Kl. Garrels et al., FRESH AND FROZEN EPIDIDYMAL SPERM YIELD COMPARABLE PREGNANCY RATES FOR INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION, Archives of andrology, 41(3), 1998, pp. 159-165
To determine if the use of fresh epididymal sperm is superior to froze
n-thawed epididymal sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, the au
thors reviewed the charts on all couples undergoing intracytoplasmic s
perm injection at an academic center, using microsurgically aspirated
epididymal sperm. Forty-nine couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm
injection for male factor infertility, due to congenital absence of v
as deferens or irreparable post-testicular obstruction were studied. T
he following parameters were measured: (1) fertilization rate per oocy
te injected (two pronuclei at 24 h), (2) chemical pregnancy rate (two
consecutively elevated serum b-hCG levels, and (3) clinical pregnancy
rate (sonographic identification of fetal heart rate). Fertilization r
ates were 51 and 41%, chemical pregnancy rates were 27 and 30%, and cl
inical pregnancy rates were 19 and 27% in the fresh epididymal compare
d to the frozen epididymal sperm. This study shows no significant diff
erence in outcomes using fresh or frozen epididymal sperm for intracyt
oplasmic sperm injection. Frozen-thawed sperm guarantees availability
of sperm prior to oocyte retrieval.