IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND PREGNANCY RATES - THE INFLUENCE OF SPERM MOTILITY AND MORPHOLOGY ON IVF OUTCOME

Objective: To determine the relationship between sperm motility and sp erm morphology parameters and IVF and pregnancy rates. Design: Pre- an d postpreparation analysis of semen samples from infertile couples und ergoing IVF-ET. Setting: Andrology Laboratory, Royal Maternity Hospita l, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Patient(s): One hundred fifty couples un dergoing IVF-ET treatment at the Regional Fertility Centre. Interventi on(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): The ability of human sperm to ac hieve IVF and pregnancy was investigated in relation to motility param eters (assessed with computer-aided sperm analysis [Integrated Visual Optical System] and percent normal morphology (determined with the str ict criteria). Result(s): Significant differences were observed in mot ility parameters and percent normal morphology in samples that achieve d greater than or equal to 50% fertilization compared with less than o r equal to 50% fertilization and between samples that achieved a pregn ancy compared with those that did not. Significant positive correlatio ns were observed between percent progressive motility, the velocity of sperm movement, and morphology parameters and both IVF and pregnancy. Conclusion(s): Both sperm motility parameters and percent normal morp hology are significant factors in predicting fertilization and pregnan cy rates in IVF. (Fertil Steril(R) 1998;70:305-14. (C)1998 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).