Preparation of oligozoospermic and/or asthenozoospermic semen for intrauterine insemination using the SpermPrep semen filtration column.

OBJECTIVE

To improve the quality of oligozoospermic and/or asthenozoospermic semen by the SpermPrep (Fertility Technologies Inc., Natick, MA) semen filtration column.

DESIGN

The SpermPrep column was applied for semen manipulation in oligozoospermia and/or asthenozoospermia (sperm count less than 20 x 10(6)/mL, sperm motility less than 40%). After concentration of motile sperm using a 40% Percoll density gradient centrifugation, the sperm suspension was filtered through the SpermPrep column. The percentage yield of motile sperm by the SpermPrep method was compared with those by a two-layer Percoll density gradient (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden) centrifugation and a swim-up method. Infertile couples with poor quality semen were treated with intrauterine insemination (IUI) with motile sperm by the three preparations through three cycles.

SETTING

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Hospital.

PATIENTS

Twenty-one couples with long-standing infertility because of poor quality semen.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Recovery of motile sperm, sperm motility, and outcome of IUI were evaluated among three semen preparations.

RESULTS

Motility was improved by the SpermPrep method in 32 of 33 cases of oligozoospermia and/or asthenozoospermia. Percentage yield of motile sperm by the SpermPrep method was significantly greater than those by the two-layer Percoll density gradient and swim-up methods (42.7 +/- 4.6 versus 22.1 +/- 3.1 and 13.8 +/- 3.5), but there is no significant difference in the sperm motility among three semen preparations. After one treatment cycle for each preparation, 2 of 21 women conceived after IUI with motile sperm separated in the SpermPrep method.

CONCLUSIONS

The SpermPrep method is an improved semen manipulation method for oligozoospermia and/or asthenozoospermia.