Evidence that oligoasthenozoospermia may be an etiologic factor for spontaneous abortion after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether oligoasthenozoospermia may lead to a higher spontaneous abortion (SAB) rate once a pregnancy is established by IVF-ET.

DESIGN

Retrospective clinical observational study.

SETTING

University-based IVF program.

PATIENT(S): Three hundred sixty-four couples with normal semen parameters who underwent IVF-ET with conventional sperm incubation; 70 couples with oligoasthenozoospermia but without marked abnormal sperm morphology (< 4% normal forms using strict criteria) who underwent ET after IVF with conventional sperm incubation; and 20 couples with oligoasthenozoospermia but without abnormal sperm morphology who underwent ET after IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, SAB rate, and delivery rate after IVF-ET.

RESULT(S): Despite similar pregnancy and implantation rates per ET, as a result of a higher SAB rate (40.0% versus 11.7%), the delivery rates were lower in the female partners of men with oligoasthenozoospermia. Similar patients who used ICSI had a 0% SAB rate.

CONCLUSION(S): Oligoasthenozoospermia should be considered a possible risk factor for SAB in IVF achieved pregnancies. Further studies are needed to determine whether ICSI reduces the risk of SAB associated with oligoasthenozoospermia.