Analysis on the correlation of days of sexual abstinence with semen quality and sperm function indicators in patients with asthenozoospermia

LI Yaoxuan; LIU Haifang; CHEN Liangshi; ZHANG Xiaohui; HUANG Yueyue; SHI Wen; WEI Pingpin; LI Zhengda; MAO Xianbao; WANG Shikai; XUE Lintao

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-3806.2025.01.11

Abstract：Objective To analyze the correlation of days of sexual abstinence with semen quality and sperm function indicators in patients with asthenozoospermia.Methods A total of 192 patients with asthenozoospermia who were admitted to Reproductive Medicine and Genetic Center,the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from October 28,2022 to June 15,2023 were recruited and divided into three groups according to the days of sexual abstinence before semen collection:group A(days of sexual abstinence ≤2 days,41 cases),group B(days of sexual abstinence of 3-4 days,114 cases)and group C(days of sexual abstinence ≥5 days,37 cases).Fresh semen samples were collected via masturbation and were optimized using density gradient centrifugation method combined with swim-up method.The semen quality,sperm morphology and sperm DNA fragmentation rate(SDF)were compared among the three groups before and after optimization of the fresh semen samples.The correlation between the days of sexual abstinence and the indicators related to semen was analyzed.Results Before semen optimization,there were significant differences among the three groups in terms of semen volume,total sperm count,total progressively motile sperm count and SDF(P＜0.05),and group A had significantly lower semen volume,total sperm count,total progressively motile sperm count and SDF than group B and group C(P＜0.05),and group B had significantly lower SDF than group C(P＜0.05).After semen optimization,there was significant difference in SDF among the three groups(P＜0.05),and group A had significantly lower SDF than group B and group C(P＜0.05).Before semen optimization,days of sexual abstinence were positively correlated with semen volume(r=0.225,P=0.002),total sperm count(r=0.200,P=0.016)and SDF(r=0.226,P=0.006),and were not significantly correlated with sperm concentration,total sperm motility rate,progressive motility percentage,total progressively motile sperm count and the percentage of normal sperm morphology(P＞0.05).After semen optimization,days of sexual abstinence were positively correlated with SDF(r=0.171,P=0.036),and were not significantly correlated with the other indicators related to semen(P＞0.05).Conclusion Days of sexual abstinence in the asthenozoospermia patients are positively correlated with semen volume,total sperm count and SDF.Shortening the days of sexual abstinence in the infertile men can help to reduce their SDF.