ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SPERM CELL CHROMATIN CONDENSATION, MORPHOLOGY BASED ON STRICT CRITERIA, AND FERTILIZATION, CLEAVAGE AND PREGNANCY RATESIN AN IVF PROGRAM

In this study, a total of 95 ejaculates from infertile patients were i nvestigated morphologically according to Kruger's strict criteria and 78 of the 95 ejaculates were stained for chromatin condensation with a cidic aniline blue. Patients were divided into two groups based on the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa as follows: Men with normal sperm morphology <14% (Group I), and men with normal morpholog y >14% (Group 2). The relationship between percentage of normal sperm morphology and fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy rate was analysed . The rates were 33.7%, 57.1% and 0.0% respectively, in the first grou p. The corresponding values for the second group were 76.1%, 68.2% and 32.1%. The fertilization and pregnancy rates correlate significantly with morphologically normal spermatozoa. In regard to the percentage o f morphologically normal spermatozoa stained with aniline blue, patien ts were divided into two groups: patients with 0-20% stained spermatoz oa (Group I) and those with >20% (Group 2). Fertilization and pregnanc y rates were higher in the first group than in the second group (79.9% , 52.8% vs. 58.8%, 29.5%). The results demonstrate that chromatin cond ensation visualized by aniline blue staining is a good predictor for I VF outcome and should be considered besides morphology by sperm assess ment for patients undergoing IVF treatment.