Background: Sexual abstinence is considered one of the several factors that influence sperm quality. Recent studies show that a shortening of the abstinence period could be beneficial mostly in oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) patients. Objective: Retrospective study to verify the efficacy of a second semen sample after a short abstinence to treat severe OAT infertile patients. Materials and methods: 127 couples treated between May 2014 and May 2018 were divided into two groups. Study Group 1 (75 cycles): severe OAT characteristics: count <0.2 × 106/mL no progressive motility; count ≥0.2 × 106/mL and no total or progressive motility; 0% normal morphology; a second semen sample was requested after abstinence of 2 h. Control Group 0 (52 cycles): normozoospermic or mild OAT; only one sample was requested. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection was utilized in all cases. Results: All semen parameters were significantly different between Group 0 vs both samples of Group 1 (p < 0.001), excluding volume between Group 0 and 1st sample of Group 1 (p = 0.682). The comparison between 1st and 2nd samples from Group 1 showed significant differences in volume, total and progressive motility and morphology (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.020) but not in total sperm count (p = 0.970). Fertilization, pregnancy rate/transfer, implantation and miscarriage rates were 85.9% and 61.1% (p < 0.001), 30.6% and 35.8% (p = 0.700), 17.5% and 24.0 (p = 0.292), 20.0% and 25.0% (p = 0.017) in Group 0 and Group 1 respectively. Discussion and conclusion: The results show that a short abstinence in severe OAT patients allows us to obtain spermatozoa with better motility. The request for a second semen sample in couples with extreme semen parameters is a valid and simple strategy that helps to achieve the same probability of pregnancy compared to a Control Group. Furthermore, it allows us to utilize fresh spermatozoa avoiding the need to resort to cryopreserved reserves or testicular surgery.
Two subsequent seminal productions: A good strategy to treat very severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermic infertile couples / Ciotti P.M.; Calza N.; Zuffa S.; Notarangelo L.; Nardi E.; Damiano G.; Cipriani L.; Porcu E.. - In: ANDROLOGY. - ISSN 2047-2919. - ELETTRONICO. - 9:4(2021), pp. 1185-1191. [10.1111/andr.13020]
Two subsequent seminal productions: A good strategy to treat very severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermic infertile couples
Ciotti P. M.;Notarangelo L.;Nardi E.;Damiano G.;Cipriani L.;Porcu E.
2021
Abstract
Background: Sexual abstinence is considered one of the several factors that influence sperm quality. Recent studies show that a shortening of the abstinence period could be beneficial mostly in oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (OAT) patients. Objective: Retrospective study to verify the efficacy of a second semen sample after a short abstinence to treat severe OAT infertile patients. Materials and methods: 127 couples treated between May 2014 and May 2018 were divided into two groups. Study Group 1 (75 cycles): severe OAT characteristics: count <0.2 × 106/mL no progressive motility; count ≥0.2 × 106/mL and no total or progressive motility; 0% normal morphology; a second semen sample was requested after abstinence of 2 h. Control Group 0 (52 cycles): normozoospermic or mild OAT; only one sample was requested. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection was utilized in all cases. Results: All semen parameters were significantly different between Group 0 vs both samples of Group 1 (p < 0.001), excluding volume between Group 0 and 1st sample of Group 1 (p = 0.682). The comparison between 1st and 2nd samples from Group 1 showed significant differences in volume, total and progressive motility and morphology (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.020) but not in total sperm count (p = 0.970). Fertilization, pregnancy rate/transfer, implantation and miscarriage rates were 85.9% and 61.1% (p < 0.001), 30.6% and 35.8% (p = 0.700), 17.5% and 24.0 (p = 0.292), 20.0% and 25.0% (p = 0.017) in Group 0 and Group 1 respectively. Discussion and conclusion: The results show that a short abstinence in severe OAT patients allows us to obtain spermatozoa with better motility. The request for a second semen sample in couples with extreme semen parameters is a valid and simple strategy that helps to achieve the same probability of pregnancy compared to a Control Group. Furthermore, it allows us to utilize fresh spermatozoa avoiding the need to resort to cryopreserved reserves or testicular surgery.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
