Effect of semen characteristics on pregnancy rate following intrauterine insemination.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effects of semen characteristics on the success of intrauterine insemination (IUI).

DESIGN

A retrospective study.

SETTINGS: The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokushima University Hospital, Japan.

PATIENTS: Between 2004 and 2008, 1,177 IUI cycles in 283 couples were studied.

INTERVENTION: IUI cycles were preceded with ovarian stimulation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Clinical pregnancy.

RESULT: A total of 82 clinical pregnancies were obtained (7.0% pregnancy rate per cycle, 28.9% per case). Their subsequent outcomes of pregnancies were 18 miscarriages (21.9%), 2 ectopic pregnancies (2.4%) and 60 live births (73.2%). Of the 82 clinical pregnancies, 2 were twin pregnancies (2.4%). There was no triple or higher order multiple pregnancies. At the end of the sixth cycle, 73 clinical pregnancies had been achieved (89.0%). After diagnostic laparoscopy, the pregnancy rate per cycle for patients ≤ 35 years age was 18%, which is significantly higher than that of patients >35 years of age. Pregnancies occurred up to the fifth cycle after laparoscopy. The pregnancy rate (PR) per cycle was significantly higher in cases of sperm movement rates more than 30% (PR 9.3%) and total motile sperm counts more than 10 × 10(6)/ml (PR 8.2%). A study comparing the washed and unwashed cases did not reveal any differences.

CONCLUSION

In male sub-fertility cases of sperm parameters as motility rates ≥ 30% and motile sperm concentration ≥ 10 × 10(6)/ml, IUI could be a useful option for infertility treatment.