PROGNOSIS FOR INTRAUTERINE INSEMINATION W ITH PARTNERS SPERM ACCORDING TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SPERMATOZOA

We studied the prognostic value of sperm characteristics for the outco me of intra-uterine insemination with partner sperm (IUIPS). A total o f 712 cycles of IUIPS following induction of ovulation with gonadotrop hin (hMG/ hCG) for 277 sterile couples attending the assisted reproduc tive technology centre of Poissy Hospital (78300-France) between Janua ry 1991 and December 1994 was studied retrospectively Ninety-two clini cal pregnancies were obtained giving an overall rate of 12,9 % per cyc le, None of the characteristics of the sperm as assessed initially cor related with outcome, In contrast, the number of motile spermatozoa gi ven (n) affected outcome : for n < 1 x 10(6) the pregnancy rate was 2 %; for n = 5 to 8 x 10(6) the rate was 19 %, However, for greater than or equal to 8 x 10(6) the proportion of biochemical pregnancies and m iscarriages was 40 % which was significantly higher than for smaller c oncentration. The resort of IVF following 4 IUIPS failures leads to a pregnancy rate per cycle of only 6,7 %.