Relationship between The Addition of Glutathione to Sperm Freezing Medium and Cryosurvival Rate of Sperm Motility and Viability in Asthenozoospermic Patients

ABSTRACTObjective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the addition of Glutathione to sperm freezing medium and cryosurvival rate of sperm motility and viability in asthenozoospermic patients.Methodology: fifty nine semen samples of asthenozoospermic patients were obtained from the male partner of infertile couples attending the fertility center of al-sadder medical teaching city in Al-Najaf during the period 1st October 2016 until 1st March 2017.Each semen sample was divided into four equal parts, volume of each part is 0.5 ml: first part (before activation), second part (after activation), third part (cryopreservation with sperm freezing medium for one month), and fourth part (cryopreservation with sperm freezing medium plus glutathione for one month ) .Sperm concentration , sperm progressive motility, sperm viability and sperm normal morphology were counted in first two parts, cryosurvival rate of sperm motility, viability was counted in third and fourth parts .Statistical analysis of the study performed by using Independent t-test and paired test to assess the differences between two groups .Results: After sperm activation by using the swim up technique ,the study results showed significant increase (P < 0.01) of progressive sperm motility, normal sperm morphology and sperm viability, while there were a significant decrease (P < 0.01) of sperm concentration. cryosurvival rate of sperm motility and viability were significant decrease (p < 0.01) after cryopreservation and thawing processes while the results were revealed significant improvement in cryosurvival rate of sperm motility, and viability ( p < 0.01 ) after the addition of glutathione to the sperm freezing medium.Conclusion: it can conclude from this study that addition of glutathione to sperm freeze medium improves. (p < 0.01) cryosurvival rate of sperm motility and viability during cryopreservation and thawing processes . Recommendations: the study recommended to addition 50 microliter of glutathione to sperm freezing media in concentration 1 mM .