Number of motile spermatozoa inseminated and pregnancy outcomes in intrauterine insemination

Palma G Gubert,Maria P Velez,Robert L Reid,Dean Van Vugt,Jessica Pudwell

doi:10.1186/s40738-019-0062-z

Abstract

PurposeTo determine whether age modifies the effect of the number of motile spermatozoa inseminated (NMSI) as a predictor of success in Intrauterine Insemination (IUI).MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included all patients who underwent IUI at an academic infertility center between October 2004 and June 2018. The primary outcome was clinical pregnancy (CP; a gestational sac and fetal heartbeat on ultrasound). Results were analyzed by patient factors including age, NMSI, duration of infertility, and cause of infertility, along with treatment factors such as number of follicles and ovulation induction protocol. Factors associated with the odds of achieving a clinical pregnancy were analyzed using binary logistic generalized estimating equations to control for clustering effects by couple. Female age was categorized as <35 years vs. ≥35 years.ResultsSeven hundred thirty-seven couples that underwent 2062 IUI cycles for heterogeneous indications were included. The overall CP rate was 15.1% per cycle, and the cumulative CP rate per couple was 35.9%. For females < 35 years, the odds of CP per cycle were reduced for NMSI categories (× 106) of < 5.0 vs. ≥10.0 (OR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.29–0.83); the odds of CP per cycle did not differ for NMSI 5.0–9.9 vs. ≥10.0 (OR = 0.66; 0.37–1.18). For those ≥35 years, no difference was seen in the odds of CP per cycle for NMSI categories < 5.0 vs. ≥10.0 (OR = 1.55; 95% CI 0.72–3.31) or 5.0–9.9 vs. ≥10.0 (OR = 1.04; 95% CI 0.48–2.27).ConclusionsThese results suggest that the NMSI can be used as a predictor of success in IUI in couples with women who are < 35 years of age; these patients should be counselled about their lower pregnancy rates when the NMSI is < 5.0 × 106. In patients ≥35 years, the NMSI does not appear to be a useful predictor of success. Further studies with larger sample size should be conducted.

Highlights

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a cost-effective strategy and first line approach for the treatment of couples with unexplained and mild male infertility [1,2,3]
The sperm parameters most frequently examined in relation to pregnancy rates are (i) number of motile spermatozoa inseminated (NMSI); (ii) sperm morphology using strict criteria; (iii) total motile sperm count (TMSC) in the native sperm sample; and (iv) total motility in the native sperm sample [5]
For females < 35 years, the odds of clinical pregnancy (CP) per cycle were reduced for NMSI < 5.0 vs. ≥10.0 (OR = 0.49; 95% CI 0.29–0.83); the odds of CP per cycle did not differ for NMSI 5.0–9.9 vs. ≥10.0

Summary

Introduction

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a cost-effective strategy and first line approach for the treatment of couples with unexplained and mild male infertility [1,2,3]. It involves the insertion of a high number of washed spermatozoa directly into the uterus at the time of ovulation to increase the chance of a pregnancy. Many factors have been considered for their potential role as both predictors and optimizers of the success of IUI, including type and duration of infertility, number of mature follicles, endometrial thickness, and various seminal parameters [4].

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