Blastocyst formation--good indicator of clinical results after ICSI with testicular spermatozoa.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of blastocyst culture in patients with azoospermia.


METHODS
In 98 cycles embryos were cultured for 2 days and in 128 cycles for 5 days to reach the blastocyst stage; a maximum of two of the most developed embryos were transferred in each group.


RESULTS
There was a negative correlation between a high (>/=20 IU/l) male serum FSH and embryo development, manifested as embryos not reaching the morula stage on day 5 (r = 0.387; P < 0.05). After prolonged culture, 23% of embryos reached the blastocyst stage. The pregnancy rates per transfer, and the abortion rates were approximately the same in the day 2 group and the day 5 group (20 versus 20% and 19 versus 18% respectively). After blastocyst transfer, a high clinical pregnancy rate (55%) and a low abortion rate (6%) were achieved, whereas the transfer of arrested embryos provided a low pregnancy rate (2%) and a high abortion rate (100%). If only blastocysts had been transferred on day 5, the clinical pregnancy rate per started cycle would have been approximately the same in both groups (13 versus 16%).


CONCLUSIONS
Blastocyst formation is a good indicator of clinical results after ICSI with testicular sperm.
Reproductive Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slajmerjeva 3, 1000-Ljubljana, Slovenia. irma.virant@kclj.si
I
I
Virant-Klun
T
T
Tomazevic
B
B
Zorn
L
L
Bacer-Kermavner
J
J
Mivsek
H
H
Meden-Vrtovec
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000150:complications*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011379:Prognosis; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa; D013737:Testis; D016896:Treatment Outcome