The new 6th edition of the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen
Eric Chung, Mohamed Arafa, Florence Boitrelle, Hussein Kandil, Ralf Henkel, Ramadan Saleh, Rupin Shah, Paraskevi Vogiatzi, Armand Zini, Ashok Agarwal
Abstract
Semen analysis (SA) remains the \ncornerstone of male infertility evaluation \nand should ideally be performed by an \naccredited andrology laboratory or in \nvitro fertilization (IVF) clinics based on \nthe standards defined by the World Health \nOrganization (WHO) for the Examination \nand Processing of Human Semen and \nin accordance with the International \nOrganization for Standardization’s Basic \nSemen Examination on Specification and \nTest Methods.1,2 The first edition of the WHO \nLaboratory Manual on Semen Analysis \nProcessing was published in 1980, and since then, four modified and updated versions \nhave been released to improve SA standard \nmethods and incorporate new technologies \nto assess extended and advanced sperm \nparameters.3 \n Early this year, an anticipated \n6th edition draft has been sent out online for \npublic reviewing and feedback before its \nforthcoming official publication.4 \n The new 6th \nedition of the WHO manual aims to provide \nnot only an update of the current methods \nand thresholds but also an insight in recent \ndevelopments on semen examination, sperm \npreparation and cryopreservation, and \nquality control and assurance.