Incidence of sperm aneuploidy in relation to semen characteristics and assisted reproductive outcome

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of sperm aneuploidy in men screened fo r infertility and identify any eventual relation with assisted reproductive outcome. Design: Controlled prospective study. Setting: University hospital-based NF program. Patient(s): Infertile couples who were screened for sperm aneuploidy and ev aluated for IVF treatment. Intervention(s): Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to identify ch romosomes 18, 21, X, and Y. The assisted reproductive techniques of NF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection were used for infertility treatment. Main Outcome Measure(s): The incidence of sperm aneuploidy, semen parameter s, fertilization rate, pregnancy characteristics, and rate of neonatal malf ormations were determined. Result(s): Oligozoospermic and teratozoospermic men had a significantly hig her incidence of chromosomal abnormalities than men with normal semen param eters (2.7% vs. 1.8%). The increased frequency of sperm aneuploidy did not appear to affect pregnancy losses or the occurrence of neonatal malformatio ns. Conclusion(s): Suboptimal semen samples had a higher incidence of aneuploid y. In this study, the increased frequency of chromosomal abnormalities did not have a direct effect on the fertilization rate, pregnancy characteristi cs, or neonatal outcome. (Fertil Steril(R) 1999;72:90-6. (C)1999 by America n Society for Reproductive Medicine.).