Effect of motile sperm count after swim-up on outcome of intrauterine insemination.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the prognostic value of motile sperm count after swim-up in IUI with husband's sperm in a large group of subfertile couples.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
Nine hundred two couples undergoing 3,037 treatment cycles.


METHODS
Intrauterine insemination with husband's sperm after swim-up was performed after mild ovarian stimulation with clomiphene citrate and hCG under hormonal and ultrasonographic control of follicle development.


METHODS
Pregnancy rate (PR) in correlation to motile sperm count after swim-up.


RESULTS
A nonlinear increase in PR per treatment cycle was observed with increasing numbers of motile sperm used for IUI. Insemination with < 0.8 x 10(6) motile sperm after swim-up resulted in a PR of < 1% per treatment cycle. When the motile sperm count was above this level, the PR per cycle reached a plateau of 6.9% to 10.2%, with a minor tendency for increase with higher sperm numbers.


CONCLUSIONS
Strict analysis of motile sperm count after swim-up is a useful prognostic factor for PRs after IUI. There is a good chance for conception if > or = 0.8 x 10(6) motile sperm are available after appropriate selection methods. Intrauterine insemination performed with considerably higher numbers of motile sperm does not lead to a significant increase in PRs.
Berg
U
U
I. Women's Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
Brucker
C
C
Berg
F D
FD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007317:Insemination, Artificial, Homologous / Q000379:methods*; D015993:Life Tables; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*