The origin of spermatozoa does not affect intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether the origin of spermatozoa, ejaculate or testicular, affects intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcome.


METHODS
Retrospective study of 890 consecutive first ICSI and embryo transfer cycles done for male infertility. The ICSI outcome of ejaculated spermatozoa (n=780) and testicular spermatozoa retrieved from patients with obstructive azoospermia (n=43), non-obstructive azoospermia (n=53) and severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (n=14) were compared by using chi-square test, independent t-test and ANOVA with Bonferroni test.


RESULTS
All azoospermic males had a diagnostic testicular biopsy at least 6 months before the ICSI procedure. Spermatozoa were successfully retrieved in all 43 patients with obstructive azoospermia and in 72.6% of 73 non-obstructive cases. The cycle characteristics of the four groups were similar apart from a younger mean female age in the non-obstructive azoospermia group when compared with the ejaculated spermatozoa group. The fertilization, implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were comparable among the four groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Testicular spermatozoa recovered from patients with obstructive and all types of non-obstructive azoospermia were as much as effective as ejaculated spermatozoa in ICSI.
Bukulmez
O
O
Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Ankara, Turkey. obulkulmez@hotmail.com
Yucel
A
A
Yarali
H
H
Bildirici
I
I
Gurgan
T
T
D000077713:17 alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate; D004542:Ejaculation; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000628:therapy; D011247:Pregnancy; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D000077713:17 alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate