OUTCOME OF DONOR VERSUS HUSBAND INSEMINATION IN COUPLES WITH UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY TREATED BY IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND EMBRYO-TRANSFER

Objective: To examine the IVF-ET outcome of couples with unexplained i nfertility treated by husband versus donor sperm. Design: A retrospect ive analysis of the IVF-ET outcome of couples with unexplained inferti lity treated by either husband or donor sperm and in a subgroup of pat ients treated simultaneously by husband and donor sperm. Setting: IVF Unit, Serlin Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel. Patients: Couples d iagnosed as having unexplained infertility underwent IVF at our Unit: included were 96 couples treated by husband insemination (group A), 27 couples who received donor insemination because of azoospermia (group B), and 8 couples who sought donor insemination after having previous ly failed IVF (group C). Results: No statistically significant differe nce was found between groups A and B regarding age of the females, dur ation of infertility, number of IVF cycles, fertilization rate, number of ETs, and pregnancy rate. Oocytes collected in group C were subdivi ded further into two groups: 45 were incubated with husband sperm and 46 were incubated with donor sperm. Fertilization rates were 46.6% and 50%, respectively. One pregnancy occurred. Conclusion: In couples wit h unexplained infertility who had undergone IVF-ET with husband insemi nation, the fertilization and pregnancy rates were similar to those of couples who were treated by donor sperm.