Table 6. Distribution of survey responses and comparison of mean scores for procedures used in seminal fluid analysis.
| Statement | Survey responses (N = 8), N (proportion) | Score according to health care setting, mean value | P | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Never | Rarely | Sometimes | Often | Always | Overall | Secondary health care MBLs | Tertiary health care MBLs | ||
| 1. Written instructions on how to prepare for seminal fluid analysis are available to patients. | 1 (0.13) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 7 (0.88) | 4.86 | 4.83 | 5.00 | 0.663 |
| 2 Written procedures for preparation and analysis of seminal fluid samples are available to laboratory staff. | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 8 (1.00) | 5.00 | 5.00 | 5.00 | 1.000 |
| 3. Seminal fluid analysis results are used in ART procedures. | 0 (0) | 1 (0.13) | 4 (0.50) | 2 (0.25) | 1 (0.13) | 3.38 | 3.33 | 3.50 | 0.733 |
| 4. Seminal fluid sampling takes place in a room near the laboratory. | 4 (0.50) | 1 (0.13) | 0 (0) | 2 (0.25) | 1 (0.13) | 2.38 | 2.17 | 3.00 | 0.608 |
| 5. Procedures for adequate/proper semen sample delivery to the laboratory are instituted. | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.13) | 4 (0.50) | 3 (0.37) | 4.25 | 4.17 | 4.50 | 0.606 |
| 6. Seminal fluid analysis comprises determination of fluid appearance, fluid volume, liquefaction time, viscosity and pH. | 1 (0.13) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.13) | 2 (0.25) | 4 (0.50) | 4.00 | 4.50 | 2.50 | 0.124 |
| 7. Seminal fluid analysis comprises the analysis of native semen, sperm analysis, sperm vitality analysis, sperm concentration, determination of other cells in semen and sperm morphology. | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (0.25) | 6 (0.75) | 4.75 | 4.83 | 4.50 | 0.445 |
| 8. The patient’s therapy is listed on the test request. | 4 (0.50) | 3 (0.38) | 1 (0.13) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1.63 | 1.83 | 1.00 | 0.169 |
| 9. If very low sperm number is found in seminal sample, the sampling error (%SE) is reported on the test report. | 3 (0.37) | 4 (0.50) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.13) | 0 (0) | 1.88 | 2.17 | 1.00 | 0.086 |
| 10. The test report contains the referent ranges for seminal fluid analytes recommended by the CCMB. | 0 (0) | 1 (0.13) | 0 (0) | 3 (0.33) | 4 (0.50) | 4.25 | 4.17 | 4.50 | 0.864 |
| 11. The test report also contains the interpretation of the results obtained (interpretative comment). | 4 (0.50) | 3 (0.38) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.13) | 0 (0) | 1.75 | 2.00 | 1.00 | 0.169 |
| 12. The laboratory has established an internal quality control scheme specific for analytes determined in seminal fluid. | 4 (0.50) | 0 (0) | 2 (0.25) | 2 (0.25) | 0 (0) | 2.25 | 2.17 | 2.50 | 0.733 |
| 13. The laboratory participates in external quality assessment programmes for seminal fluid chemistries. | 7 (0.87) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.13) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1.25 | 1.33 | 1.00 | 0.663 |
| MBLs – medical biochemistry laboratories; ART – assisted reproductive technology; CCMB – Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemistry. Secondary health care MBLs comprise laboratories located in special and general hospitals. Tertiary health care MBLs comprise laboratories located in clinics, clinical hospitals and clinical hospital centres. Differences between secondary and tertiary health care MBLs were calculated using the Mann-Whitney test for independent samples. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. | |||||||||