SPERM COUNT IN EJACULATES AND AFTER SPERM SELECTION WITH DISCONTINUOUS PERCOLL GRADIENT CENTRIFUGATION TECHNIQUE, AS A PROGNOSTIC INDEX OF IVF OUTCOME

Success of IVF with low sperm count will depend on the retrieval of th e maximum number of normal motile sperms, and this makes the selection of an appropriate technique critical. Various in vitro methods have b een developed for selecting human sperm cells. Sperm selection using p ercoll gradient has been reported to yield up to 60% motile and morpho logically normal spermatozoa from a normal semen sample. In this study , we have attempted to determine a possible relationship between sperm count in ejaculates before and after selection with percoll gradient centrifugation on one hand, and fertilization, cleavage and pregnancy rates in an IVF program on the other. With increased sperm count at th e time of IVF treatment using selected sperm, we observed higher ferti lization, cleavage and gestation rates. In conclusion, sperm concentra tion before and after selection with percoll may be considered a progn ostic parameter for the determination of fertilization potential and p regnancy rates in an IVF program.