Effect of Sample Collection Site on Semen Parameters of Healthy Young Volunteers

The effect of sample collection site on semen parameters in ten men aged between 22 and 24 years was investigated. Sperm was collected at two sites: in a university hospital restroom for general use and in a one-person hospital room. Samples were collected from the same individual twice, with an interval of two weeks between collections. Semen parameters for the two sites were compared. Samples were collected after a minimum of three days and not longer than seven days of sexual abstinence. Sperm concentration did not differ significantly between the university hospital restroom location (86.8 +/- 25.4 x 10(6)/ml; mean +/- standard deviation) and the private hospital room (97.1 +/- 72.0 x 10(6)/ml). There was no difference in the total motile sperm count or daily sperm production between the collection sites. These results suggest that the collection site has little effect on semen parameters.