Journal of Andrology, Vol. 24, No. 3, May/June 2003
Copyright © American Society of Andrology
The Use of Novel Semen Quality Scores to Predict Pregnancy in Couples With Male-Factor Infertility Undergoing Intrauterine Insemination
MOHAMED A. BEDAIWY*,
RAKESH K. SHARMA*,
TAREK K. ALHUSSAINI
,
MAHER S. MOHAMED
,
ALI M. ABDEL ALEEM
,
DAVID R. NELSON
,
ANTHONY J. THOMAS, JR* AND
ASHOK AGARWAL*
From the * Center for Advanced Research in Human
Reproduction, Infertility, and Sexual Function, Department of
Obstetrics-Gynecology and Urological Institute and the
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology,
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio; and the
Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, Assiut,
Egypt.
| Correspondence to: Dr Ashok Agarwal, Director, Center for Advanced Research in
Human Reproduction, Infertility, and Sexual Function, Urological Institute,
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Ave, Desk A19.1, Cleveland, OH
44195 (e-mail:
agarwaa{at}ccf.org). |
The purpose of this study was to determine whether 2 new semen quality (SQ)
scores could predict pregnancy in patients undergoing intrauterine
insemination (IUI) for male-factor infertility and whether an overall score
could help in counseling these couples with assisted reproductive technique
(ART) options. Ninety-three couples with male-factor infertility were examined
for semen analysis. Samples were prepared by density gradient separation (47%
and 90%), and IUI was performed. On the basis of the 2 semen scores (SQ and
relative quality [RQ]), the IUI-semen pregnancy score (IUI-SPS) was
calculated. Of the 192 IUI cycles, 14% (27 of 192) resulted in pregnancy. Both
prewash SQ and RQ scores were significantly related to pregnancy (P = .02 and
P < .001), as was the postwash RQ score (P < .001). Of the IUI cycles in
which the postwash RQ score was greater than 125, 40% (13 of 32) resulted in
pregnancy compared to 9% of cycles (14 of 160) in which the postwash SQ score
was less than 125. The prewash IUI-SPS score was significantly related to
IUI-induced pregnancy (P < .001). Both the pre- and postwash SQ and RQ
scores can predict pregnancy in male infertility patients undergoing IUI.
Patients with an IUI-SPS less than 150 may be advised to seek in vitro
fertilization (IVF), whereas those with an IUI-SPS greater than 150 may be
advised to seek IUI.
Key words: Overall semen quality, relative quality, semen pregnancy score, outcome prediction
Copyright © 2003 by The American Society of Andrology.