Does Training Assist Medical Laboratory Scientists with Better Evaluation of Sperm Morphology?
), O. A. Dada(2),
(1) Nairawebs Design
(2)
Corresponding Author
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the quality of sperm morphology evaluation skills of 16 technologists who are responsible for semen analyses in their institution. The 1-day workshop was held at the Centre for Research in Reproductive Health in Sagamu, Nigeria. Participants were requested to complete a questionnaire that provided information regarding their experience and training as technologists in their institution. The workshop consisted of 4 sections, namely (i) pre-training test, (ii) lectures on morphometric characteristics and details of normal and abnormal sperm (iii) a laboratory-based hands-on, post training test and (iv) a consensus training session. The findings of the questionnaire indicated that none of the participants had any previous formal training and that all participants had very little knowledge about the morphological appearance of normal spermatozoa. These findings were supported by the results obtained during the pre-training session that showed a mean percentage difference of 24% between the reference and participant's values. These somewhat alarming results highlight the need for training facilities for technologists who work in the clinical diagnostic field of reproductive science.
Keywords: Sperm, morphology
References
Ombelet W, Menkveld R., Kruger TF, Steeno O. Sperm morphology assessment: historical review in relation to fertility. Hum Reprod Update 1995; 1: 543-57
Kruger TF, Menkveld R, Stander FSH, Lombard CJ, van der Merwe JP, van Zyl JA, Smith K Sperm morphologic features as a prognostic factor in in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril 1986;46: 1118-1123.
Kobayashi T, Jinno M, Sugimura K, Nozawa S, Sugiyama Lida E. Sperm morphological assess-ment based on strict criteria and in vitro fertilization outcome. Hum Reprod 1991; 6: 983-6.
Enginsu ME, Dumoulin CJM, Pieters MHEC, Bras M, Evers JLH, Garaedts JPM. Evaluation of human sperm morphology using strict criteria after Diff-Quik staining: correlation of morphology with fertilization in vitro. Hum Reprod 1991; 6: 854-8.
Liu, D.Y., Baker, H.W.G. Tests of sperm function and fertilization in vitro. Fertil Steril 1992; 58, 465-483.
Franken, D.R., Oehninger, S.C., Burkman, L.J., Coddington, C.C., Kruger, T.F., Rosenwaks, Z., Acosta, A.A., Hodgen, G.D. The hemizona assay (HZA): a predictor of human sperm fertilizing potential in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. J IVF/ET 1989; 6, 44-49.
Esterhuizen, A.D., Franken, D.R., Lourens, J.G.H., Van Rooyen, L.H. Clinical importance of a micro-assay for the evaluation of sperm acrosome reaction using homologus zona pellucida. Andrologia 2001; 33, 87-93.
Huszar G, Vique L, Oehninger SC. Creatine kinase immunocytochemistry of human sperm-hemizona complexes: selective binding of sperm with mature creatine kinase staining pattern. Fertil Steril. 1994; 61 129-135
Aitken, R.J. and Clarkson, J.S. Cellular basis of defective sperm function and its association with the genesis of reactive oxygen species by human spermatozoa. J Reprod Fert 1987; 81, 459-469.
Evenson D, Jost L, Marshall D, Zinaman MJ, Clegg E, Purvis K, de Angelis P, Claussen OP Utility of sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in the human fertility clinic. Hum Reprod 1999; 14, 1039-1049
Morgenthaler A, Fung MY, Harris DH, Powers RD, Alper MM Sperm morphology and in vitro fertilization outcome: a direct comparison of World Health Organization and strict criteria metho-dologies. Fertil Steril 1995; 64: 1177-1182.
Davis, R.O., Gravance, C.G. Standardization of specimen preparation, staining and sampling methods improves automated sperm head morphometry analysis. Fertil Steril 1993; 59, 412-417.
Katz DF, Overstreet JW, Samuals SJ, Niswander PW, Bloom TD, Lewis EL. Morphometric analysis of spermatozoa in the assessment of human male fertility. J of Androl 1986;7: 203-10..
Baker, H.W.G., Clarke, G.N. Sperm morphology consistency of assessment of the same sperm by different observers. Clin Reprod Fertil 1987;5, 37-43.
Menkveld R, Stander FSH, Kotze TJ, Kruger TF, van Zyl JA. The evaluation of morphological characteristics of human spermatozoa according to stricter criteria. Hum Reprod 1990; 5: 586-92.
Coetzee, K., Kruger, T.F., Lombaard, C.J. Predictive value of normal sperm morphology: a structured literature review. Hum Reprod Update 1998; 4, 73-84.
World Health Organization. WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination of Human semen and Sperm-Cervical Mucus Interaction, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 3rd Edition, 1992 p23.
World Health Organization WHO Laboratory manual for the examination of human semen and semen-cervical mucus interaction. 4th Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 4th edition, 1999
Ombelet W, Bosmans,E., Janssen M, Cox A, Maes M, Punjabi U, Blaton V, Gunst J, Haidl G, Wouters E. et al., Multicenter study on reproducibility of sperm morphology assessments. Arch. Androl 1998; 4, 103-114.
Chong AR, Waiters CA, Weinrelb SA. The neglected laboratory test. The semen analysis. J Androl 1983; 4, 280-282.
Eliasson R. Standards for investigation of human semen. Andrologie 1971., 3, 49-64.
Freund, M. Standards for rating human sperm morphology. Int J Fertil 1966;11, 97-118.
Franken DR, Smith M, Menkveld R, Kruger TF, Sekadde-Kigondu C, Mbizvo M, Akande EO. The development of a continuous quality control (CQS) programme for strict sperm morphology among sub-Sahara African laboratories. Hum Reprod 2000; 15, 667-671.
Franken DR, Barendson R, Kruger TF. A continuous quality control (CQC) program for strict sperm morphology. Fertil Steril 2000; 74, 721-724.
Franken DR African Experience with sperm morphology training courses. Reproductive Medicine Online 2003; 7, 114-119.
Franken DR, Menkveld R, Kruger TF, Sekadde-Kigondu C, Lombard C. Monitoring technologist reading skills in a sperm morphology quality control program. Fertil Steril 2003; 79 Suppl 3, 1637-1643.
Franken DR, Dada OA The establishment of sperm morphology satellite training laboratories in Africa Andrologia 2004; 37, 57-60.
Keel BA, Quinn P, Schmidt F, Serafy NT Jr, Serafy NT Sr, Schalue TK Results of the American Association of Bioanalysts national proficiency testing programme in andrology. Hum Reprod 2000; 15, 680-686.
Article Metrics
Abstract View
: 466 times
Download : 233 times
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
