title: Mini-Percoll: a new method of semen preparation for IVF in severe male factor infertility.
abstract: Conventional methods of semen preparation for IVF, such as swim-up sedimentation, regular Percoll gradients, are not very effective in the treatment of severe oligoasthenozoospermia (total motile count less than 5 X 10(6)). For these cases, a new method of sperm preparation consisting of a reduced volume of a discontinuous Percoll gradient (mini-Percoll) has been utilized. The results obtained were analysed by comparing mini-Percoll versus resuspension in two groups of patients with severe male factor infertility. In the mini-Percoll group, a statistically significant improvement (P less than 0.001) was obtained in the post-treatment seminal parameters of motility, progression and proportion of normal forms. In the resuspension group (n = 12), only eight of 108 oocytes inseminated were fertilized (7%), while in the mini-Percoll group (n = 29), 124 out of 336 oocytes were fertilized (40%) (P less than 0.001). Furthermore, in the mini-Percoll group, a higher pregnancy rate (25 versus 7%) and low abortion rate (22 versus 33%) were observed. Although more studies are necessary to confirm these preliminary data, mini-Percoll seems to be a valid laboratory tool for semen samples of extremely poor quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Irvine UCI, Orange 92668.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ord
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patrizio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marello
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Balmaceda
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Asch
mesh_terms: D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011205:Povidone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility
chemical_list: C016039:Percoll; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011205:Povidone