ADVERSE-EFFECTS ON SPERM MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS IN WOMEN WITH MINIMAL AND MILD ENDOMETRIOSIS

Objective To test the effect of peritoneal fluid from infertile women with minimal or mild endometriosis on sperm movement characteristics in comparison with fertile and infertile women with no endometriosis. Design A prospective observer-blind trial. Setting Academic infertility department. Subjects 57 women undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy or laparoscopic sterilisation. Main outcome measures Changes in sperm movement characteristics in semen samples provided during routine infertility investigation or from sperm donors. Computer assisted semen analysis (CASA) performed using a Celltrack-S system. Results Significant reductions in linearity (P < 0.05), amplitude of lateral head displacement (P <0.01), straight line velocity (P < 0.01), and curvilinear velocity (P < 0.01) (but not percentage motility) were observed. Conclusions Peritoneal fluid from women with minimal or mild endometriosis adversely effects sperm movement characteristics in comparison to fertile women.