Does the presence of nuclear vacuoles in human sperm selected for ICSI affect pregnancy outcome?
BACKGROUND
To verify whether or not microinjection of sperm with a normal nuclear shape but large vacuoles affects IVF-ICSI pregnancy outcome.


METHODS
A comparative study testing IVF outcome parameters of IVF-ICSI, based on morphological selection of spermatozoa with normal nuclei against those based on microinjection of sperm with a normal nuclear shape but large vacuoles. An experimental group, including 28 IVF-ICSI cycles, where only embryos obtained from microinjection of spermatozoa with a normal nuclear shape but large vacuoles were transferred, was matched with a control group, including 28 IVF-ICSI cycles, where only embryos obtained from microinjection of spermatozoa with a strictly defined morphologically normal nuclear shape and content were transferred. The main outcome was IVF-ICSI pregnancy rate.


RESULTS
The experimental group exhibited a significantly lower pregnancy rate per cycle and significantly higher abortion rate per pregnancy compared to the control group (18 versus 50%, and 80 versus 7%, respectively, P=0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Microinjection of vacuolated sperm appears to reduce the pregnancy rate and appears to be associated with early abortion.
Berkovitz
Arie
A
IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sapir Medical Center, Meir Hospital, Kfar Saba, and Male Fertility Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Eltes
Fina
F
Ellenbogen
Adrian
A
Peer
Sigal
S
Feldberg
Dov
D
Bartoov
Benjamin
B
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000648:ultrastructure*