CORRELATION BETWEEN SEMEN PARAMETERS OF ELECTROEJACULATES AND ACHIEVING PREGNANCY BY INTRAUTERINE INSEMINATION

Objective: To investigate whether any parameter in the routine semen a nalysis of electroejaculates is correlated with success in achieving p regnancy by IUI.Design: Retrospective observational study. Setting: An Assisted Reproductive Program at a tertiary care university center. P atient(s): Twenty-seven anejaculatory men with spinal cord injury (n = 24) or history of retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (n = 3), thir teen of whom attempted conception with their wives. Intervention(s): A nejaculatory men underwent rectal probe electroejaculation and electro ejaculates were used for IUI. Main Outcome Measure(s): Statistical cor relation of semen parameters between electroejaculates that resulted i n pregnancy and those that did not. Result(s): Seven pregnancies resul ted from 56 IUIs using electroejaculates (pregnancy rate = 12.5% per I UI), The total motile sperm count and percentage of normal morphology were significantly higher in the specimens that resulted in pregnancie s than those that did not. However, there was no statistically signifi cant difference observed in pH, sperm concentration, or percentage of motility between the two groups. Swim-up techniques used to process el ectroejaculates significantly improved the motility of the specimens. No pregnancy occurred beyond the fifth IUI attempt. Repeated electroej aculation and duration of spinal cord injury had no effect on the qual ity of the ejaculates. Conclusion(s): The total motile sperm count and the percentage normal morphology of electroejaculates correlate with success in achieving pregnancy by IUI. Because repeated electroejacula tion does not improve quality of ejaculate, the initial semen analysis of electroejaculates is not only useful in counseling couples undergo ing such treatment program but should be planned for use as an insemin ate.