SEMEN QUALITY - IS THERE A PATERNAL EFFECT ON PREGNANCY OUTCOME IN IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of the spermat ozoon (paternal effects) on implantation and pregnancy outcome in in-v itro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI), Male i ndividuals of three types were analysed: infertile men with oligoasthe noteratozoospermia (OAT), infertile men with normozoospermia and ferti le men (donors), Female counterparts were judged to have comparable eg g quality within two groups studied, i.e. infertile women with pure me chanical (tubal) infertility and recipients of donor eggs. There were significantly higher differences in implantation and pregnancy rates i n groups using donor spermatozoa and donor egg recipients. Analyses of key set groups revealed a trend toward a poorer implantation and preg nancy outcome when comparing OAT versus normozoospermic patients withi n IVF, but not within ICSI treatments, in couples with tubal infertili ty, In couples who were recipients of donor eggs, no differences were observed between OAT patients treated by ICSI and normozoospermic pati ents treated with IVF, No significant differences were observed in mis carriage rates within any groups studied. In conclusion, the poorer re sults observed in OAT patients undergoing IVF may be secondary to sper matozoal effects due to a high insemination concentration, Overall, th ere does not seem to be a significant effect of severe male infertilit y (OAT) on implantation and pregnancy outcome. However, this does not preclude that specific sperm aberrations may exert a negative effect o n embryogenesis and therefore on implantation potential following assi sted or in-vivo reproduction.