High implantation rate and consequently high pregnancy rate by in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer treatment in infertile women with antisperm antibody.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of antisperm immunity on postfertilization steps, such as implantation of embryos and fetal growth in IVF-ET treatment of women with sperm-immobilizing antibodies.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of clinical laboratory data.

SETTING

The IVF-ET program of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The University of Tokushima, School of Medicine.

PATIENTS

Eighteen women with sperm-immobilizing antibodies and 122 infertile patients with nonimmune etiology as controls. Infertile couples due to a male factor and with unknown etiology were excluded.

INTERVENTIONS

All patients received the same IVF-ET program with GnRH agonist.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Rates of fertilization and cleavage, implantation rate per embryo transferred and pregnancy rate (PR) in both test and comparison groups.

RESULTS

The rate of fertilization in the antisperm group (61.3%) was significantly lower than that in the comparison group (76.8%). But the implantation rate per embryo transferred (23.5%) and consequently the modified PR per oocyte recovery procedure (34.4%) in immunologically infertile women were significantly higher than those in the comparison group (7.9% and 17.8%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Although sperm-immobilizing antibodies prevent sperm-egg interaction, they do not seem to have any adverse effects on achievement of pregnancy. Moreover, the existence of antisperm immunity in woman with antisperm antibodies is suggested to be favorable for successful pregnancy by the IVF-ET procedure.