New test assesses sperm function

Two new publications in the journal Molecular Reproduction and Development validate the usefulness of a test that determines if sperm can capacitate, a process that allows them to fertilize an egg.

The first paper validates the underlying technology of the test, called the Cap-Score Sperm Function Test, and demonstrates its accuracy, reproducibility, and precision.

The second paper reports on two studies. In a trial of men with unexplained infertility, men with Cap-Scores above a certain threshold had a 92% chance of conceiving by natural conception or within three cycles of intrauterine insemination. Conversely, men with lower Cap-Scores below had only a 21% chance. In a second trial that compared Cap-Scores from 76 fertile men with those from 122 men seeking semen analysis, 34% of men questioning their fertility had low Cap-Scores compared with 13% of fertile men.

"More accurate testing is the first step towards more effective treatments," said co-author Dr. Eric Seaman. "The Cap-Score Sperm Function Test can prove to be a game changer for physicians who treat infertility and for their patients."