"Abnormal sperm" refers to sperm cells that have irregular shape, size, or movement, which can affect their ability to fertilize an egg and potentially lead to problems with fertility or conception.
Full definition
Higher levels of dietary folate in men have been related to the presence of
fewer abnormal sperm than in those men with a low intake of folate.
Non-obstructive azoospermia refers to no sperm in the semen because
of abnormal sperm production.
It is the first study to examine men's exposure to the chemicals during the teenage years and
abnormal sperm later in life, and suggests that the chemicals — banned in the United States but still lingering in soil, water and people — may contribute to male infertility.
The introduction of ICSI in 1992 revolutionized the treatment of couples with male factor infertility (infertility due to abnormal semen characteristics,
abnormal sperm function, or surgical sterilization), and made paternity possible for a large proportion of men with no measurable sperm count.
Male infertility accounts for about 30 to 50 percent of all infertility cases, and infertile men tend to have
abnormal sperm characteristics such as low sperm concentration, poor sperm movement, abnormal shape and size, and high levels of damage to the DNA.
«We treated couples where the husband had
very abnormal sperm, so it is not so surprising that in their sons the quality of their sperm had an impact on them,» explained lead researcher Dr. Andre Van Steirteghem, an emeritus professor at Vrije Universiteit in Brussels.
A study was made where researchers were feeding lab mice trans - fat acids and the results showed that the mice had lowered levels of testosterone, and not only that, they had
abnormal sperm morphology.
Infertile males may have
abnormal sperm cells, which are unable to travel all the way to the oviducts of the female, or can not penetrate the ovum for fertilization to occur.
Men with higher levels of DDE — a breakdown product of the pesticide DDT — and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were used in transistors and electronics, at 14 years old had higher rates
of abnormal sperm.
When
an abnormal sperm fertilizes an egg, it may cause birth defects or a miscarriage.
«The testes have a built - in cleaning system, so to speak, that gets rid of
the abnormal sperm,» Tash says.
Smoking and chewing tobacco can lower sperm count and increase the number of
abnormal sperm a man produces, while heavy drinking can also damage sperm quality.
But, these men usually have
abnormal sperm (for instance, sperm that are slow moving, deformed, or low in number).
Fertility problems: Men with hypothyroidism have a higher rate of
abnormal sperm and reduced sperm motility.
A 2008 UK study found that men with a higher body mass index (BMI) had smaller volumes of seminal fluid and a higher proportion of
abnormal sperm.