Effect of sperm motility on human embryo quality in in vitro fertilization

Abstract

AbstractSperm motility is important for penetration of the zona pellucida, and this parameter has been reported to be the single most important factor determining fertilization rates. As there was no report on the relationship between sperm motility and embryo quality, we investigated the influence of sperm motility on embryo quality in 41 patients with tubal disease and/or obstruction. The patients were either unstimulated or stimulated with clomiphene or clomiphene and human menopausal gonadotrophin. Of 116 oocytes collected, 86 (74.1%) fertilised and cleaved; of these only 44 embryos had clear equal blastomeres without fragmentation (grade 3). Grade 3 embryos were equally distributed through all initial sperm motility categories, and through all categories of sperm concentration after swim‐up. The ratio of motile sperm concentration in the initial semen sample to the final sperm concentration after swim‐up varied from 0.5 to 67, and grade 3 embryos were distributed randomly from low to high ratios. The pregnancy rate in this series was only 14.6% per replacement. The rate of gestational sacs per embryo replaced was 7.0% (6/86); if “poor” embryos were excluded, the rate was 9.1% (6/66). The absence of correlation between sperm motility and embryo quality is discussed on morphological grounds.