sBMYear=2025 and sBMMonth=2 sCurrentPeriodOrder=230 for period=February,2025 sFAID=0 Sperm Morphology First Page.
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230/February,2025
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How sperm Morphology works and how you can use it as an individual or as a clinc!
The REFERENCE data set.
1.
FertAid has operated an online EQA program since 2003 including a scheme for sperm morphology and is largely desiged for whe of clincactivity for competency and accreditation purposes. In contrast, SpermMorphology is desigened for INDIVIDUAL particpation.
2.
Each month, participants were shown an image of stained human spermatozoa and asked to specify whether each labeled spermatozoa were either Normal or Abnormal. Each month, one spermatozooon as nominated for a detailed description of each part of the sperm to identify the reason for their diagnosis.
3.
As a result, Fertaid contains a large database of individual spermatozoa where professional scientists over many years have scored it as normal or abnormal. A proportion of these also have a complete breakdown of each part of the sperm- head, acrosome, midpiece, tail, etc. The number of submissions will vary depending on the number of participants each year and the number of times, the image as displayed.
One key element is that FertAid allowed participants to enroll in the program as a trainee when their submissions were recorded BUT not included in the final diagnosis.
4.
An example of the stained morphology slide.
6.
SpermMorphology has then defined the CORRECT status for each sperm as NORMAL or ABORMAL based upon the % of replies for either option. By definition, if the number of diagnosis is 50% or more Normal then the sperm is deemed NORMAL. Likewise if less than 50% of diagnosis is normal the the spermatozoon is deemed ABNAORMAL
The data set can be seen here .
7.
In summary, most participants could identify cleary abnormal sperm as abnormal BUT there was a wide diversity in identifying normal sperm as normal. Make of this as your will but a general comment would be that for most semen analysis, the % normal forms may well be underreported!!
8.
SpermMorphology has divided the data set into two groups. Those that have a complete diagnosis from a data set called CHALLENGE and a second group that either only a Normal/Abnormal reply or no no data at all called SURVEY. These are images that are part of the FertAid pool but never used in the EQA program and there there is no data on their status.
9.
Sperm Morphology has developed TWO programs using these images and dataset to allow you to audit and improve your sperm morphology reporting skills.
10.
SpermMorphology has provided unrestricted access to 2 sets for familiarization of the routine.
11.
The CHALLENGE program is large number sperm where all the individual sperm features contains data and allows the user to compare how they see the spermatozoon to others. The aim is that one can slowly work your way through the spermatozoa either as a trainee or as a professional to compare how you assess the morphology compared to the reference data submissions.
The data set will include both the historical data plus any new submissions made within SpermMorphology. In other words the diagnosis of each sperm will contain to be upgraded!!
12
The SURVEY data set has been allocated to an ongoing program for users to maintain their skills both as a trainee or a professional. At present, 2 or more sperm are available each month for you the review. There is more planned for this activity in the future.
REPORTING.
1.
User can review each submission comparing their assessment against all replies (including trainees)l, professional or peer users for each question.
2.
Users can review their performance here
3.
The report itemises each spermatozoa according to whether your diagnosis agreed or disagreed with group diagnosis
4
A chi-sqaure summary puts a value on whether a user is in agreement with the reference material or has a bias towards over or under estimating normal spermatozoa
5.
The user can seperate the Challenge and the Survey submissions and the trainee and professional submission.
Registration and Payment
1.
You need to register with IVFEQA to complete the free trial tests.
2.
However you will need to subscribe for both the CHALLENGE and the Monthly Survey. The Challenge subscription is a once only cost while the SURVEY is designed to be an ongoing professonal development exercise and requires an annual subscription.
3.
HOWEVER, if you think this is worthwhile and speak to a potential sponsor, IVFEQA can provde these activities FREE. Pleae feel free to contact FertAid to discuss sponsorship.
TOKENS
4
IVFEQA also allows your clinic or group to prepay for your susbcripton using a token system whereby your clinic, group or sponsor prepuchases a number of tokens that generates a unique token key. If you have the token key AND there are available tokens, you can subscribe using these tokens. Ask your supervisor or sponsor for the key
