Question

What is NOT true with regard to semen analysis?

• A. Abstinence for 6 weeks provides the best sample
• B. Sperm motility is a good indicator of sperm quality
• C. Collection should be at the site of analysis
• D. Absence of fructose may indicate a blocked ejaculatory duct or lack of seminal vesicles

Hint:

WHO recommends about 2-7 days of abstinence, not 6 weeks, for semen analysis.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Recall the correct abstinence period.
For a standard semen analysis, guidelines call for a short abstinence period, about 2 to 7 days, with 3 to 5 days often used in practice. A gap this long, but not longer, gives a representative sperm count and motility without the sample being either too concentrated with old, less motile sperm or too dilute.

Step 2: Test statement (A) against this.
Six weeks of abstinence is far longer than the recommended window. A long abstinence period like this lets sperm age in the epididymis, which lowers motility and raises the share of abnormal forms, giving a worse, not better, sample. So statement (A) is NOT true, which is exactly what the question is asking for.

Step 3: Check statement (B).
Sperm motility, the fraction of sperm moving well and moving forward, is one of the strongest indicators of a sample's fertilising potential, so this statement is true and correctly describes semen analysis.

Step 4: Check statement (C).
Semen is best collected by masturbation at or very near the laboratory doing the analysis, because sperm motility starts to fall once the sample is outside the body, and delay or a long transport can distort the results. So this statement is true.

Step 5: Check statement (D).
Fructose in semen comes from the seminal vesicles. If fructose is absent, it points to a blocked ejaculatory duct or to congenitally absent or non-functioning seminal vesicles, both of which stop that fructose from reaching the ejaculate. This statement is true.

Final Answer:
The one statement that is NOT true is the claim about six weeks of abstinence.
\[ \boxed{\text{Abstinence for 6 weeks provides the best sample}} \]