title: Platelet-activating factor improves intrauterine insemination outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to investigate intrauterine insemination pregnancy rates after human spermatozoa exposure to platelet-activating factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spermatozoa were incubated with platelet-activating factor in sperm-washing medium before intrauterine insemination. Patients whose sperm were incubated with sperm-washing medium alone served as controls. Pregnancy outcome was determined by ultrasonography (fetal heartbeat).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients whose sperm were treated with exogenous platelet-activating factor had a significantly (P <.05) higher pregnancy rate (40%) than patients (20%) not receiving treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inclusion of platelet-activating factor into a semen processing protocol, before intrauterine insemination, will significantly improve pregnancy rates. Platelet-activating factor may have a stimulatory effect on centriole-intact spermatozoa, enhancing their motility and fertilization success and resulting in improved pregnancy rates. Additional studies will elucidate the reproductive significance of platelet-activating factor activity in spermatozoa and its role in the establishment of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Roudebush
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007315:Insemination, Artificial; D008297:Male; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010972:Platelet Activating Factor