ICSI outcome of patients with severe oligospermia vs. non-obstructive azoospermia.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the results of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and embryo transfer (ET) cycles in men with severe oligoospermia and non-obstructive azoospermia.


METHODS
This study included 91 ICSI cycles performed due to male factor infertility. Patients are divided into two groups according to source of spermatozoa. Group 1 consisted of 38 cycles in which sperm was obtained from testicles (cases with non-obstructive azoospermia). In Group 2, 53 consecutive cycles were included in which ejaculated sperm was available for ICSI in spite of severe oligospermia (< 100,000/ml). Fertilization, embryo quality and clinical pregnancy rates were compared between the groups.


RESULTS
Although, the female age and mean number of oocytes retrieved were similar among the two groups, fertilization rate was significantly lower in the non-obstructive azoospermia (34.6%) group compared to group in which patients underwent ICSI with ejaculate spermatozoa (55.3%) (p < 0.05). However, there were no differences regarding mean number of available grade 1 embryos on day 3 and pregnancy rate between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Testicular sperm from non-obstructive azoospermia patients had significantly lower fertilization rates than the ejaculated spermatozoa from severe oligospermia patients in ICSI cycles. However, it did not bring about improved pregnancy rate.
Department of Gyneacology and Obstetrics, Ergani State Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey. bulentdemirmd@hotmail.com
B
B
Demir
I I
II
Arikan
G
G
Bozdag
I
I
Esinler
L
L
Karakoc Sokmensuer
S
S
Gunalp
D000328:Adult; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000628:therapy*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic