USE OF ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUES FOR TREATMENT OF EJACULATORY DISORDERS

Ejaculatory disorders can interfere with the fertility of young adults who suffer from spinal cord injury, have type I diabetes mellitus or have undergone retroperitoneal or intrapelvic operations. Following an overview of causes and treatment of ejaculatory disorders, the data o f our centre are presented. From a group of 37 patients with genuine l oss of seminal emission, 15 men and their wives were offered a combine d treatment of rectal probe electro-ejaculation and artificial reprodu ctive techniques. No serious complications occurred. During 40 cycles with intracorporeal insemination and 11 cycles with extracorporeal fer tilization techniques, seven pregnancies were achieved, representing a pregnancy rate of 46% per couple and 14% per cycle for all cycles. Fi ve healthy children were born, all following extracorporeal inseminati on. The 'take-home baby rate' for this population and for this techniq ue is 45%. In vitro fertilization (IVF) led to one birth, intracytopla smic sperm injection (ICSI) achieved four live births out of three pre gnancies, one being a twin gestation. Since our successes are due to t he use of extracorporeal insemination techniques, these are now incorp orated in a new, more rational treatment protocol.