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Semen Analysis
Published in Botros Rizk, Ashok Agarwal, Edmund S. Sabanegh, Male Infertility in Reproductive Medicine, 2019
Meaghanne K. Caraballo, Alyssa M. Giroski, Rakesh Sharma, Ashok Agarwal
Semen samples should ideally be collected after abstaining from ejaculation for a minimum of 2 days but not more than 1 week [3]. Longer abstinence times can result in hyperspermia or a semen volume greater than 5 mL. When the patient is instructed to provide a semen sample, they should be given the appropriate instructions to ensure that the semen sample is collected properly and free of contaminants that may affect semen quality [4]. It is recommended that semen samples be collected via masturbation only into a sterile, wide-mouthed plastic container. Samples collected via coitus interruptus should not be accepted because they will be contaminated with cellular debris and bacteria. One of the major concerns with this method of collection is that the first portion of ejaculate, which usually contains the highest concentration of spermatozoa, is lost. Additionally, the acidic pH of the vaginal fluid can adversely affect sperm motility. In special cases, patients may use a specialized collection condom, such as a MaleFactor-Pak. These types of condoms are made of inert polyurethane and do not contain spermicides and, therefore, maintain semen motility. No lubricants or saliva should be used in the collection process because they may adversely affect the sample quality. Immediately after collection, semen samples should undergo a standard liquefaction period. If the patient collects off site, the sample must be delivered to the laboratory within 1 hour of collection. It must be kept at body temperature to protect against temperature fluctuations. After 60 minutes, sperm motility may be compromised [2] and, thus, it is recommended that the analysis be performed as soon as possible after liquefaction has occurred.
The First Ejaculation: A Male Pubertal Milestone Comparable to Menarche?
Published in The Journal of Sex Research, 2020
Why would a trigger for a first ejaculation be necessary—why not solely ejaculate during intercourse? There are at least two conceivable reasons: to release excess spermatozoa and genital fluid from the body, and to release sexual tension in the brain. Levin (1975) proposed that masturbation and nocturnal emission occur to minimize hyperspermia (sperm dilution) and teratospermia (abnormal sperm), thus ensuring optimal semen content is ready for intercourse. Baker and Bellis (1993) supported Levin’s notion by finding that ejaculation outside of intercourse reduces the overall number of older decrepit sperm inseminated during intercourse while the amount of sperm retained by the female is unaffected, thus improving overall sperm fitness. Other than an adaptive benefit to releasing excess sperm, solitary ejaculation during adolescence may be a necessary expression of sexuality amid a yearning for sexual intercourse. Research on this latter notion is lacking, though masturbation has been suggested as being important for healthy psychosexual development (Coleman, 2002).