Effects of exposure of a surfactant, polyoxyethylene(10)nonylphenyl ether (NP-10), to sperm on embryonic and fetal development in rabbits.

The effects of exposure of a surfactant, nonoxynol(NP-10), to sperm on embryonic and fetal development were studied using rabbits. In the preliminary test, the concentration of NP-10 at which total sperm immobility was 0.01% and nonfertilizing was 0.008% in vitro. No implantation was observed at the concentration of 0.032% NP-10 in vivo. Based on these results, the rabbit semen was treated either with 0.04, 0.01 or 0.0025% NP-10 solution, and used for artificial insemination to examine if the sperm was fertile as well as to determine the effect of NP-10-treated sperm on embryonic and fetal development. Gestation was not observed after insemination with semen treated with 0.04% NP-10; after insemination with semen treated with 0.01 and 0.0025% NP-10, it occurred without impairing the viability, organogenesis or growth of embryos or fetuses. These results may indicate that gestation may not be possible with sperm severely impaired by exposure to NP-10, but no untoward effect on embryonic or fetal development may be observed when gestation is initiated with exposed semen.