The outcome of intracytoplasmic injection of fresh and cryopreserved ejaculated spermatozoa--a prospective randomized study.
BACKGROUND
The overall aim of this prospective, randomized study was to compare the reproductive potential of fresh and frozen-thawed ejaculated spermatozoa from oligoasthenoteratozoospermic patients in an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure.


METHODS
All patients consenting to participate in this study had a sperm sample frozen prior to the start of a cycle. Patients were randomized using a random number table to undergo ICSI with either fresh (group A, n = 118) or frozen-thawed (group B, n = 122) spermatozoa. All prognostic variables were equally distributed among the two groups.


RESULTS
The pregnancy rate per started cycle was 29.7% in group A and 38.5% in group B, P > 0.05. A significant difference was observed in the rate of ongoing pregnancies between group A (23.7%) and group B (35.2%), P < 0.05.


CONCLUSIONS
From our data we can conclude that cryopreservation of spermatozoa from men with poor sperm quality does not negatively affect fertilization and pregnancy rates after ICSI. A larger study will be needed to investigate whether the use of cryopreserved spermatozoa can be helpful in selecting the most vital spermatozoa for ICSI.
Kuczyński
W
W
Department of Gynecology, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bialystok Medical University, Sklodowskiej 24 A, Bialystok 15-276, Poland. kuczynsk@cksr.ac.bialystok.pl
Dhont
M
M
Grygoruk
C
C
Grochowski
D
D
Wołczyński
S
S
Szamatowicz
M
M
D000328:Adult; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004542:Ejaculation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome