Population Council Research that makes a difference

Abstract

The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection with electroejaculates from anejaculatory men 
Chung,P.H.; Palermo,Gianpiero D.; Schlegel,Peter N.; Veeck,Lucinda L.; Eid,J.F.; Rosenwaks,Zev R.
Human Reproduction 13(7): 1854-1858
Publication date: 1998



Electroejaculation has been successfully used for sperm procurement inanejaculatory men desiring fertility. However, electroejaculates typicallyhave normal sperm numbers but poor motility, morphology, and functionaldeficiencies. Here we report the pregnancy outcome of a series of couplesundergoing combined electroejaculation and in-vitro fertilization (IVF)with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In all, 13 couples underwenta total of 18 cycles. The aetiologies of anejaculation included history ofretroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular cancers, spinal cordinjury and psychogenic causes. ICSI was performed on 192 oocytes, resultingin a fertilization rate of 75.5%. A total of 15 embryo transfers wereperformed using a total of 51 embryos. Clinical pregnancy rate, as definedby positive fetal heart rate(s) using vaginal sonography, was 55.6% perretrieval; implantation rate was 33.3% per embryo. These rates appear to besimilar to those obtained in standard IVF for non-male factor infertility,or ICSI for male factor infertility. The use of ICSI for electroejaculatesundoubtedly provides these couples with the highest chance of pregnancy.