Abstract

Introduction: male infertility is frequently linked to oxidative stress and endocrine dysregulation which may impair clinically relevant semen parameters such as progressive motility (a+b%). This study evaluated seminal plasma superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) and serum gonadotropins (LH, FSH) in men with primary infertility and examined their relationships with progressive motility. Methodology: A case-control design included 63 men with primary infertility (sperm concentration < 15 million/mL: age 20-45: no chronic disease, autoimmune disease, or varicocele) and 25 fertile controls (sperm concentration > 50 million/mL), SOD3 was measured in seminal plasma by ELISA, and serum LH, FSH were assessed in blood, progressive motility defined as (a+b)% (rapid and slow progressive) with≥40% considered normal. Nonparametric comparison (Mann–Whitney U), spearman correlations (infertile group), and multiple linear regression were applied. Results: progressive motility was markedly lower in infertile man than controls (U=0, p<0.001). seminal SOD3 also differed strongly between groups (U=0, p<0.001). and FSH was higher in infertile men (U=538, P=0.020), while LH and age were not significantly different. With infertile men, SOD3 correlated inversely with progressive motility (p=-435, p< 0.001). in multivariable regression (n=63), SOD3 remained the only significant predictor of motility (B= 0.154, 95%CI=-0.235 to -0.037, p<0.001: R²=0.239: adjusted R²=0.187). Discussion: findings support a close link between altered seminal redox status and reduced progressive motility in primary infertility, while gonadotropins no independent association after adjustment. Moderate collinearity between LH and FSH was observed. Conclusion: seminal plasma SOD3 is strongly associated with impaired progressive motility in primary male infertility: larger smoking-matched studies are warranted to confirm clinical utility.