Login to Access Video or Poster Abstract: MP07-10
Sources of Funding: Scholarship donations

Introduction

Despite the necessity of semen analysis on diagnosis and treatment of infertile couples, male partners are hesitant to receive outpatient services for infertility claiming pressure of business and embarrassment. As a result, in many cases, only female partners seek examination and treatment, and are thus forced to bear a great psychological and physical burden. In response to this situation, we validated the usability of a portable computer-assisted sperm analyzer(CASA) system utilizing a smartphone as a camera and an analyzer, an app, and a microscopic lens integrated with a semen specimen chamber(Figure 1). Using this system patients themselves can measure sperm motility as well as sperm concentration at home(Figure 2).

Methods

A total of 100 semen samples obtained from volunteers who had visited our outpatient clinic because of infertility were used in automated analysis for sperm concentration and motility after obtaining written informed consent. After adjusting the system through measurement of first 13 semen samples, we compared the results of succeeding 87 samples between the system and visual observation, then calculated correlation coefficients for sperm concentration and motility between them. Measurement of first 70 samples were conducted by embryologists and next 30 samples by patients themselves. The smartphone used was an iPhone 6.

Results

The correlation factor between the results of the measurement with the system and those with visual observation was 0.76 for sperm density and 0.65 for sperm motility. There were no particular problems with patient use of the system.

Conclusions

We are confident that this portable CASA system plays a role in motivating infertile men to visit clinics, thus resulting in early diagnosis and treatment. It is also hoped that this system contributes to a decrease in the mental and physical burden for women on the infertility treatment, a shortening of the time required to achieve pregnancy and a decrease in medical expenses.

Funding

Scholarship donations