Efficacy evaluation of an affectionate touch-based psychological intervention program for in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer patients: A controlled trial

Table 8 Semen parameters, mean ± SD

Time	CG	IG	CG difference β (95%CI); P value	IG difference β (95%CI); P value	Difference β (95%CI)	P value
Semen volume
T1	3.22 ± 0.05	3.15 ± 0.05			-0.07 (-0.20 to 0.07)	0.342
T2	3.27 ± 0.15	3.22 ± 0.15	0.05 (-0.29 to 0.39); P = 0.767	0.07 (-0.27 to 0.41); P = 0.691	0.02 (-0.46 to 0.50)	0.939
T3	2.71 ± 0.26	2.85 ± 0.21	-0.51 (-1.04 to 0.02); P = 0.062	-0.31 (-0.74 to 0.13); P = 0.174	0.20 (-0.49 to 0.90)	0.564
Sperm motility rate
T1	46.56 ± 0.33	46.25 ± 0.32			-0.31 (-1.21 to 0.59)	0.500
T2	46.84 ± 1.73	54.87 ± 1.45	0.27 (-3.31 to 3.86); P = 0.881	8.62 (5.58-11.66); P < 0.001	8.34 (3.64 to 13.05)	0.001
T3	46.39 ± 2.16	51.81 ± 2.62	-0.17 (-4.42 to 4.08); P = 0.937	5.56 (0.30-10.81); P = 0.039	5.73 (-1.04 to 12.50)	0.097
Progressive motility rate
T1	37.85 ± 0.34	37.43 ± 0.34			-0.42 (-1.35 to 0.51)	0.372
T2	38.50 ± 1.67	45.89 ± 1.20	0.64 (-2.84 to 4.12); P = 0.718	8.46 (5.99-10.92); P < 0.001	7.81 (3.55-12.08)	< 0.001
T3	36.68 ± 2.39	44.16 ± 2.89	-1.18 (-6.00 to 3.64); P = 0.633	6.73 (0.87-12.59); P = 0.025	7.91 (0.30-15.51)	0.042
Sperm concentration
T1	76.53 ± 1.92	80.06 ± 2.44			3.52 (-2.42 to 9.47)	0.245
T2	79.94 ± 7.14	87.21 ± 8.69	3.41 (-12.72 to 19.53); P = 0.679	7.15 (-11.13 to 25.42); P = 0.444	3.74 (-20.66 to 28.14)	0.764
T3	85.91 ± 5.74	86.63 ± 13.84	9.38 (-2.28 to 21.05); P = 0.116	6.57 (-21.82 to 34.96); P = 0.651	-2.81 (-33.41 to 27.78)	0.857
Total sperm count
T1	231.98 ± 7.99	233.20 ± 8.02			1.23 (-21.01 to 23.46)	0.914
T2	257.58 ± 25.47	260.17 ± 32.48	25.61 (-29.41 to 80.62); P = 0.363	26.97 (-42.66 to 96.59); P = 0.449	1.36 (-87.29 to 90.01)	0.976
T3	205.24 ± 27.64	217.25 ± 32.16	-26.74 (-85.54 to 32.06); P = 0.374	-15.95 (-84.83 to 52.93); P = 0.650	10.79 (-79.09 to 100.67)	0.814

CG: Control group; IG: Intervention group; CI: Confidence interval.