INTRAFOLLICULAR INSEMINATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF INFERTILITY

The effectiveness of intrafollicular insemination (IFI) for the treatm ent of non-tubal infertility was investigated in a pilot study. A tota l of 50 infertility patients with normal tubal function verified by la paroscopy or hysterosalpingography were stimulated with clomiphene cit rate/human menopausal gonadotrophin. Washed spermatozoa were injected into one to three pre-ovulatory follicles via vaginal puncture 12 or 3 0 h after human chorionic gonadotrophin administration. Natural proges terone was given for luteal support. The IFI procedure was technically very simple and convenient for the patient and no complications were recorded. One normal intrauterine pregnancy resulted. The results indi cate that by comparison with other assisted reproductive technologies IFI is very inefficacious for treating non-tubal infertility. Our data suggest that the intrafollicular environment in the preovulatory peri od is not favourable for fertilization.