The Effect of Peritoneal Fluid from the Infertility Patients with Low-grade Endometriosis on the Zone-free Hamster Oocyte Penetration test and Sperm Membrane

To study the effect of peritoneal fluid(PF) from women with endometriosis (EM) on sperm function, sperm membrane and DNA structure. Peritoneal fluid was collected at laparoscopy from patients with and without endometriosis (30 and 15). Human sperm was diluted with this fluid (1: 1 diluted) and its effect on sperm function, sperm membrane and DNA structure was measured with the zone-free hamster oocyte penetration test (HOP ), human hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOS) and effective sperm count (ESC). The mean number of oocytes penetrated and sperms attached to fertile oocyte in the sperm mixed with peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis was significantly smaller than that in the control group (P0. 01 ). Sperm mixed with peritoneal fluid from patients with endometriosis showed a significant decrease in HOS compared with the sperm mixed with peritoneal fluid from the control patients (P0. 05). When evaluated by ESC, there was no significant deference between the sperm mixed peritoneal fluid from the women with and without endometriosis. This study suggests that the peritoneal fluid from the patients with mild endometriosis could contribute to sperm fertility and sperm membrane structure related to infertility.