Is there any requirement for IVF sperm?
IVF technology is a kind of assisted reproduction technology, which combines sperm and egg in the laboratory by artificial means, and then transfers the fertilized egg to the mother's uterus, so as to achieve pregnancy. As the key of this process, the quality and requirements of sperm are crucial for successful pregnancy. The sperm requirements of IVF will be described in detail in the following four aspects: sperm vitality, morphology, quantity and genetic quality.
Sperm motility
Sperm vitality refers to the swimming ability and activity of sperm. Generally speaking, spermatozoa need to have a high swimming ability, so that they can effectively pass through the female reproductive tract, reach the oviduct where the eggs are, and fertilize. The standard commonly used by hospitals is to require that the mobility rate of sperm should be more than 40%, and the mobility should be above grade B. Sperm viability can be assessed by semen sample testing. If the sperm vitality is too low, some auxiliary measures can be taken to improve the sperm vitality, such as using specific culture medium for sperm treatment and purification.
In addition, sperm vitality will also be affected by various factors, such as environmental pollution, alcohol and tobacco intake. Therefore, before IVF technology, men should pay attention to avoiding these bad habits to improve the quality of sperm.
Sperm morphology
Sperm morphology refers to the shape and structure of sperm. Normal sperm morphology will directly affect its fertilization ability. Some abnormal morphology may lead to sperm unable to successfully combine with eggs, thus affecting pregnancy. Generally speaking, the hospital requires that the proportion of normal sperm morphology should be more than 4%, otherwise it is considered as abnormal morphology. Sperm morphology can be evaluated by semen sample detection and microscopic observation.
If sperm morphology is abnormal, some auxiliary measures can be taken to correct it. For example, the sperm with normal morphology is separated by centrifugation and then combined with the egg. In addition, sperm morphology can be improved by improving living habits and reducing drinking and smoking.
Number of sperm
The number of sperm refers to the total number of sperm in semen. Generally speaking, the semen sample should contain enough sperm to increase the chance of successfully combining eggs. Hospitals usually require sperm density to be more than 1-1.5 billion/ml. The number of sperm can be determined by semen sample testing.
If the number of sperm is too low, it may lead to a decline in the fertilization rate. At this time, ultra micro fertilization technology or ICSI (single sperm injection) technology can be used to assist pregnancy. These techniques can accurately inject a small amount of sperm into the egg, improving the chance of successful fertilization.
Sperm genetic quality
The genetic quality of sperm refers to the genetic information carried by sperm. For some couples with a history of genetic diseases, it is particularly important to select the genetic quality of sperm. The hospital will carry out gene testing to exclude some sperm with high risk of genetic diseases, so as to increase the genetic safety of IVF.
The genetic quality of sperm will be affected by many factors, including diet, environment and personal genes. During pregnancy preparation, men can pay attention to the balance of diet, eat less food containing heavy metals, and avoid exposure to radiation and toxic chemicals to improve the genetic quality of sperm.
Summary
The sperm of IVF should be examined from four aspects: sperm vitality, morphology, quantity and genetic quality. Sperm motility and morphology are crucial to sperm fertilization ability, while sperm quantity and genetic quality affect the success rate and genetic safety of IVF. The hospital will evaluate sperm according to these requirements and select appropriate auxiliary measures to improve the success rate and health of IVF. During pregnancy preparation, men can also improve their living habits and pay attention to environmental factors to promote the improvement of sperm quality.
