External Quality Control for Semen Analysis in Germany - Qualitätskontrolle der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Andrologie (QuaDEGA). The First 5 Years

Journal für Reproduktionsmedizin und Endokrinologie - Journal of Reproductive Medicine and Endocrinology 2007; 4 (6): 331-335

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Keywords: QuaDeGA,  Qualitätskontrolle,  Reproduktionsmedizin,  Spermiogramm,  quality control,  reproductive medicine,  semen analysis

The German external quality control programme for semen analysis (QuaDeGA) has distributed 20 QC samples in 10 distributions (two per year) over the last 5 years. Analysis of the results from all participants with respect to the methods used, changes in methods employed, fluctuations and improvement in results are presented. The number of participants rose from an initial 27 to 145 by distribution 10 and 18 centres dropped out. Most centres did not use WHO-recommended methods upon entry into the programme and few changed to them during their participation. Using the QuaDeGA ranking system as a measure of satisfactory performance, an overall improvement in semen analysis was observed with some centres reporting better and consistent results. In conjunction with changing to unified, WHO-recommended semen analysis protocols, participation in the QuaDeGA scheme is beneficial in improving semen analysis as judged by improved agreement with target values for semen variables.