CASA

Sperm or semen analysis is also known as a sperm count test. It checks the viability and health of the male sperm. We should clarify that semen is the fluid containing the sperm, along with sugar and other protein substances – and is released during ejaculation. The semen analysis measures three main factors of sperm health, including –

• The number of sperm present
• The shape of the sperm
• The movement or motility of the sperm

Usually, two or three tests are conducted to form an analysis of sperm health. Doctors recommend that tests are conducted seven days apart over two to three months. Male sperm count often varies on a daily basis, so only an average of the samples helps medical professionals arrive at an accurate conclusion.

Male fertility is largely dependent on the number of sperm moving forward fast, in a progressive manner. In a standard semen analysis, there is some sperm with no movement and some which move forth slowly or don’t go in a forward direction. These samples are not as likely to produce pregnancies easily.

When semen analyses get computerized, every sperm under the microscope comes under observation. Their path can be analyzed over a fraction of a second, and various parameters can be calculated accurately. Among the parameters calculated are-

• The overall percentage of motility for sperms showing movement.
• Rapid motility percentage for sperms traveling at 25 um/second or faster.
• Linearity percentage for sperms moving in straight-line paths.
• Progressive motility percentage for sperms moving fast and in a straight path.
• The average speed of all sperms within the field of view.
• Average lateral head displacement, which is essentially the distance that the sperm head ‘wiggles’ while moving.

When the sperm is placed under a microscope, it is observed that some have a normal appearance, while others have an abnormal appearance. Men with normal fertility will have a specific percentage of sperm with a normal appearance.

Over time, there have been several criteria and cutoffs to differentiate ‘normal’ from ‘abnormal’ sperms. While the standard set by the WHO (World Health Organization) has been followed so far, recent studies have shown that there is scope for greater accuracy. Thus, the medical community has shifted to ‘Strict Morphology’ or ‘Kruger Morphology,’ named after the man who created it.

Here, sperm is evaluated more closely, and there is a stricter criterion for what is normal. For example, earlier, men with 30-50% normal sperm would be considered okay, while Kruger’s method caps it at 14%. While technicians often do not analyze sperm morphology consistently, CASA takes this issue away, and the system has the added benefit of being validated by Kruger.

The parameters needed for CASA include –

• VAP or average path velocity
• VSL or straight-line velocity
• VCL or curvilinear velocity
• ALH or amplitude of lateral head
• BCF or beat cross frequency
• LIN or linearity
• STR or straightness

Two types of individuals are ideal for CASA. They include the ones who want to get tested for male fertility or the success of a vasectomy.

Since a semen analysis is important for a couple trying to get pregnant, the test helps the doctor understand whether the man is infertile. With the help of CASA, sperm count, dysfunction, and other infertility reasons become evident.

Vasectomy is a process where tubes sending sperm from testicles to the penis are cut and sealed as a permanent birth control measure. Often men who undergo the process take a CASA test to see if there’s any sperm in their semen. Doctors recommend monitoring once a month for three months after a vasectomy to see if sperm reappears in semen.

The benefits of CASA include –

• Quick analysis
• Completely reproducible with the same settings
• Highly detailed analysis
• Greater statistical power due to the objective analysis of several sperms

Computer technology evaluates the way sperm moves and how it appears. The computer observes the sperm under the magnifier and is ready to make a highly digitized image of every sperm by tracking its speed and the path it covers. It makes the process easier for humans to analyze and draw conclusions about fertility.

While the test process is simple enough where your semen is collected and put under the microscope, there are some ways you can prepare for it. Among them are –

• Avoiding ejaculation for 24-72 hours before the test
• Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and drugs like marijuana and cocaine two to five days before the test
• Avoiding herbal medications
• Avoiding hormone medications

Fortunately, the cost of a Semen analysis test is not too high in India. While the prices vary from state to state, the average is around Rs. 489 for males. At the lowest price you can get tested, you will have to pay Rs. 100, while at the most, you will have to pay Rs. 900.

There are some factors to consider when seeing the health of sperm. These include shape, count, and motility. As far as the count is concerned, an average of 15 million sperms for every milliliter of semen is healthy. If you have more, there’s no harm, but having lower than 15 million is a sign of unhealthy sperm.

Similarly, anything less than 40% of sperms being strong swimmers is cause for concern. Finally, healthy sperms have round heads and long, strong tails. If your sperm’s shape does not match this, then it is likely to be unhealthy.

1) Oysters
2) Pumpkin seeds
3) Dark, leafy vegetables
4) Oranges
5) Dark chocolates
6) Pomegranate juice
7) Salmon and sardines
8) Brazil nuts
9) Water

Sperm infections are mostly caused by bacteria, which originate from the urinary tracts of patients. Sometimes it might also be transmitted by the partner during sexual intercourse. It is often found that the microorganism present in males with genital tract infections or semen contamination is Escherichia coli.

Presumably, nobody wants to know whether they can consume their own sperm. But, semen is safe to ingest mostly and does contain protein. However, for it to be a potential protein source, one would have to consume gallons. It also contains other components like zinc, sodium, sugar- glucose and fructose, lactic acid, potassium, urea, among others. That said, sperm doesn’t have too many calories.

Some of the actual benefits of eating sperm are that it is a potent mood booster since it contains –

1) Endorphins
2) Estrone
3) Oxytocin
4) Prolactin
5) Serotonin
6) Hormone that releases thyrotropin

Some also believe sperm has stress-relieving properties. A controlled study in 2003 also showed that women exposed to this condition for a long time, before and after pregnancy, had lesser chances of developing preeclampsia, a rare pregnancy-related complication.

That said, ingesting sperm might put you at the risk of STIs, and in some rare cases, there might be allergies. The condition is known as human seminal plasma hypersensitivity (HSP).

Thus, sperm has its benefits and is undoubtedly crucial to the reproduction process. Thus, it is best to get the swimmers analyzed using the accurate and dependable CASA process in case of any complications.