; Sperm Banks ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Tissue Donors ; Young Adult

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.

Adult ; Cryopreservation ; Female ; Fertilization ; Humans ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Semen Preservation ; Sperm Banks ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of pre-freezing equilibration on the cryo-survival of human sperm and to optimize the protocol of direct fumigation for the freeze-thawing of human sperm.

METHODSWe collected 50 semen samples from healthy donors, each subjected to cryopreservation with 3 different methods: non-equilibration freezing (Group A), 10-min equilibration at room temperature before freezing (Group B), and 10-min equilibration at 4 degrees C before freezing (Group C). We examined all the post-thaw semen samples by computer-assisted semen analysis for the sperm motility parameters, and detected the sperm vitality and deformity index (SDI).

RESULTSThe recovery rate of progressive sperm motility was (61.88 +/- 16.94)% in Group C, remarkably higher than in A ([48.61 +/- 16.44]%) and B ([49.41 +/- 13.77]%) (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference between the latter two. And there were no significant differences in sperm vitality and SDI among the three groups.

CONCLUSIONTen-minute equilibration at 4 degrees C before freezing can evidently improve the progressive motility of sperm in addition to its advantages of easy operation and controllable experimental condition.

Adult ; Cryopreservation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Semen Preservation ; methods ; Sperm Banks ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo improve the reception and recruitment of sperm donors in sperm banks in China, and solve the problem of insufficiency in sperm donation.

METHODSWe reviewed the recruitment of 1 145 men for sperm donation in the Human Sperm Bank of Hubei Province from September 2011 to April 2012, analyzed the reasons for those not included, and interviewed those included but unwilling to donate sperm.

RESULTSAmong the 1 145 recruits, 551 (48.12%) were students and 594 (51.88%) were other individuals. After the first semen screening, 503 (43.93%) quitted, including 202 students (36.66% of the students recruited) and 301 others (50.67% of the other individuals recruited). After the second semen screening, 432 (37.73%) were excluded, and another 45 (3.93%) excluded after laboratory examination, including 16 cases of mycoplasma positive. Totally, 165 recruits (14.41%) passed the semen screening and laboratory examination, but only 144 of them (87.27%) completed, while the other 21 (12.73%) failed to complete the whole donation process.

CONCLUSIONLow rates of screening qualification and donation process completion are common problems in human sperm banks. The rate of qualified sperm donors can be increased and the operational cost of the human sperm bank can be reduced by enabling the recruits to accomplish the whole donation process. Explanation at the reception, later interview with the recruits, and donors' trust in the sperm bank play important roles in raising the completion rate of sperm donation process.

Adult ; Humans ; Male ; Semen ; Sperm Banks ; Tissue Donors ; psychology ; Tissue and Organ Procurement

OBJECTIVESTo study the effect of cryopreservative period on the cryosurvival of human spermatozoa and find out the optimal recovery time of cryopreservation.

METHODSEighty-eight semen samples were collected from normal donors and divided randomly into 5 groups according to the period of cryopreservative storage (1 d, 7 d, 30 d, 180 d, 300 d) in liquid nitrogen after being frozen by the programized, three-step freezing method. Fresh and frozen-thawed semen were examined by the routine analysis of semen and then the sperm recovery rate were calculated.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in sperm recovery rate between group I and the others (P > 0.05). The period of cryopreservative storage in liquid nitrogen had no correlation with the cryosurvival of human spermatozoa (r = 0.05, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIt was indicated that freezing-thawing after 24 h would be helpful to the screening of semen donors in batches for donor insemination of human sperm bank.

Cryopreservation ; Humans ; Male ; Semen Preservation ; Sperm Banks ; Spermatozoa ; physiology ; Time Factors