[THE EFFECT OF ETHNICITY ON THE AGE OF SINGLE PATIENTS APPLYING FOR SPERM DONATION].

INTRODUCTION: Sperm banks have shifted from assisting heterosexual couples with male infertility to primarily serving single women and female couples through medical services, reflecting advances in fertility treatments and societal changes. AIMS: Evaluate demographic changes among single women who have applied for sperm donation during 30 years in the State of Israel. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study includes 4265 single women who received sperm donation between January 1992 and December 2021, at a tertiary medical center. We divided the follow-up period into 6 groups of 5 years each. A comparison was made of the demographic characteristics of single women applying for sperm donation in different periods according to: 1) age at the beginning of the treatment; 2) ethnic origin - 7 ethnic groups. RESULTS: The average age of single women who received sperm donation was 38.2±4.4 years. The average age of patients decreased from 39.58 years in 1997-1992 to 38.08 years in 2017-2021 (p-value<0.05). Ashkenazic Jews (38.4%) and Sephardic Jews (37.7%) were the most common ethnic origins among single women, with Arab women comprising only 0.2%. Single Jewish women of Ashkenazi descent seek sperm donation treatment almost a year earlier than their Sephardic counterparts (Arab countries and North Africa). CONCLUSIONS: Single Israeli women opting for early sperm donation carries significant clinical, social, and economic implications. Women from conservative social backgrounds appear to be less inclined to seek sperm donation as single individuals or tend to delay this option until a later age, in contrast to women from liberal backgrounds.

Recent decline in sperm motility among donor candidates at a sperm bank in Denmark.

STUDY QUESTION: Has there been variation in semen quality among men applying to be sperm donors (i.e. donor candidates) in Denmark in recent years (2017-2022)? SUMMARY ANSWER: The motile sperm concentration and total motile sperm count (TMSC) in ejaculates-both measures of sperm quality-declined by as much as 22% from 2019 to 2022. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Questions remain about whether human semen quality has declined in recent years. Whilst some studies provide evidence for a decline in human semen quality, these findings have been disputed owing to potential biases in the populations studied or in the methods used to measure semen quality. Resolution of this issue has important implications for human fertility, as well as for those involved in the recruitment of sperm donors for use in medically assisted reproduction. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: We obtained data on the semen quality of ejaculates previously collected from 2017 to 2022 at sperm bank locations in four cities in Denmark: Aarhus, Aalborg, Copenhagen, and Odense. Our study focuses on the single semen samples provided by 6758 donor candidates aged between 18 and 45 years old to determine whether their sperm quality met a minimum criterion for them to be accepted as sperm donors. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: All ejaculates were analyzed within 1 hour of production. Semen volume (ml) was estimated by weight and both the concentration (106/ml) of sperm as well as the concentration of motile sperm (World Health Organization grades a and b) were measured using the same protocols and computer-assisted semen analysis system across all years at each site. Statistical analyses of the semen variables were controlled for age and donation site, as well as the average monthly high temperature when the ejaculate was produced. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: From 2017 to 2019, semen volume, sperm concentration, and total sperm count in the ejaculates of donor candidates increased by 2-12%. Then, from 2019 to 2022, sperm concentration and total sperm count changed by 0.1-5% from year to year, but none of those changes were statistically significant. In contrast, both motile sperm concentration and TMSC declined significantly, by 16% and 22%, respectively, between 2019 and 2022. Thus, the concentration of motile sperm in donor candidates declined from 18.4 [95% CL: 17.0, 20.0] million/ml in 2019 to 15.5 [14.4, 16.7] million/ml in 2022, and TMSC declined from 61.4 [55.8, 67.5] million per ejaculate in 2019 to 48.1 [44.1, 52.4] million in 2022. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: We cannot determine from the available data the causes of the decline in semen quality of donor candidates from 2019 to 2022. However, as this period coincides with lockdowns and changes in work patterns during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, it is possible that changes in motile sperm concentration and TMSC were the result of changes in the lifestyles of the men whose semen was analyzed. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Men providing initial semen samples at sperm banks, when applying to be sperm donors, are a useful population in which to monitor changes in human semen quality over time. Our results have implications for human fertility and the recruitment of sperm donors for medically assisted reproduction, where motile sperm concentration is an essential selection criterion because it influences fertility. We suggest that gathering health and lifestyle data on donor candidates at sperm banks might help to identify causal factors for the decline of sperm quality that could be addressed and intervention, if desired, could be personalized for each accepted donor. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): No external funding was obtained for this study. E.L. and A.-B.S. are employees of Cryos International. AP reports paid consultancy for Cryos International, Cytoswim Ltd, Exceed Health, and Merck Serono in the last 2 years of this study, but all monies were paid to the University of Sheffield (former employer). AP is also an unpaid trustee of the Progress Educational Trust (Charity Number 1139856). RM declares support from Cryos International to present results of this research at ESHRE 2023. None of the authors were directly involved in the collection or physical analysis of semen samples. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Fertility preservation in males with cancer of trends, region development, and efficacy in mainland China from 16 regions Chinese sperm banks.

PURPOSE: Male cancer survivors experience confusion about fertility following cancer treatment. The aims of this study were to evaluate survivors' semen quality in different tumor type groups in China and to analyze the current situation and challenges of male cancer patients with sperm cryopreservation. METHODS: This was a multicenter retrospective study of male patients with cancer who underwent sperm cryopreservation in 16 regions of the national sperm banks over an 11-year period from 2010 to 2020. RESULTS: The number of male cancer patients with sperm cryopreservation showed an overall upward trend. The development of male cancer fertility preservation (FP) in the eastern, central, and western regions of Chinese displayed imbalance. There are seven tumor types for sperm preservation in the top incidence ten tumor types, including lymphoma, leukemia, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, sarcoma, thyroid cancer, and brain tumor. Moreover, nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a high incidence rate in China, which is related to high sperm preservation rate, different from other countries. The most percentage of males receiving sperm cryopreservation in the testicular cancers (15-39 years old) of China in 2020 was 5.55%, 1.29% in the lymphoma, and 0.39% in the leukemia. According to the type of cancer, a statistically significant lower pre-sperm density, total sperm output, and post-sperm density was observed in testicular cancers. It is worth noting that the prevalence of azoospermia 22.2% in leukemia patients attribute to urgent treatment before sperm cryopreservation. Disposition of cryopreserved sperm categories included continued storage (47.2%), discarded (9%), death (0.9%), and use (3.7%). CONCLUSION: This study provides the first comprehensive national statistical census and review of fertility preservation in male cancer patients with respect to trends, prevalence, and cancer types. The development of male cancer fertility preservation in China is imbalanced and percentage of males receiving sperm cryopreservation in the adolescent and young adult cancers was low. Sixteen human sperm banks from China analyze current problems and challenges, and then prioritize steps toward the achievement of the FP strategy framework for Healthy China 2030.

Exploring the impact of pericentric inversion of chromosome 9 on fertility in sperm donors.

Pericentric inversion of chromosome 9 (inv[9]) is a common chromosomal structural variant, but its impact on clinical outcomes remains debated. The screening criteria of sperm banks are rarely mentioned to individuals with inv(9). In this study, we evaluated the fertility of sperm donors with inv(9) who met eligibility criteria for sperm banks (inv[9]-eligible donors). From March 2004 to May 2022, chromosomal analysis of 16 124 sperm donors at CITIC-Xiangya Human Sperm Bank in Hunan Province (Changsha, China) found that 251 (1.6%) had chromosome variations, with inv(9) being the most prevalent at 1.1%. All 169 inv(9)-eligible donors were contacted to collect fertility outcome data, along with 206 eligible donors without inv(9) as controls. In addition, semen samples from inv(9)-eligible donors and eligible donors underwent assessments of sperm fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA fragmentation index, acrosome integrity, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and sperm morphology. Results showed that inv(9) did not significantly increase reproductive risks overall. Despite detecting ROS level differences, the clinical impact may be insignificant. This study provides new data on the inv(9) population that can serve as a valuable reference for decision-making by sperm banks as well as for genetic counseling and clinical guidance for individuals carrying inv(9) variant.

Long-term storage modifies the microRNA expression profile of cryopreserved human semen.

The global practice of cryopreservation of human semen is commonplace in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) labs and sperm banks. However, information on the effects of long-term cryopreservation on semen is limited to clinical data summaries and descriptions. For this study, we prepared 4 semen specimens of fresh semen, 4 specimens cryostored for at least 1 year, 3 specimens cryostored for at least 5 years, 4 specimens cryostored for at least 10 years, and 3 specimens cryostored for at least 15 years. Total RNA was extracted from each sample, amplified, labeled, and mapped to the known primary microRNA (miRNA) in the miRBase database, enabling the prediction of novel miRNAs. We found that cryopreservation can lead to changes in miRNA expression, and with the increase in storage time, these changes became more pronounced. Meanwhile, the expression of let-7d-3p, let-7c-5p and let-7i-3p miRNAs changed dynamically over cryostorage time in frozen-thawed human sperm. Furthermore, we analyzed the time-dependent dynamics of cryostorage-expressed miRNAs and their target mRNAs and found that half of the target genes were expressed in oocytes. These intersection genes were mainly enriched in cancer and cytoskeletal signaling pathways. Our findings showed that the miRNA expression profile of cryopreserved human semen is modified by long-term storage. Furthermore, as the storage time increases, the impact on human sperm becomes more pronounced in terms of miRNAs, which may have an effect on subsequent fertilization and embryonic development.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese assisted reproductive technology institutions and human sperm banks: reflections in the post-pandemic era.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic has been the most serious public health emergency encountered in modern assisted reproductive technology (ART) development. In order to identify lessons learned, this study reviews the effect of the pandemic on ART institutions and human sperm banks in China, and summarizes the experiences and reflections of Chinese scholars post-pandemic era. METHODS: This review is based on multiple consensus statements on the COVID-19 pandemic issued by Chinese experts as well as current national regulations and principles in ART institutions and human sperm banks to document the current situation of ART services in China, describe the impact of the pandemic on these services, and offer Chinese reflections on worrying issues in the post-pandemic era. RESULTS: China reached one million ART cycles in 2016, and there are currently 540 ART medical institutions and 27 human sperm banks, with 540 licensed for AIH, 91 for AID, 415 for conventional IVF and ICSI and 85 for PGT. Of these, only 4 institutions carry out 10,000 cycles or more annually, and the proportion of institutions with less than 1,000 cycles has reached 66%, which means that a considerable number of ART institutions are still not saturated. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, 63.6% of ART providers and 95.5% of human sperm banks suspended operations. By the end of May 2020, China, as an early country affected by the pandemic achieved a national resumption rate of ART medical services of 99.2% and that of human sperm banks of 100.0%. Reports from the first and largest human sperm bank in China showed that qualification, semen concentration and sperm viability rates measured at primary screening have significantly decreased post-pandemic. Much like in other countries, Chinese experts developed a consensus on prevention and control measures during the pandemic. In principle, all ART activities should be suspended during acute phases of infection spread. Chinese scholars highlight that attention should be paid to young patients with fertility requirements during and after COVID-19, and emphasize the importance of fertility evaluation and clinical intervention. In addition, couples should be reminded that during ART treatment, disinfectants should not be used excessively to minimize risks of damaging the reproductive system, gametes and zygotes. At the same time, timely and reasonable guidance for tackling negative emotions from stress response is needed to provide reassurance and to avoid irrational fear and excessive stress. Seminal parameters should be re-examined 2 months after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, and ART treatments recommenced if no abnormalities are detected. CONCLUSIONS: Given the growing frequency of outbreaks of global infectious diseases in recent years, ART institutions and human sperm banks should pay attention to improving their prevention and control capabilities. To a certain extent, decisions and measures adopted in China during COVID-19 pandemic are worthy of recognition and acceptance. Chinese scholars have discussed, proactively responded to and understand the key issues surrounding ART development during the pandemic with the aim of contributing to the substantial progress and healthy development of ART services in the world.

Genetic testing of sperm donors in China: a survey of current practices.

Background: The National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPCC) issued the "Measures for the Management of Human Sperm Banks," which was revised in 2003 and is still in effect today. One of the standard guidelines is that potential donors undergo laboratory testing to exclude infectious and genetic diseases and karyotype analysis. However, patient demands for donor genetic testing have also increased, and only karyotype analysis to exclude genetic diseases is not sufficient to meet these demands. Objective: To examine donor genetic screening practices at sperm banks in China and to evaluate the qualifications and skills of genetic counselors at the banks. Materials and methods: An electronic survey was distributed to twenty-seven sperm banks to examine donor genetic screening practices at sperm banks in China and to evaluate the qualifications and skills of genetic counselors at the banks. Twenty-six human sperm banks responded to a 32-question survey about their current practices related to genetic testing of sperm donors. Results: The 26 sperm banks reported that all qualified sperm donors undergo karyotype analysis; 22 banks (84.6%) collected three generations of family history from each qualified sperm donor; 10 (38.5%) reported that they attempted to accommodate special requests from donor semen recipients for particular genetic tests. Only 2 of the 26 (7.7%) sperm banks reported that they performed whole-exome sequencing. At all the sperm banks, consent for genetic testing was obtained as part of the overall contract for sperm donors. Nineteen (73.1%) sperm banks had genetic counselors on their staff, while six (23.1%) had no genetic counselors on their staff but had access to genetic counselors at the hospital. Only one (3.8%) sperm bank had no genetic counselors on their staff or at the hospital. Conclusions: The need for larger scale genetic testing of donors and recipients and an extensive panel of genetic tests specific to the Chinese population. Additionally, professionally trained geneticists must be employed as genetic counsellors so that the results of genetic tests and their implications can be explained to donors.

Genetic testing of sperm donors at a human sperm bank in China.

Background: In China, numerous human sperm banks only perform three-generation family history evaluation to exclude genetic diseases with clinical symptoms; therefore, many inherited risks cannot be detected before donor qualification even when a thorough genetic family history evaluation has been performed. Hence, the risk of recessive disease inheritance persists with the current eligibility guidelines in China regarding the donor selection process. Methods: Retrospective study that reviewed the genetic test analyses and clinical outcomes of young adult men who were qualified sperm donors at the Hunan Province Human Sperm Bank of China from January 1, 2018, to May 1, 2021. We included a total of 3231 qualified sperm donors: all donors underwent primary screening for thalassemia and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Whereafter, 278 of donors underwent genetic testing for specific genes, and 43 donors underwent whole exome sequencing. Results: 2.4% of 3231 qualified sperm donors might have thalassemia and 1.4% might have G6PD deficiency. Sperm donors with thalassemia and G6PD deficiency would be eliminated. Specific gene testing identified 7 of the 278 donors (2.5%) as carriers of at least one pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in a gene, including 1.9% of 154 donors (3/154) as carrier variants in α-Like or ß-Like globin genes, 17.6% of 17 donors (3/17) as carrier variants in GJB2, 12.5% of 8 donors (1/8) as carrier variants in SMN1. In addition, among the 43 sperm donors carrying the 111 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants, eight (18.6%) were carriers of pathogenic variants of the GJB2 gene. The frequency, therefore, was approximately 1 in 5. Conclusions: The data suggest that used blood routine and RDT can make a preliminary screening of sperm donors, and special gene testing should be performed for sperm donors according to the regional incidence of specific genetic diseases. Meanwhile, whole exome sequencing can be used as a supplementary application in sperm donor genetic testing, and aid a successful and healthy pregnancy. However, industry guidelines must be modified to incorporate its use.

Diurnal rhythm of human semen quality: analysis of large-scale human sperm bank data and timing-controlled laboratory study.

STUDY QUESTION: Can we identify diurnal oscillations in human semen parameters as well as peak times of semen quality? SUMMARY ANSWER: Human semen parameters show substantial diurnal oscillation, with most parameters reaching a peak between 1100 and 1500 h. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: A circadian clock appears to regulate different physiological functions in various organs, but it remains controversial whether diurnal rhythms occur in human semen parameters. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: The medical record of a provincial human sperm bank (HSB) with 33 430 semen samples collected between 0800 and 1700 h from 1 March 2010 to 8 July 2015 was used to analyze variation in semen parameters among time points. A laboratory study was conducted to collect semen samples (n = 36) from six volunteers at six time points with identical time intervals (2 days plus 4 h) between 6 June and 8 July in 2019, in order to investigate the diurnal oscillation of semen parameters in vivo, with a strictly controlled abstinence period. Therefore, the sperm bank study with a large sample size and the in vivo study with a strictly controlled abstinence period in a 24-h time window could be compared to describe the diurnal rhythms in human semen parameters. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Samples were obtained from potential HSB donors and from participants in the laboratory study who were volunteers, recruited by flyers distributed in the community. Total sperm count, sperm concentration, semen volume, progressive motility and total motility were assessed using computer-aided sperm analysis. In addition, sperm chromatin integrity parameters (DNA fragmentation index and high DNA stainability) were assessed by the sperm chromatin structure assay, and sperm viability was measured with flow cytometry in the laboratory study. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The 33 430 samples from the HSB showed a temporal variation in total sperm count, sperm concentration, semen volume, progressive motility and total motility (all P < 0.001) between 0800 and 1700 h. Consequently, the eligibility of semen samples for use in ART, based on bank standards, fluctuated with time point. Each hour earlier/later than 1100 h was associated with 1.14-fold risk of ineligibility. Similarly, the 36 samples taken during the 24-h time window showed diurnal oscillation. With the pre-collection abstinence period strictly controlled, most semen parameters reached the most favorable level between 1100 and 1500 h. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Some of the possible confounding factors, such as energy intake, which might influence semen quality or diurnal rhythms, were not adjusted for in the analyses. In addition, the findings should be considered with caution because the study was conducted in a specific population, time and place, while the timing of oscillations could differ with changing conditions. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The findings could help us to estimate semen quality more precisely and to obtain higher quality sperm for use in ART and in natural conception. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81871208) and National Key R&D Program of China (2017YFC1002001). There are no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

[Role of full-time nurses in reception of sperm donors in the sperm bank].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the necessity of reception of sperm donors by full-time nurses in the sperm bank by analyzing the efficiency of sperm donation before and after staffing Guangdong Sperm Bank (GSB) with full-time nurses. METHODS: We selected 9 712 qualified sperm donors in GSB from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2021 and compared the efficiency of sperm donation before and after staffing GSB with full-time nurses. RESULTS: After staffing GSB with full-time nurses, the proportion of qualified sperm donors screened from the quasi-qualified ones was dramatically increased from 66.2% (1 230/1 858) to 77.1% (3 252/4 218) (P < 0.01), that of HIV re-examinees after 6-month suspension from sperm donation increased from 84.6% (137/162) to 93.4% (599/641) (P < 0.01), and that of the candidate donors lost to follow-up during the screening period decreased from 23.2% (831/3 583) to 21.3% (1 308/6 129) (P = 0.034). CONCLUSION: After Guangdong Sperm Bank was staffed with full-time nurses for reception of sperm donors, the proportion of the candidate donors lost to follow-up was reduced and the efficiency of sperm donation was significantly improved. Individualized psychological intervention for the sperm donors by the nurses could dispel the worries of the donors and improve the compliance and efficiency of sperm donation.

[Causes of failure in autologous sperm preservation in the human sperm bank and countermeasures].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the causes of failure in autologous sperm cryopreservation (ASCP) in the human sperm bank and propose some countermeasures to improve the success rate of ASCP and promote it in human sperm banks. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the reasons for and causes of failure in ASCP 1 156 males undergoing ASCP in the Human Sperm Bank of Guangdong Province from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019. RESULTS: Of the 1 156 cases of ASCP, 857 (74.1%) succeeded and 299 (25.9%) failed, with a failure rate of 56.1% (96/171) in the microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) group, 29.9% (67/224) in the reproduction insurance group, 21.2% (27/100) in the non-tumor disease group and 17.2% (109/525) in the tumor group, with statistically significant difference between the four groups (χ2 = 109.926, P < 0.01). The causes of failed ASCP included failure to extract semen (14.0% ï¼»42/299ï¼½), failure to meet the standard of sperm cryopreservation (67.6% ï¼»202/299ï¼½), giving up ASCP for low semen quality (7.4% ï¼»22/299ï¼½), and giving up ASCP for some other reasons (11.0% ï¼»33/299ï¼½), including worry about the reliability of cryopreservation technology (6.0% ï¼»18/299ï¼½), suspicion about the complexity of the ASCP procedures (3.0% ï¼»9/299ï¼½) and expectation for fertility recovery after chemotherapy withdrawal (2.0% ï¼»6/299ï¼½). CONCLUSIONS: In view of different causes of failure in ASCP, human sperm banks can provide individualized cryopreservation schemes, including guidance with masturbation or the use of sperm extraction instrument in sperm extraction, strengthening sperm preservation-related education and the awareness of reproduction protection and earlier sperm preservation among cancer patients, promoting the cryopreservation of microsamples of motile sperm by microsample or single sperm freezing, and development of testis tissue cryopreservation to preserve the fertility of children with cancer.

[Characterization of the men undergoing autologous sperm preservation in Chongqing Human Sperm Bank].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of the males undergoing autologous sperm preservation (ASP), and provide some reference for human sperm banks to offer targeted service for those undergoing ASP. METHODS: We statistically analyzed the demographic features, reasons for ASP, and other relevant factors of the men applying for ASP in Chongqing from January 2016 to December 2019. RESULTS: Within 4 years, a total of 76 males applied for ASP, of whom about 63.2% came from Chongqing, 52.6% were aged 20－30 years old, 51.3% were undergraduates or above, 36.8% worked in government offices and public institutions, 61.9% were unmarried, nearly 80% acted by the doctor's advice, and 59.2% did it due to diseases, mainly including testis cancer, lymphoma and colon cancer, particularly before radio- or chemotherapy. Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) was successfully performed in 61 (80.3%) of the males. Of the 355 semen samples obtained, 83.1% were found with normal semen parameters, 60.5% cryopreserved successfully, and 4.3% of the frozen samples used for assisted reproduction. CONCLUSIONS: ASP is comparatively a novel practice, with only a few participants. Full use of the aggregation characteristics of the population undergoing ASP should be made, and targeted service provided for the key subjects identified so as to benefit more people in need.

[Correlation of seminal plasma biochemical indexes with routine semen parameters in sperm donors].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of seminal plasma biochemical indexes with routine semen parameters and that between seminal plasma biochemical indexes. METHODS: Using the automatic biochemical analyzer, we measured the contents of neutral α-glucosidase (NAG), fructose hexokinase (Fru) , citric acid (CA), acid phosphatase (ACP), (zinc) Zn, uric acid (UA), lactase dehydrogenase (LDH) and α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (α-HBDH) in the seminal plasma of 84 sperm donors in the Human Sperm Bank of Hebei Province. We analyzed the correlation between these indexes and that between routine semen parameters and these indexes. RESULTS: Sperm concentration and total sperm count were correlated positively with the contents of seminal plasma NAG, ACP, Zn, CA, LDH and α-HBDH (P<0.05) but negatively with Fru (P<0.05), the percentage of progressively motile sperm positively with seminal plasma Zn (P<0.05), and CA positively with NAG, Zn, LDH, α-HBDH and ACP (P<0.01) but negatively with Fru (P<0.01), NAG positively with Zn, LDH, α-HBDH and ACP (P<0.05) but Fru negatively with ACP (P<0.01), Zn positively with LDH, α-HBDH and ACP (P<0.01), and LDH positively with α-HBDH and ACP (P<0.01) but UA negatively with ACP (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Biochemical indexes in the seminal plasma of healthy men are not only closely related to each other, but also to some routine semen parameters.

Sperm cryopreservation in adolescents with cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether sperm banking is under-used in adolescents with cancer. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed our 33 years long experience of semen cryopreservation and identified male subjects with cancer aged 14-21 years who banked their sperm. We hypothesized as a referring model a constant rate of referral in every age category (uniform distribution). In addition, we evaluated whether the distribution of the referrals per age varied according to historical periods and compared semen quality in the different age groups. RESULTS: Overall, 317 subjects were selected. A sharp increase with age emerged (p < 0.001): the number of cases augmented from 4 at age 14 years to 79 at age 21 years. This significant increase persisted even when focussing only on subjects older than 16-18 years. An improvement of the distribution of cases per age group emerged when limiting the analysis to the last decade of activity; however, the increase remained significant (p < 0.001). Finally, we investigated whether semen quality differed according to age groups and failed to show marked differences, suggesting that sperm banking even at the youngest ages could be of potential benefit. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that sperm banking is under-used in adolescents with cancers. Future studies should better clarify the determinants of this low referral and identify interventions that can improve the situation.

Sperm banking before gonadotoxic treatment: is it worth the effort?

We aimed to compare the sperm quality in different cancer types and benign diseases before gonadotoxic treatment, and assess the usage rate of cryopreserved sperm for assisted reproductive treatment (ART). This retrospective study was conducted at two university clinics between January 2008 and July 2018. A total of 545 patients suffering from cancer or benign diseases were included in the study. The pretreatment sperm analyses were based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Patients with testicular malignancy (TM) showed a significantly lower sperm count (median [interquartile range]: 18.7 × 106 [5.3 × 106-43.0 × 106] ml-1; P = 0.03) as well as total sperm count (42.4 × 106 [13.3 × 106-108.5 × 106] per ejaculate; P = 0.007) compared to other malignant and benign diseases. In addition, patients with nonseminomatous TM showed the lowest sperm count (14.3 × 106 [6.0 × 106-29.9 × 106] ml-1, vs seminomas: 16.5 × 106 [4.6 × 106-20.3 × 106] ml-1; P = 0.001). With reference to the WHO 2010 guidelines, approximately 48.0% of the patients with TM and 23.0% with hematological malignancies (HM) had oligozoospermia. During the observation period, only 29 patients (5.3%) used their frozen sperms for 48 ART cycles, resulting in 15 clinical pregnancies and 10 live births. The sperm quality varies with the type of underlying disease, with TM and HM patients showing the lowest sperm counts. Due to the observed low usage rate of cryopreserved sperm, further patient interviews and sperm analyses should be included in the routine oncologic protocols to avoid unnecessary storage expenses. However, sperm banking is worth the effort as it provides hope for men who cannot reproduce naturally after gonadotoxic treatment.

Impact of a novel family-centered values clarification tool on adolescent sperm banking attempts at the time of a new cancer diagnosis.

PURPOSE: Over half of males experience fertility impairment after childhood cancer therapy, which often causes psychosocial distress. Yet, fertility preservation (FP) remains underutilized. The goals of this study were to determine the feasibility and impact of implementing a family-centered FP values clarification tool on sperm banking attempts among adolescent males newly diagnosed with cancer, and identify key determinants of banking attempts. METHODS: A prospective pilot study was conducted among families of males (12-25 years old), prior to cancer therapy. Thirty-nine of 41 families agreed to participate (95%); 98 participants (32 adolescents, 37 mothers, 29 fathers) completed the Family-centered Adolescent Sperm banking values clarification Tool (FAST). Analyses assessed the impact of the FAST on banking attempts and examined associations between demographic/medical characteristics, FAST subscales (perceived threat, benefits, barriers), and banking attempts. RESULTS: Twenty-three (59%) adolescents attempted to bank, compared to 8 adolescents (33%) during baseline assessment (p=.04). Significant associations were identified between banking attempts and adolescents' report of perceived threat (rpb=.45, p=.01) and benefits (rpb=.57, p=.01). Only mothers' proxy reports of adolescent perceived threat (rpb=.42, p=.01) and benefits (rpb=.47, p=.003) were associated with banking attempts, while fathers' self-reported perceived benefits (rpb=.43, p=.03), self-reported barriers (rpb=.49, p=.01), and proxy reports of adolescent perceived threat (rpb=.38, p=.04) and benefits (rpb=.59, p=.02) were associated with banking attempts. CONCLUSION: Adolescent sperm banking attempt rates significantly increased after implementation of a family-centered FP values clarification tool prior to cancer treatment. Findings underscore the importance of targeting both adolescents and their parents, particularly fathers, in FP efforts.

Analysis of the screening results of 24040 potential sperm donors in a human sperm bank in Henan Province, China: a 14-year retrospective cohort study.

STUDY QUESTION: Is there a relation between the characteristics of potential sperm donors and the acceptance rate of these potential donors? SUMMARY ANSWER: A relatively higher acceptance rate was observed for potential sperm donors who were aged ≤ 35 years, were married, had children, and who had received higher education, and acceptance rates were also higher during spring and winter than summer and autumn. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Recruiting donors to a sperm bank program is difficult and slow owing to the high rates of rejection and dropout. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: A total of 24040 potential sperm donors were screened by the Henan Human Sperm Bank from 2006 to 2019. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Potential sperm donors were recruited using the following baseline requirement: height of 168 cm or taller; age 22-45 years; currently attending or had graduated from high school or above. Men who met the criteria for age, height, and education level were invited for semen quality screening. The acceptable criteria for semen samples included liquefaction time < 60min, volume ≥ 2mL, sperm concentration ≥ 60 × 106/mL, progressive motility ≥ 60%, post-thaw motility ≥ 40%, pre-freezing total motile sperm per vial > 30 × 106/mL, post-thaw total motile sperm per vial > 12 × 106/mL, and freeze-thaw survival rate ≥ 60%. Any potential sperm donors meeting the minimum criteria for acceptable semen quality on two consecutive semen samples were scheduled for clinical assessment, physical examination, and laboratory tests. The reasons for sperm donor rejection were analyzed. The characteristics of accepted and rejected donors were compared using the chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with the acceptance rate of potential sperm donors and the positive rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Only 23.38% (5620/24040) of potential sperm donors were accepted. The top four reasons for rejection were suboptimal semen quality (90.27%), STDs (6.26%), dropped out (2.65%), and chromosomal abnormalities (0.35%). The most common reason for the rejection of donors with an STD was a positive test for mycoplasmas (49.05%), followed by hepatitis B virus (27.56%), Chlamydia trachomatis (4.68%), and Escherichia coli (3.03%). n this study, the acceptance rate for men aged ≤ 35 years was significantly higher than that for men aged >35 years (P < 0.05). The acceptance rates were also significantly higher for men with a higher education than for men with lower education, married men than unmarried men, and men with children than men without children (P < 0.05). Moreover, acceptance rates were significantly higher during spring and winter than during summer (P <0.05) but were not significantly higher during autumn than during summer (P >0.05). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: This study was not performed to analyze the effect of lifestyle habits, such as alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking, on the acceptance rate of potential sperm donors. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Only a small proportion of potential sperm donors were accepted in this anonymous sperm donor program. New strategies for sperm donor recruitment may be required to improve the acceptance rate. In the future, we may have to target potential sperm donors who are aged ≤ 35 years and who received higher education in order to improve the acceptance rate. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This work was supported by the Joint Construction Project of Henan Medical Science and Technology Research Plan under grant number LHGJ20190389. The authors report no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Risks associated with cryopreserved semen in a human sperm bank during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the risks associated with cryopreserved semen collected during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic wave in Wuhan, China? DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study involving young adult men who were qualified sperm donors at the Hunan Province Human Sperm Bank (China) during the pandemic wave (1 January 2020 to 30 January 2020) and after the wave and return to work (7 April 2020 to 30 May 30 2020). One hundred paired semen and blood specimens from 100 donors were included. One-step single-tube nested quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (OSN-qRT-PCR) was used to detect SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, to control the unacceptable risk of false-negative results, a second round of screening was performed with pooled RNA from negative semen samples using crystal digital PCR (cd-PCR). RESULTS: For individual blood and semen samples, the target genes, namely the nucleocapsid protein (N) and open reading frame (ORF-1ab) genes, tested negative in all of the 100 paired samples. Further, as per cd-PCR results, there were >20,000 droplets per well in the RNA for each combined sample and no positive droplets were present for either of the aforementioned target genes. A total of 100 paired semen and blood samples from these two groups tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS: Cryopreserved semen at the Hunan Province Human Sperm Bank during and after the COVID-19 pandemic wave was free of SARS-CoV-2 and was judged safe for external use in the future.

Sperm cryopreservation during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

PURPOSE: Sperm cryopreservation is fundamental in the management of patients undergoing gonadotoxic treatments. Concerns have risen in relation to SARS-CoV-2 and its potential for testicular involvement, since SARS-CoV-2-positive cryopreserved samples may have unknown effects on fertilization and embryo safety. This study therefore aimed to analyze the safety of sperm cryopreservation for cancer patients after the onset of the pandemic in Italy, through assessment of the risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and viral RNA testing of semen samples. METHODS: We recruited 10 cancer patients (mean age 30.5 ± 9.6 years) referred to our Sperm Bank during the Italian lockdown (from March 11th to May 4th 2020) who had not undergone a nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 testing. Patients were administered a questionnaire on their exposure to COVID-19, and semen samples were taken. Before cryopreservation, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was extracted from a 150 µl aliquot of seminal fluid in toto using QIAamp viral RNA kit (Qiagen) and amplified by a real time RT PCR system (RealStar SARS-CoV2 RT PCR, Altona Diagnostics) targeting the E and S genes. RESULTS: The questionnaire and medical interview revealed that all patients were asymptomatic and had had no previous contact with COVID-19 infected patients. All semen samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. CONCLUSION: This preliminary assessment suggests that a thorough evaluation (especially in the setting of a multidisciplinary team) and molecular confirmation of the absence of SARS-CoV-2 in seminal fluid from asymptomatic cancer patients may assist in ensuring the safety of sperm cryopreservation.