Background: The intra uterine insemination (IUI) still an easy, simple and effective method to overcome the infertility that resulted from different causes. Although the equipments and methods of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) were highly developed, the percentage of successful IUI live-birth not exceed 20-30%. Objective: The present study was aimed to elucidated the cut off values of in vitro sperm preparation technique, follicular number and size, endometrial thickness and hormonal profile that lead to successful pregnancy rate (PR)following IUI. Materials and Methods: In retrospective study, one hundred cases of infertile couples were in who were became pregnant following IUI at the Institute of Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies, through the period from January 2007 to January 2010. Depending on the results of retrospective study, IUI was achieved for 100 infertile patients between August 2010and June 2011. The mean of significant prognostic variables were measured in both studies namely: age, type of infertility, type of sperm activation techniques, the protocol of ovulation induction medicine, the mean of hormonal status of Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Estradiol(E2), and number with diameter of follicles, endometrial thickness a cycle day before hCG injection. Results: The protocol of ovulation induction in IUI cycles by using clomiphene citrate(CC) and recombinant gonadotropin (rFSH) was significantly(p<0.05) improve the IUI results compared to CC alone or CC with PergonalS. The mean values obtained by ultrasonography namely; two follicles, and dominant follicle of 19.5mm in size with endometrium thickness of >9.5mm were gave significantly successful IUI outcome compared to other values. In prospective study similar results were obtained, therefore the overall pregnancy rate was 37% per cycle. Conclusion: The calculated data of successful IUI outcome from retrospective study gave a best pregnancy rate in prospective study which was 37%. Consequently, these results can be considered as guideline for physician who interest in assisted reproduction to have a success in IUI.
Infertility is the inability of a sexually active non-contraceptive couple to achieve pregnancy in one year. Sperm motility is one of the most important prerequisites to achieving fertilization and pregnancy . The objective of the current study was to improve certain sperm function parameters following in vitro activation of men suffering from asthenozoospermia by using a novel combination of motility stimulant substances, namely Maca, L-carnitine, and Pentoxifylline, to be used for assisted reproductive technologies programs in the future.Ninety asthenozoospermic patients were involved in the current study. Each sample was divided into two equal portions. One part was considered as a control by using Ham’s F12 medium, and the other part was considered as a treated group by adding medium content, a mixed combination of Maca powder extracts (Lepidium meyenii) (M)1mg/ml, Pentoxifylline (PTX) 10 mg /ml, and L-Carnitine (LC) 0.5mg /. Certain sperm function parameters were examined before and following in vitro preparation using the swim-up technique according to WHO guidelines.The results showed a significant (p<0.001) elevation in active sperm motility grade A, B, and progressive motility following in vitro preparation by Ham’s F12 media and mixed culture medium compared to before activation. The morphologically normal sperm percentage was significantly higher in mixed culture medium compared to control medium, and before activationWhile the results of DNA normality by using mixed culture and Ham’s F12 media were statistically shown a significant (p<0.001) reduction compared with before activation . It is concluded that the combination medium have a superior effects on certain sperm function parameters and DNA normality enhance its usage in sperm activation by swim up technique for ART programs.
Background: Semen cryopreservation is a useful tool for preserving fertility for men involved in ART program who have been diagnosed with cancer and will undergo chemotherapy, radiotherapy or testicular surgery. Objective: The objective of this study to evaluate the effect of honey bee supplemented to cryoprotectant medium on post-thaw sperm DNA integrity ,morphology and round cells. Subjects ,Materials and Methods: Thirty semen samples were collected from 30 infertile patients. After assessment of semen analysis, semen samples were divided into 3 aliquots (0.7ml for each sample) and mixed with 1 ml of cryopreservation solution (G1,control) alone, enriched with 5% honey bee(G2) with 10% honey bee (G3) for cryopreservation. Current study used the acridine orange test to investigate the effect of honey bee in two concentration (5%, 10%) on the integrity of sperm chromatin structure pre-and post cryopreservation. Cryopreservation was done at -196 Co in liquid nitrogen and thawing was performed after six months. Direct swim up technique was used for in vitro sperm preparation post-thawing, sperm parameters were assessed and data were statistically analyzed pre-and post-thawing. Results: The results show there was a significant(P<0.05) increase in the percentage of morphologically normal sperm for all groups post-thawing, particularly for G3 group that was significantly (P<0.05) increased as compared to G1 and G2 groups, In contrast, non-significant differences (P>0.05) were observed between G1 and G2 groups. Sperm DNA fragmentation percentage (%) was significantly(P<0.05) increased in G1 post thawing without any additives as compared to pre-cryopreservation , where as in G2 and G3 sperm DNA fragmentation were increased but not significantly as post-cryopreservation groups. Also the results show that there were no significant differences between G2 and G3 whereas G3 gives better result as compared to G1 with significant differences. Round cells counts for all groups of post cryopreservation were significantly(P>0.05) decreased as compared to pre-cryopreservation. Non significant (P>0.05) differences in the round cells counts among all the groups of post -thawing in spite of G3 group has the lowest mean. Conclusions: From these results we concluded that supplementation of 10% of honey bee to the freezing cryoprotectant medium gives best protection to the morphology and DNA integrity of human sperm.
Background: The sperm plasma membrane activity and absence of antisperm antibodies in infertile patients ejaculate significantly associated with fertilization potential of human spermatozoa. The sperm viability detected by hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST) and autoimmune infertility detected by antisperm antibody assay presented diagnostic and prognostic tools for male infertility factors. Objective: This study was devised to compare the results of hypoosmotic swelling test and antisperm antibody assay for normozoospermic men and infertile patients affected by autoimmune infertility. Methods: Thirty semen samples were collected by masturbation and prepared by direct layering technique. Hypo-osmotic swelling test was performed by mixing 0.1 ml of semen with 0.9 ml of a 150 mOsm/L NaCl as a hypo-osmotic solution and direct immunobead assay were used to determine the presence of Antisperm Antibodies (ASA) bound on sperm surface. However, sperm concentration, sperm motility, and normal sperm morphology were evaluated according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and subjected to HOS test and ASA assay. The sperm prepared and incubated for 30 minute in 5% CO2 at 37°C after in vitro sperm preparation. Results: The results of the present study reported that the percentage of HOS test score in antisperm antibodies positive sperm samples (52.30 ±5.2) was significantly lower than that noticed in antisperm antibodies negative (70.30 ± 3.4) sperm samples. Conclusion: It was concluded that the use of HOS test as a simple and diagnostic and prognostic tools for identify male infertility. Further studies are suggested to assess the effect of ASA on sperm plasma functional integrity after ICSI and in vitro fertilization and embryo transfers (IVF-ET).