PREGNANCIES ACHIEVED IN COUPLES WITH ABNORMAL SEMEN PARAMETERS IN A RECENT STUDY

One of our site specialists in IVF (A Consultant Obs & Gyn) recently did a study with the objective to identify the percentage and outcomes of pregnancies achieved via IVF/ICSI from abnormal semen parameters.

METHODOLOGY

The study was carried out between January 2014 and October 2015 at one of the best IVF hospital in Lagos (Contact the site admin for the name)

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Globally, male factor has been recognised as an increasing and important cause of infertility. Various pharmacological and surgical treatment modalities have been described with little or no improvement in fertility outcome. In vitro fertilization/ intracytoplasmic sperm injection/ intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IVF/ICSI/IMSI), however, has improved treatment and fertility outcome for males with abnormal semen parameters.

RESULTS

There were eighty-seven (87) pregnancies following IVF/ICSI during the study period. Fifty-six (56) of these pregnancies (64.4%) were products of abnormal semen parameters. The pregnancy outcomes from the different semen parameters were as follows:

Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (20.7%),

teratozoospermia (19.5%),

oligoteratozoospermia (14.9%),

asthenozoospermia (2.3%),

obstructive azoospermia (2.3%),

asthenoteratozoospermia (2.3%),

oligozoospermia (1.2%) and oligoasthenozoospermia (1.2%).

OBSERVATION

Miscarriages were observed in fourteen (14) of the pregnancies achieved from abnormal semen parameters giving a miscarriage rate of 25%. Congenital abnormality was noted in two (2) of these pregnancies giving a prevalence of 3.6%. There have been twenty-two deliveries giving a delivery rate of 39.3% and twenty (35.7%) on-going pregnancies.

CONCLUSION

Pregnancies are still achievable with abnormal semen parameters. This is possible with the use of IVF/ICSI. Practitioners are encourage to avail their patients the knowledge and opportunity of IVF/ICSI in the treatment of male factor infertility and invariably assist in eliminating the cultural and social stigma experienced by infertile couples in our society.