BIRTH AFTER ELECTROEJACULATION COUPLED TO INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION IN A GUN-SHOT SPINAL CORD-INJURED MAN

We describe the case of a man who, after a gun-shot wound, has become paraplegic. As a consequence of his spinal cord injury he developed in fertility due to incomplete erection and anejaculation. After several unsuccessful penile vibratory stimulation attempts, it was possible to achieve ejaculation by means of transrectal electrostimulation. Howev er, the total sperm motility count, the percentage of normal sperm mor phology, and the vitality and hypo-osmotic swelling test scores were r ather low, and in particular viability was strikingly decreased during sperm preparation. These parameters further decreased following elect roejaculate, forcing us to use intracytoplasmic sperm injection instea d of conventional in vitro fertilization for the treatment cycle. A no rmal pregnancy was achieved which resulted in birth of a healthy girl on 1st January 1997.