Male Infertility After Renal Transplantation: Achievement of Pregnancy After Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

Abstract

Chronic renal failure, dialysis, and immunosuppression after transplantation may cause reproductive failure. Although transplantation may reverse most sperm functions in the male, there is sufficient evidence in the literature that sperm motility may not be restored. Herein we present three cases with male factor infertility who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). There is a lack of evidence for use of ICSI for couples in whom the infertile husband had undergone renal transplantation. Case 1, a 25-year-old woman with a 7-year history of infertility had a 33-year-old husband, with asthenoteratospermia status-post renal transplantation 1 year prior. The wife delivered healthy twins at 36 weeks of gestation after three embryos were transferred. Case 2, a 34-year-old woman with infertility of 6 years, had a 34-year-old husband transplanted 2 years prior and hospitalized for chronic rejection during ICSI treatment. He had severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. She is currently 20 weeks pregnant with a singleton after transfer of two embryos. Case 3, a 31-year-old woman with a previous spontaneous abortion and 3 years of failure to conceive, had a 41-year-old husband status-post renal transplantation 16 years ago, currently in chronic renal failure treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. His sperm analysis showed oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. However, pregnancy did not occur after transfer of two embryos. Health status after renal transplantation influences sperm function. Because healthy sperm is required for fertilization and embryonic development, ICSI candidates after renal transplantation must be in optimum health.