# Interpretable Sperm Morphology Classification via Attention-Guided Deep Learning

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.20438 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.20438/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 4 of its 17 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 18 Jun 2026.

## Builds on (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [EfficientNet: Rethinking Model Scaling for Convolutional Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1905.11946/) (2019)
- [CBAM: Convolutional Block Attention Module](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1807.06521/) (2018)
- [Grad-CAM++: Improved Visual Explanations for Deep Convolutional Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1710.11063/) (2017)
- ["The Human Body is a Black Box": Supporting Clinical Decision-Making with Deep Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1911.08089/) (2019)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Male infertility is a major cause of couple infertility, often linked to abnormal sperm morphology. While deep learning models offer automated analysis, most lack interpretability, limiting their clinical adoption. This study proposes an attention-guided deep learning framework for sperm morphology classification. We combine a pretrained EfficientNet-B0 with a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) to focus on key areas of the sperm head, improving both accuracy and interpretability. Evaluated on the SMIDS and HuSHem public datasets, our model achieves accuracies of 90.2% and 93.9% (macro F1 scores of 0.913 and 0.948), outperforming SimpleCNN and standard EfficientNet-B0. Furthermore, we use Grad-CAM++ visualizations to highlight features influencing the model's decisions. The results demonstrate that this accurate and transparent framework is a practical tool for automated sperm analysis in fertility clinics.