# Correlation of human sperm intracellular pH in non-normozoospermic men with fertilization rates in assisted reproduction procedures

## TL;DR

The study explores how sperm cell pH levels relate to fertilization success in men with abnormal sperm, suggesting pH could help predict outcomes in fertility treatments.

## Contribution

The study introduces the role of sperm intracellular pH in predicting fertilization success in non-normozoospermic men undergoing ART.

## Key findings

- Higher basal pHi and reduced delta pHi in ICSI cycles correlate with higher fertilization rates in teratozoospermia patients.
- pHi values differ significantly among diagnostic groups and vary by ART method.
- Sperm pHi could serve as a predictive tool for fertilization success in assisted reproduction.

## Abstract

Intracellular pH (pHi) in sperm cells plays a crucial role in various physiological processes, including motility, capacitation, and fertilization. While previous studies have shown a positive correlation between sperm pHi and fertilization success in normozoospermic patients undergoing fertility treatments, its role in non-normozoospermic individuals is unclear.

This study investigates the relationship between sperm pHi and fertilization outcomes in patients undergoing assisted reproduction techniques: in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Qualitative sperm pHi evaluation was performed using time-lapse flow cytometry, and both basal pHi and pHi response capacity (delta pHi) were assessed in sperm samples from patients diagnosed with teratozoospermia, asthenoteratozoospermia, or hypoteratozoospermia.

Our results revealed significant differences in pHi values among diagnostic groups and specific correlation patterns according to the ART used. In ICSI cycles, higher basal pHi values and reduced delta pHi were significantly associated with higher fertilization rates in patients with teratozoospermia, while in IVF, the correlations were more variable.

These findings suggest that measuring sperm pHi could potentially serve as a valuable tool for predicting fertilization success and guiding treatment decisions during assisted reproduction techniques (ART), contributing to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying male infertility.