Semen quality pattern and age threshold: a retrospective cross-sectional study of 71,623 infertile men in China, between 2011 and 2017

Table 3 Percentage of normal semen parameters in infertile men

Parameter	Normal semen parameters according to the recommendations (%) ^a	2011 (n = 6236)	2012 (n = 8529)	2013 (n = 10,205)	2014 (n = 11,809)	2015 (n = 12,331)	2016 (n = 11,075)	2017 (n = 11,438)	2011–2017 (n = 71,623)
Semen volume(ml)	WHO (4th)	79.69	81.58	80.66	78.49	82.43	80.79	83.93	81.17
Semen volume(ml)	WHO (5th)	85.17	88.51	85.73	87.58	90.52	89.16	91.75	88.63
Sperm concentration(10⁶/ml)	WHO (4th)	68.94	70.98	65.28	64.98	66.07	67.27	72.16	67.77
Sperm concentration(10⁶/ml)	WHO (5th)	70.36	72.13	68.43	68.62	71.51	70.82	75.65	71.12
Sperm total count (10⁶)	WHO (4th)	71.14	71.94	69.52	68.69	71.34	71.02	75.89	71.37
Sperm total count (10⁶)	WHO (5th)	71.29	72.26	69.71	68.84	71.56	71.18	76.11	71.58
Sperm progressive motility (PR) ^b	WHO (4th)	32.75	33.79	30.85	36.79	28.51	30.47	26.59	31.20
Sperm progressive motility (PR) ^b	WHO (5th)	73.22	69.56	68.47	67.56	75.61	69.91	67.89	70.22

^aAbnormal values of semen parameters were defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations (4th and 5th). The 4th standards: semen volume < 2 mL, sperm concentration < 20 × 10⁶/mL, sperm total count < 40 × 10⁶, sperm progressive motility(PR) < 50%. The 5th standards: semen volume < 1.5 mL, sperm concentration < 15 × 10⁶/mL, sperm total count < 39 × 10⁶, sperm progressive motility(PR) < 32%
^bAzoospermia were excluded

ISSN: 1477-7827