title: Seminal leukocytes are Good Samaritans for spermatozoa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of leukocytospermia on assisted reproductive technology outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  University laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Couples attending the infertiliy clinic and involved in ART program for IVF or ICSI.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 7-year follow-up in an assisted reproductive technology program, leukocytospermia was routinely determined using the peroxidase technique. Donor sperm were excluded from the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Egg retrievals (N = 3,508) were distributed in 3 groups according to the leukocyte levels in semen from which fertilizing sperm were extracted: group 1, absence of leukocytes (n = 3,026); group 2, moderate leukocytospermia (<10(6)/mL) (n = 344); or group 3, high leukocytospermia (≥10(6)/mL) (n = 138). They resulted in 1,463 IVF and 2,045 intracytoplasmic sperm injection procedures that gave 802 clinical pregnancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surprisingly, the fertilization rate, cleavage rate, clinical pregnancy rate, gestational age, and mean infant weight were significantly improved when seminal leukocytes were present, regardless of the technique used. The only negative side effects associated with a high level of seminal leukocytes (group 3) were an elevated rate of early pregnancy loss (from 26.6% to 40.5%) and a 3-fold increase in the percentage of ectopic pregnancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At moderate levels (<10(6)/mL), leukocytospermia appears to be physiologic. It is associated with improved sperm fertilization ability and pregnancy outcome. At higher concentrations, leukocytospermia alters neither sperm fertilization ability nor the probability of clinical pregnancy when compared with nonleukocytic patients with infertility. However, the pregnancy outcome is reduced.
authors: Service d'Histologie-Embryologie-Biologie de la Reproduction, Hôpital Cochin, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France.
authors: Virginie
authors: V
authors: Barraud-Lange
authors: Jean-Christophe
authors: JC
authors: Pont
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Ziyyat
authors: Khaled
authors: K
authors: Pocate
authors: Christophe
authors: C
authors: Sifer
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Cedrin-Durnerin
authors: Bouchra
authors: B
authors: Fechtali
authors: Beatrice
authors: B
authors: Ducot
authors: Jean Philippe
authors: JP
authors: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D055101:Semen Analysis; D013076:Sperm Count; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology