Human Reproduction, Vol 12, 1069-1072, Copyright © 1997 by Oxford University Press
P Terriou, C Giorgetti, P Auquier, E Hans, JL Spach, J Salzmann and R Roulier
The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare the overall
results and embryo quality in 102 cycles of in-vitro fertilization
(IVF)-embryo transfer using normal frozen donor semen (group D) and 94
cycles of IVF-embryo transfer using husbands' teratozoospermic sperm (group
T). Donor semen was purchased from men with proven fertility and normal
semen parameters. Teratozoospermia was defined in group T as the presence
of <20% of normal spermatozoa in semen on the day of oocyte retrieval.
Exclusion criteria were a sperm count <10 x 10(6)/ml or with <10%
progressive motility. Fertilization rate, transfer rate and number of
transferred embryos per cycle were significantly lower in the
teratozoospermic group (45 vs 72%, 66 vs 96%, 1.7 vs 2.9%, respectively).
Pregnancy rate per cycle was also lower, but not significantly (18 vs 28%).
However, pregnancy rate per transfer, implantation rate per transferred
embryo and take home baby rate were comparable (27 vs 30%, 15 vs 15%, 21 vs
24%, respectively). Similarly, embryo quality in terms of number of embryos
displaying fragmentations or irregular cells, cleavage stages and embryo
scores were comparable. When group T was divided into two subgroups
according to sperm count (group T1: sperm count = 10-20 x 10(6)/ml; group
T2: sperm count >20 x 10(6)/ml), there was no difference between them
with regard to fertilization rate, pregnancy rate or embryo quality. This
study confirms low pregnancy rate per cycle in IVF-embryo transfer using
teratozoospermic semen, but demonstrates for the first time that embryo
quality and viability are not impaired. It is proposed that the poor
pregnancy rate per cycle obtained is due only to the poor fertilization
rate, and to the subsequent limited choice of embryos to be transferred.
ARTICLES
Teratozoospermia influences fertilization rate in vitro but not embryo quality
Institut de Medecine de la Reproduction, Marseille, France.
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