Effect of semen characteristics on pregnancy rate following intrauterine insemination.

OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of semen characteristics on the success of intrauterine insemination (IUI). DESIGN A retrospective study. SETTINGS The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokushima University Hospital, Japan. PATIENTS Between 2004 and 2008, 1,177 IUI cycles in 283 couples were studied. INTERVENTION IUI cycles were preceded with ovarian stimulation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Clinical pregnancy. RESULT A total of 82 clinical pregnancies were obtained (7.0% pregnancy rate per cycle, 28.9% per case). Their subsequent outcomes of pregnancies were 18 miscarriages (21.9%), 2 ectopic pregnancies (2.4%) and 60 live births (73.2%). Of the 82 clinical pregnancies, 2 were twin pregnancies (2.4%). There was no triple or higher order multiple pregnancies. At the end of the sixth cycle, 73 clinical pregnancies had been achieved (89.0%). After diagnostic laparoscopy, the pregnancy rate per cycle for patients ≤ 35 years age was 18%, which is significantly higher than that of patients >35 years of age. Pregnancies occurred up to the fifth cycle after laparoscopy. The pregnancy rate (PR) per cycle was significantly higher in cases of sperm movement rates more than 30% (PR 9.3%) and total motile sperm counts more than 10 × 10(6)/ml (PR 8.2%). A study comparing the washed and unwashed cases did not reveal any differences. CONCLUSION In male sub-fertility cases of sperm parameters as motility rates ≥ 30% and motile sperm concentration ≥ 10 × 10(6)/ml, IUI could be a useful option for infertility treatment.