Sperm Agglutination
Fertility marker
Agglutination
Sperm Agglutination
Motile sperm sticking to each other, head to head or tail to tail. Distinct from aggregation, where sperm clump to debris or immotile cells.
PED Notes
The reason this is on the report is that agglutination is the classic screening clue for anti-sperm antibodies, an immune cause of infertility that a count and motility check will not reveal. Antibodies can follow testicular trauma, infection, torsion, biopsy or vasectomy including reversal, all of which are more common in this population than average. It is graded rather than measured, so a result of 0 is what you want and anything persistent warrants an anti-sperm antibody test rather than a supplement.
When high
What it suggests: sperm sticking to one another points toward anti-sperm antibodies, which physically impede sperm reaching and penetrating the egg.
Next step is a test, not a supplement:
- Ask for a direct anti-sperm antibody test (MAR test or immunobead test). Agglutination is the clue; the antibody test is the answer.
- Consider a cause: previous testicular trauma or surgery, torsion, biopsy, vasectomy or reversal, or genital tract infection.
If antibodies are confirmed: management is a fertility specialist's call. Sperm washing with IUI, or ICSI, bypass the problem directly. Corticosteroids have been used historically but carry real side effects for modest benefit and are rarely first choice.
Also check Total Motility, since agglutinated sperm often read as poorly motile, and Sperm DNA Fragmentation if there has been infection or inflammation.
History Chart
Reading History
Frequently Asked Questions
Reference Ranges
Standard Range
Not available