Intracytoplasmic sperm injection and conventional in vitro fertilization are complementary techniques in management of unexplained infertility.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of ICSI in unexplained infertility.


METHODS
In 125 cycles with six or more oocytes retrieved per cycle, sibling oocytes were randomly allocated to IVF or ICSI (group A). In 74 cycles with less than six oocytes retrieved per cycle, cycles were allocated to IVF or ICSI (group B).


RESULTS
In group A, ICSI fertilization rate of 61% per allocated oocyte was higher than IVF fertilization rate of 51.6% (P < 0.001). Complete fertilization failure occurred in 19.2 and 0.8% of cycles in IVF and ICSI, respectively (P < 0.001). In group B, fertilization rate in IVF cycles was 53.3% as compared to 60.7% per allocated oocyte in the ICSI cycles (P = 0.29). Complete fertilization failure was higher (P = 0.02) in conventional IVF (34.3%) than ICSI cycles (10.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Allocation of sibling oocytes to IVF and ICSI in the first cycle minimizes risk of fertilization failure. For patients with limited number of oocytes, ICSI technique is recommended.
Jaroudi
Kamal
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Al-Hassan
Saad
S
Al-Sufayan
Hamad
H
Al-Mayman
Hind
H
Qeba
Meshal
M
Coskun
Serdar
S
D000328:Adult; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female; D007248:Infertility, Male; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa