H. Habermann et al., In vitro fertilization outcomes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection with fresh or frozen-thawed testicular spermatozoa, FERT STERIL, 73(5), 2000, pp. 955-960
Objective: To compare the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICS
I) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) with fresh and cryopreserved testicular
spermatozoa in patients with obstructive and nonobstructive azoospermia.
Design: Retrospective analysis of consecutive ICSI cycles.
Setting: Large urban reproductive medicine program.
Patient(s): Twenty-nine patients with obstructive and nonobstructive azoosp
ermia undergoing testicular sperm extraction for a total of 46 IVF-ICSI cyc
les (12 fresh, 34 frozen).
Intervention(s): Testicular sperm extraction, cryopreservation, and IVF-ICS
I with fresh or frozen-thawed spermatozoa.
Main Outcome Measure(s): Fertilization rates, embryo cleavage rates, embryo
implantation rates, clinical pregnancy rates per cycle and per embryo tran
sfer, and delivery and spontaneous abortion rates.
Result(s): No statistically significant differences were noted in any of th
e parameters examined between IVF-ICSI cycles from fresh or frozen-thawed t
esticular spermatozoa. Fertilization rates were 56% with fresh vs. 61% with
frozen-thawed testicular sperm, cleavage rates 92% vs. 95%, implantation r
ates 26% vs. 17%, clinical pregnancy rates per cycle 33% vs; 41%, and pregn
ancy rates per embryo transfer 33% vs. 45%, respectively. Delivery rates we
re 75% with fresh vs. 69.2% with frozen-thawed testicular sperm, and sponta
neous abortion rates 25% and 30.8%, respectively.
Conclusion(s): No differences were found in IVF-ICSI outcomes between cryop
reserved and fresh testicular sperm. In addition, cryopreservation provides
several advantages for the patients and reproductive team. (Fertil Steril(
R) 2000;73:955-60. (C) 2000 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine).