SynthesisFrontiers in endocrinology2024
Effects of long and short ejaculatory abstinence on sperm parameters: a meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed.
- The impact of fresh versus cryopreserved testicular sperm on in-vitro fertilization outcomes in couples with elevated sperm DNA fragmentation: a retrospective cohort study.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2026Article
- Sperm DNA fragmentation: how to test, when to test, and what to do with abnormal results-a pragmatic mini-review for clinical practice.Human reproduction (Oxford, England) · 2026Review
- Influence of Very Short-Term Sexual Abstinence on Basic Semen Parameters and Sperm Chromatin Status: A Preliminary Study.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Double-stranded sperm DNA fragmentation measured with neutral comet assay as a predictor of IVF outcomes: evidence from three European clinics in a multi-centred prospective study.Human reproduction (Oxford, England) · 2026Article
- Sperm storage causes sperm senescence in human and non-human animals.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2026Article
- Ejaculatory frequency and male fertility: a literature review of evidence-based recommendations.Translational andrology and urology · 2026Review
- Randomized non-inferiority within-patient trial of density gradient processing of sequential ejaculates versus centrifugation-free sperm separation device for ICSI in men with elevated sperm DNA fragmentation- study protocol.Frontiers in urology · 2026Article
- Is age a critical indicator for determining the optimal abstinence duration in patients undergoing sperm acquisition?Frontiers in reproductive health · 2026Article
- Association of sperm DNA fragmentation with abstinence duration, seminal oxidative stress and age: a call to consider abstinence in andrological diagnostics.Frontiers in urology · 2026Article
- Obesity has a detrimental impact on temporal decline of sperm quality in normospermic patients: insights from a cross-sectional study of 2,430 patients over 14 years.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2025Article
- Semen Quality Measures in Hookah and Cigarette Smokers Compared to Nonsmokers.TheScientificWorldJournal · 2025Article
- Ejaculatory abstinence duration impacts semen parameters: Insights from a retrospective analysis in male infertility on 23,527 analyses.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Article
- Association of abstinence time with semen quality in men who undergoing fertility evaluation: a cross-sectional study from 3052 participants.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Article
- Phase angle at bioelectric impedance analysis is associated with detrimental sperm quality in idiopathic male infertility: a preliminary clinical study.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Article
- Editorial: The future of andrology and infertility.Frontiers in urology · 2024Article
- From Double Helix to Double Trouble: Sperm DNA Fragmentation Unveiled - A Reproductive Urologist Perspective (AUA Bruce Stewart Memorial Lecture - ASRM 2024).International braz j urol : official journal of the Brazilian Society of UrologyArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of ejaculatory abstinence on sperm parameters. Methods: This analysis was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023472124). We performed a search on PubMed using the following text terms: (("sperm parameters" OR "sperm analysis" [Mesh]) AND ("sperm DNA fragmentation" OR "DNA fragmentation" [Mesh]) AND ("sexual abstinence" [Mesh] OR "abstinence")) and an advanced search in Scopus using the terms ("sperm parameters" OR "sperm parameters" OR "DNA fragmentation") AND ("abstinence"). The sperm parameters that were investigated were sperm volume, total sperm motility, progressive sperm motility, sperm concentration, sperm morphology, and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF). A two-day cut-off as a "short" or "long" abstinence period has been defined. Results: Thirteen studies published between 2013 and 2022 were included in this meta-analysis. A total of 2,315 patients, ranging from 6 to 836 from each cohort, were enrolled in the study. We showed that longer abstinence time was associated with greater sperm concentration (mean difference [MD]: 8.19; p <0.01), sperm volume (MD: 0.96; p <0.01), and higher SDF (MD: 3.46; p <0.01), but lower progressive sperm motility (MD: -1.83; p <0.01). Otherwise, no statistically significant difference was observed in patients with longer vs. shorter abstinence times regarding total sperm motility (MD: -1.83; p = 0.06). Meta-regression analysis showed that days of abstinence were positively and linearly related to sperm concentration (slope: 3.74; p <0.01) and SDF (slope: 0.65; p = 0.044). Conclusions: According to our data, short ejaculatory abstinence is associated with better sperm quality. Indeed, a higher percentage of progressive sperm motility and lower levels of SDF have been reported in a short abstinence cohort. In contrast, the long abstinence group reported a higher sperm concentration. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023472124.
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