We investigated a possible relationship between the Kobe earthquake (January 17, 1995) and the quality of semen. We assessed sperm concentration and motility of 27 male patients who had a concentration of more than 30 million/ml and >40% sperm motility within 5 months before the earthquake. Twelve male patients from districts with a magnitude of <4 on the Richter scale showed no difference in sperm concentration and motility before and after the earthquake. Of 15 male patients from districts with a magnitude of >6, five patients whose houses received no damage showed no distinct changes in sperm concentration and motility. In contrast, 10 patients whose houses were partially or completely destroyed showed significantly (P < 0.001) lower sperm motility after the earthquake than before, although no significant difference of sperm concentration could be observed. Of these latter 10 patients, seven could be followed. In six patients, sperm motility was restored between 2 and 9 months after the earthquake; the sperm motility in one patient, whose father died a victim of the house crash, has not yet recovered. Thus, the acute stress resulting from such a catastrophic earthquake could be a possible cause of reduced sperm motility.

Thirty-six patients with hypermenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and/or anemia were examined by transvaginal sonography (TVS) and by transvaginal hysterosonography using an endometrial balloon catheter and saline (TVHS). Those patients who showed distinct intramural myomas by TVS were excluded from this study. Of 36 patients, 22 were diagnosed with submucous myomas, 10 with intramural myomas, and 4 with endometrial polyps by TVS, but 20 patients were diagnosed as having submucous myomas, 12 patients intramural myomas, and 4 patients endometrial polyps by TVHS. The correlation between ultrasound findings and surgery (hysterectomy or hysteroscopy) indicated that there were 13 misdiagnoses (36%) by TVS and only one misdiagnosis (2.8%) by TVHS.

No abstract