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.
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.
Arie
A
Berkovitz
Fina
F
Eltes
Adrian
A
Ellenbogen
Sigal
S
Peer
Dov
D
Feldberg
Benjamin
B
Bartoov
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*