Abstract Presented at the 28th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Andrology and Andrology Lab Workshops - April 2, 2003.
Effects of New Intimate Moisturizer on Sperm Motility
JE Ellington1 PhD; RA Short2 PhD; & J Schimmels1
1INGfertility, Spokane, WA and 2Health Research Center, Washington State University, Spokane, WA
Numerous publications cite the deleterious effect of existing commercial lubricants on sperm motility. Additionally, 75% of trying-to-conceive couples have an increased incidence of vaginal dryness. This study compared motility parameters for human sperm (n=25 ejaculates) cultured for 30 min in HTF media with HSA (control), to which either 10% KY Jelly; 10% Astroglide; 10% FemGlide (marketed as “sperm compatible”); or 10% Pre~Seed (specifically developed to not harm sperm) were added.
| Treatment |
% Progressive
Motility |
VSL
(µm/s) |
VCL
(µm/s) |
VAP
(µm/s) |
| Control |
100a |
53 (2)a |
89 (3)a |
59 (2)a |
| KY |
62 (6)b |
37 (2)b |
67 (2)b |
40 (2)b |
| FemGlide |
92 (4)c |
44 (4)c |
79 (3)c |
50 (4)c |
| PreSeed |
100 (5)a |
51 (2)a |
79 (2)c |
56 (3)a,c |
| Astroglide |
<5 |
NA |
NA |
NA |
a,b,c Superscripts show means (SEM) within a column that differ at p<0.05.
Due in part to viscosity change, all lubricants slowed sperm velocity as compared to control medium. However, sperm in Pre~Seed retained motility equivalent to the control over the 30 min of culture, whereas sperm in the other lubricants had decreased motility (p<0.05). This effect was profound with Astroglide. Placed side by side, FemGlide and KY created a distinct barrier whereby sperm in raw semen had difficulty penetrating into the products (photos available). In contrast, sperm moved freely between raw semen and the Pre~Seed.
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