Evaluation of zinc in blood, semen and their relationship to sperm quality among males attending infertility clinic in Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the sperm quality among adult males attending infertility clinic at the Kenyatta National Hospital; To determine zinc concentration in the seminal plasma and the relationship to sperm quality among the study population; To determine zinc concentration in Blood serum and the relationship to sperm quality among the study population.
Design: This was a cross-sectional study in which participants were picked as they randomly attended infertility clinic.
Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital Infertility clinic
Participants: 277 Male adults aged 18-65 years.
Interventions: Semen and blood was collected from every participant. Semenalysis, Zinc and Testosterone levels were determined by Microscopy,
Flame Atomic absorption spectrometry and immunoassay respectively.
Results: Zinc levels showed positive correlation with sperm motility, normal morphology, count (concentration), and volume. Blood Zinc levels and sperm concentration (r =0.168, p =0.035). Zinc concentration in semen and normal sperm morphology (r= 0.198, P= 0.013). Positive correlation between semen Zinc-C and sperm motility (r =0.186 P=0.020). Zinc-T and sperm volume (r =0.387, p =0.000), sperm motility (r =0.162, p =0.043) and normal sperm morphology (r =0.152, p = 0.050).
Conclusions: Zinc assay should be considered as routine tests in management of male infertility especially where abnormalities are on motility, morphology, sperm concentration and semen volume. Secondly Ministry of Health Kenya, needs to pay special attention to micronutrient malnutrition especially Zinc among the adult males.