Minimal requirements for ejaculates used for in vitro fertilization.

Minimal requirements for ejaculates to be used for in vitro fertilization of human oocytes are defined. Experimental results obtained a total concentration of at least 5 X 10(6) spermatozoa per ml are required, with at least 30% of the sperm showing normal motility and normal morphology in the differential spermiocytogram. The total volume of ejaculate should not be less than 1 ml. A total of 140 ejaculates from patients taking part in the in vitro fertilization program were examined. In 60 ejaculates (42.9%) bacteria concentrations of greater than 10(5)/ml were found. Eighty (57.1%) of the probes were negative or had bacteria concentrations less than 10(4)/ml. Mycoplasma was found in 30 of the examined ejaculates (21.4%) and the second most frequent group of microorganisms were enterococci found in 15 patients (10.7%). Anaerobic organisms in concentrations of more than 10(5)/ml were not detected. After insemination of one or more pelviscopically obtained oocytes with sperm of the husband in 14 out of 22 cases (63.6%) with bacteria concentrations greater than 10(5)/ml the cleavage of at least one oocyte occurred leading to an embryo-transfer rate of 63.6%. In 14 of 31 ejaculates with negative bacteriological findings (45.2%) at least one of the inseminated oocytes was fertilized. Direct effect of microorganism contaminated sperm on the human in vitro fertilization system resulting in reduced fertilization rates cannot be demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)