Sheila M. Walker

The effect of Ureaplasma urealyticum on semen characteristics

Semen samples from 280 men were cultured for Ureaplasma. The presence of Ureaplasma in the male genital tract did not affect ejaculate volume, motility, viability, or morphology. Sperm concentration was significantly lower in the presence than in the absence of Ureaplasma. The longevity of sperm as evaluated by sperm motility and viability at different intervals of time was also not influenced by the presence of Ureaplasma. Biochemical parameters, namely zinc, magnesium, acid phosphatase, and fructose were not affected by the presence of Ureaplasma. No relationship of Ureaplasma with sperm antibodies, aerobic infection, or anaerobic infection was observed.

The role of mycoplasmas in reproduction

A study of the incidence of genital tract mycoplasmas in couples attending an infertility clinic and in a group of pregnant women showed that the frequency of isolation was significantly higher in the infertile group (P less than 0.001). In pregnancy, if mycoplasmas were isolated at the first prenatal visit, these organisms were harbored throughout pregnancy. Five percent of the women, however, developed the infection during pregnancy. No relationship was observed of female genital mycoplasmas with prematurity or babies small for gestational age. Treatment with doxycycline (Vibramycin, Pfizer Ltd., Sandwich, Kent, UK) was effective in eradicating mycoplasmas in 91% of couples, but the subsequent pregnancy rates in treated and untreated groups were similar. It appears that mycoplasmas are implicated neither in the etiology of reproductive failure nor in a poor pregnancy outcome.

Use of sputolysin for liquefaction of viscid human semen

A comparative study evaluating the effect of different mucolytic agents on viscid semen and on sperm motility at successive time intervals was carried out. Sputolysin (dithiothreitol, Calbiochem Behring, 1978) was found to be most efficient in liquefying viscid semen and also in preserving sperm motility. The mean liquefaction times for Sputolysin, Alevaire (a mucolytic detergent), and alpha-amylase were found to be 10 minutes, 39 minutes, and 20 minutes, respectively. The rate of decline in sperm motility over an interval of 24 hours was found to be least with Sputolysin, followed in order by phosphate-buffered saline, alpha-amylase, control, and Alevaire. The adverse effect of Alevaire on sperm motility over successive time intervals was quite marked. A serial dilution study with Sputolysin showed that, at higher dilution (1:80), liquefaction time was prolonged (24 minutes), but it was still shorter than with Alevaire (39 minutes) and nearly the same as with alpha-amylase (20 minutes).

CONTROLLED TRIAL OF BROMOCRIPTINE, QUINŒSTROL, AND PLACEBO IN SUPPRESSION OF PUERPERAL LACTATION

2-bromo-alpha-ergocryptine (bromocriptine) in a dosage of 2-5 mg twice daily caused a rapid fall in plasma prolactin. It was more effective than either a single dose of 4 mg quinoestrol or a placebo in suppressing puerperal lactation, as judged by milk flow and the relief of breast pain and congestion. Patients who received quinoestrol were more comfortable than those who received placebo.

Seminal Acid Phosphatase in Relation to Fertility

In a study involving 176 males attending an infertility clinic and 88 controls awaiting elective vasectomy, the semen acid phosphatase activity was found to be significantly higher in the former group (p <0.001). However, no definite relationship of semen acid phosphatase level to ejaculate volume, sperm motility, viability, morphology, seminal zinc, magnesium or fructose was observed in either group. The distribution of acid phosphatase in the males attending the infertility clinic, unlike that of the controls, was found to be bimodal. 32 presumably infertile males had acid phosphatase values exceeding the control mean±2 SD. These 32 nevertheless did not have a significantly different mean ejaculate volume, sperm motility, morphology or viability, when compared with the group with normal acid phosphatase levels. Causes of the bimodal distribution of concentrations of acid phosphatase are discussed.

RATE OF FALL IN PLASMA PROGESTERONE AND TIME TO ABORTION FOLLOWING INTRA‐AMNIOTIC INJECTION OF PROSTAGLANDIN F2α WITH OR WITHOUT UREA, IN THE SECOND TRIMESTER OF HUMAN PREGNANCY

Progesterone concentrations have been determined in a total of 175 peripheral plasma samples obtained serially from 20 women undergoing mid‐trimester abortion. In ten patients abortion was induced by intra‐amniotic administration of 50 mg. of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) alone; in ten others it was induced with 50 mg. of intra‐amniotic PGF2α with 80 g. of urea. Mean instillation‐abortion intervals were 29.0 hours in the group receiving PGF2α alone and 12.1 hours in the groups receiving PGF2α and urea. In eight of the patients treated with PGF2α and urea, and in four of those treated with PGF2α alone, there were significant decreases in progesterone level (determined by calculation of correlation coefficients) during the instillation‐abortion interval. When plotted against instillation‐abortion times, calculated rates of decrease in peripheral plasma progesterone levels showed a statistically significant regression (p<0.05). This indicates that progesterone levels drop most rapidly in patients with shorter instillation‐abortion times. There was no relationship between initial progesterone levels and instillation‐abortion times.