title: Evaluation of intrauterine insemination with washed spermatozoa from the husband in the treatment of infertility.
abstract: In this study, we examined the efficacy of intrauterine insemination with washed spermatozoa from the husband (AIH/IUI) in the treatment of infertility. A total of 127 treatment cycles were completed (1.95 cycles per patient). The indications for AIH/IUI were male subfertility (group I: 53 couples), cervical factor (group II: four couples), male and cervical factor (group III: six couples) and unexplained infertility (group IV: two couples). Sperm washing caused a reduction of the sperm concentration from 52 x 10(6)/ml to 44 x 10(6)/ml (P less than 0.08) and motility from 49% to 45% (P less than 0.03). Twelve pregnancies were achieved (18.5% per couple and 9.5% per cycle): eight pregnancies in group I (15.1%), one in group II (25%) and three in group III (50%). Of the 12 pregnancies, eight occurred in the first insemination cycle, three in the second and one in the third (1.4 cycles/pregnancy). Sperm motility was significantly higher in the pregnant than in the non-pregnant group (65.5% versus 46.4%, respectively; P less than 0.004), whereas no significant difference was observed in the sperm concentration between these two groups (39 x 10(6)/ml and 54 x 10(6)/ml, respectively). In conclusion, AIH/IUI is a technically easy and non-invasive procedure which offers a satisfactory pregnancy rate in selected couples with male subfertility and/or cervical factor infertility.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Hippokratio General Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Tarlatzis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bontis
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kolibianakis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sanopoulou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Papadimas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lagos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mantalenakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy*; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013094:Spermatozoa