The significance of the zona-free hamster oocyte test for the evaluation of male fertility.
Results of the zona-free hamster oocyte test were compared with pregnancy rates after coitus and after artificial insemination with donor semen (AID) in 322 primary infertile couples. Artificial donor insemination was offered if in the test the percentage of hamster oocytes with at least one decondensed sperm head (oocyte-sperm interaction rate) was less than 20. If the rate was less than 5, the pregnancy rate after coitus was significantly lower than in the group with a rate of greater than or equal to 5 to less than 20. In the former group, the pregnancy rate by AID was significantly higher than the pregnancy rate by coitus. We conclude that the zona-free hamster oocyte test is useful to predict the chance to achieve pregnancy in couples with unexplained infertility and to determine whether AID can increase this chance.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
J
J
Kremer
S
S
Jager
D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D003075:Coitus / Q000502:physiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*