Evaluación de la fertilidad masculina en casa / Assessment of male fertility at home

La evaluación del factor masculino es obligada durante la consulta de una pareja a un especialista en fertilidad. Sin embargo, para muchos hombres el proceso de recolección de la muestra de semen en el laboratorio puede ser estresante, por lo que actualmente se encuentran disponibles pruebas caseras para el análisis seminal. El objetivo de esta revisión narrativa de la literatura es dar a conocer las pruebas que permiten valorar la calidad seminal en casa.En el mercado existen 11pruebas que proporcionan información sobre uno o 2parámetros seminales. Así mismo, se pueden encontrar pruebas que utilizan teléfonos inteligentes dando resultados de concentración y movilidad espermáticas, algunas utilizan los parámetros seminales estipulados por la Organización Mundial de la Salud y su precio se encuentra en un rango de USD 15 a USD 90; además de la privacidad y la comodidad, pueden revelar alteraciones en la calidad seminal de forma temprana. Entre sus limitaciones, se indican la poca información que proporcionan, además, la recolección y la manipulación pueden afectar los resultados. En conclusión, aunque las pruebas caseras pueden alertar tempranamente de alteraciones en la calidad seminal, no reemplazan el análisis exhaustivo del laboratorio, por lo que se pueden utilizar como un complemento en la evaluación del factor masculino.

Evaluation of the male factor is critical when a couple consults with a fertility specialist. However, for many men the process of collecting a semen sample for laboratory analysis can be stressful, which is why home semen tests are now available. This narrative review aimed to present the tests available to evaluate male fertility at home.Eleven tests on the market provide information on one or 2seminal parameters. Likewise, tests can be found that use smartphones to obtain sperm concentration and motility results; some use the parameters stipulated by the World Health Organization and their price range is between USD 15 and USD 90. They have the advantage of privacy and comfort.Their limitations include the fact that they provide little information, and that collection and handling can affect the results. In conclusion, home tests can be used in the first instance to reveal alterations in sperm quality, especially when there are risk factors. However, these tests are not a substitute for laboratory analysis, therefore they can be used as an adjunct in evaluating the male factor.

Are oxidative stress markers associated with unexplained male infertility?

Male infertility can be responsible for up to 20% of the cases attending fertility consultation facilities; nonetheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms that could explain it are still elusive. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate conventional and functional parameters of semen samples from patients who presented with male infertility of unknown origin. Conventional semen parameters and functional parameters (i.e. intracellular reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial membrane potential, sperm chromatin structure assay, sperm membrane lipid peroxidation and antioxidant capacity of seminal plasma) were evaluated on semen samples from 54 healthy donors, 23 patients with idiopathic infertility and 34 fertile controls. No significant differences were observed in the conventional seminal parameters between the fertile and infertile men. However, increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and DNA fragmentation were observed in the infertile patients compared to the fertile group. Alterations in intracellular ROS production and DNA fragmentation could be associated with male idiopathic infertility. These parameters could eventually distinguish both groups more accurately than the conventional parameters. Our current results are encouraging, and the efficacy of these parameters in the clinical settings needs to be further assessed to establish their predictive potential as a marker of unexplained male infertility.

[Colombian plants with spermicidal activity, new options in anticonception: brief review]. / Nuevas opciones en anticoncepción: posible uso espermicida de plantas colombianas.

Currently there exists increasing preoccupation concerning sexual and reproductive health among teenagers; in spite of the availability of different contraceptive methods, the number of undesired pregnancies is steadily increasing. Among the products presently available for birth control, spermicides are a means that can be totally controlled by the woman and are very reliable compared to other contraceptives in common use. However, they cause irritation in the vaginal epithelium due to their tensoactive effect on cellular membranes which might enhance the risk of acquiring sexually transmissible diseases. In searching for new alternatives, it was observed that a wide variety of plants have spermicidal activity. Hence it is interesting to consider potential contraceptives of vegetable origin, as they may constitute a key tool to prevent undesired pregnancies in general, and in particular in vulnerable groups such as teenagers and young women.

Nuevas opciones en anticoncepción: posible uso espermicida de plantas colombianas / Colombian plants with spermicidal activity, new options in anticonception: brief review

En la actualidad existe una creciente preocupación por la salud sexual y reproductiva de los adolescentes, ya que pese a la existencia de diferentes métodos anticonceptivos el número de embarazos no deseados va en aumento. Entre los productos disponibles se encuentran los espermicidas, que son un método totalmente controlado por la mujer y con características ventajosas respecto a los anticonceptivos de uso continuo, pero que tiene como desventaja la provocación de irritaciones en el epitelio vaginal debido a un efecto tensoactivo sobre la membrana celular, lo que podría facilitar la transmisión de infecciones. En la búsqueda de nuevas alternativas, se ha encontrado que una amplia variedad de plantas tiene actividad espermicida, lo que permite pensar en una propuesta interesante para un anticonceptivo de origen vegetal, que constituya una herramienta clave en la prevención de embarazos no deseados e impacte en un grupo poblacional especialmente vulnerable, como lo son las adolescentes y las mujeres jóvenes

Currently there exists increasing preoccupation concerning sexual and reproductive health among teenagers; in spite of the availability of different contraceptive methods, the number of undesired pregnancies is steadily increasing. Among the products presently available for birth control, spermicides are a means that can be totally controlled by the woman and are very reliable compared to other contraceptives in common use. However, they cause irritation in the vaginal epithelium due to their tensoactive effect on cellular membranes which might enhance the risk of acquiring sexually transmissible diseases. In searching for new alternatives, it was observed that a wide variety of plants have spermicidal activity. Hence it is interesting to consider potential contraceptives of vegetable origin, as they may constitute a key tool to prevent undesired pregnancies in general, and in particular in vulnerable groups such as teenagers and young women

[Evaluation of the role of the monosaccharides, mannose and N-acetylglucosamine in the induction of the acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa]. / Evaluación de la reacción acrosomal en espermatozoides humanos inducida por los monosacáridos manosa y N-acetilglucosamina.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the role of the monosaccharides, mannose and N-acetylglucosamine in the induction of the acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa. METHODS: Each individual gave a semen sample, the samples were capacitated using bovien serum albumin; the analysis of the mannose and N-acetylglucosamine induced acrosome reaction was evaluated for fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The results obtained in the acrosomal reaction in the 10 samples evaluated by flow cytometry showed that only calcium ionophore A23187 induced acrosomal reaction (p < 0.001); in contrast, by fluorescence microscopy, was observed a statistically significant increase in the induced acrosomal reaction with mannose and N-acetylglucosamine (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The monosaccharides mannose and N-acetylglucosamine induces partial acrosomal reaction and it does not complete, therefore the spermatozoa due to partial acrosomal reaction and the morphologics modifications that suffer during that process is able to fertilize the oocyte.

Evaluación de la reacción acrosomal en espermatozoides humanos inducida por los monosacáridos manosa y N-acetilglucosamina / Evaluation of the role of the monosaccharides, mannose and N-acetylglucosamine in the induction of the acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa

Objetivo: El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar el papel de los monosacáridos, manosa y Nacetilglucosamina en la inducción de la reacción acrosomal en espermatozoides humanos. Método: Cada individuo donó una muestra de semen, la cual fue sometida al proceso de capacitación usando albúmina sérica bovina, posterior a lo cual se evaluó el porcentaje de espermatozoides que presentaban reacción acrosomal al estimularlos con manosa y N-acetilglucosamina, usando microscopía de fluorescencia y citometría de flujo. Resultados: Los resultados obtenidos en las 10 muestras evaluadas mediante citometría de flujo mostraron que sólo el ionóforo de calcio A23187 indujo reacción acrosomal (p<0,001); en contraste por microscopía de fluorescencia usando la lectina PSA-FITC, se observó un aumento estadísticamente significativo en la reacción acrosomal inducida con manosa y N-acetilglucosamina (p<0,001). Conclusiones: Los monosacáridos manosa y N-acetilglucosamina inducen reacción acrosomal parcial y no completa, por lo tanto el espermatozoide gracias a la reacción acrosomal parcial y a las modificaciones morfológicas que sufre durante ese proceso es capaz de fertilizar el oocito (AU)

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the role of the monosaccharides, mannose and N-acetylglucosamine in the induction of the acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa. Methods: Each individual gave a semen sample, the samples were capacitated using bovien serum albumin the analysis of the mannose and N-acetylglucosamine induced acrosome reaction was evaluated for fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Results: The results obtained in the acrosomal reaction in the 10 samples evaluated by flow cytometry showed that only calcium ionophore A23187 induced acrosomal reaction (p<0.001); in contrast, by fluorescence microscopy, was observed a statistically significant increase in the induced acrosomal reaction with mannose and N-acetylglucosamine (p<0.001). Conclusions: The monosaccharides mannose and N-acetylglucosamine induces partial acrosomal reaction and it does not complete, therefore the spermatozoa due to partial acrosomal reaction and the morphologics modifications that suffer during that process is able to fertilize the oocyte (AU)