Effect of pelvic fluid from endometriosis patients on human sperm penetration of zona-free hamster ova

Peritoneal fluid (PF) samples from fertile women, infertile women without signs of endometriosis, and infertile women with endometriosis were examined for effects on motility of normal spermatozoa and for effects on their fertilizing capacity as measured by the interspecies penetration test (ISPT). All unheated peritoneal fluid samples caused rapid destructive changes in the female hamster gametes, presumably due to the presence of unidentified serum components, and caused clumping of spermatozoa but no change in sperm motility. Heat-treated fluid samples were therefore used in subsequent experiments to assess their effect on the ISPT. The mean penetration rate for fertile women was 58%; for infertile women without endometriosis, 55%; and 54% for infertile women with endometriosis. The differences between the penetration rates in these patient groups were not significant. No adverse thus found on the fertilizing capacity of fertile spermatozoa.