Treatment of infertile patients by intrauterine insemination of washed spermatozoa.
Thirty-five couples with a variety of infertility problems were treated by a sperm-washing and intrauterine-insemination method. The husband's semen was washed with a modified Biggers, Whitten, and Whittingham's medium to obtain a seminal plasma-free, highly concentrated sperm suspension for intrauterine insemination. Couples receiving these inseminations were evaluated by semen analysis, zona-free hamster egg penetration test (EPT), post-coital test (PCT), antisperm antibody test (ASAT), and other appropriate infertility tests to determine the possible cause of infertility. The pregnancy rate as a group was 17%, while the spontaneous rate was found to be only 7%. Patients with a poor PCT result had a good success rate (25%) especially if the male's fertilizing ability appeared normal in the EPT (50% success). This treatment did not help men with poor EPT results or reduced sperm concentration (5% and 0% success). By excluding unsuccessful patients attempting less than three months, the calculated conception rate for this treatment is 33%. No infection or other serious complications were reported. It is concluded that this method is an uncomplicated and effective treatment for certain infertility patients. The patients most likely to be assisted by this method can be identified by using the EPT, PCT, and ASAT, and these patients should be treated for a minimum of three cycles.
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D002021:Buffers; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D007317:Insemination, Artificial, Homologous / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D002021:Buffers