Preparation of oligozoospermic and/or asthenozoospermic semen for intrauterine insemination using the SpermPrep semen filtration column

Abstract

Objective: To improve the quality of oligozoospermic and/or asthenozoospermic semen by the SpermPrep (Fertility Technologies Inc., Natick, MA) semen filtration column.

Design: The SpermPrep column was applied for semen manipulation in oligozoospermia and/or asthenozoospermia (sperm count less than 20 x 10(6)/mL, sperm motility less than 40%). After concentration of motile sperm using a 40% Percoll density gradient centrifugation, the sperm suspension was filtered through the SpermPrep column. The percentage yield of motile sperm by the SpermPrep method was compared with those by a two-layer Percoll density gradient (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden) centrifugation and a swim-up method. Infertile couples with poor quality semen were treated with intrauterine insemination (IUI) with motile sperm by the three preparations through three cycles.

Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Hospital.

Patients: Twenty-one couples with long-standing infertility because of poor quality semen.

Main outcome measure: Recovery of motile sperm, sperm motility, and outcome of IUI were evaluated among three semen preparations.

Results: Motility was improved by the SpermPrep method in 32 of 33 cases of oligozoospermia and/or asthenozoospermia. Percentage yield of motile sperm by the SpermPrep method was significantly greater than those by the two-layer Percoll density gradient and swim-up methods (42.7 +/- 4.6 versus 22.1 +/- 3.1 and 13.8 +/- 3.5), but there is no significant difference in the sperm motility among three semen preparations. After one treatment cycle for each preparation, 2 of 21 women conceived after IUI with motile sperm separated in the SpermPrep method.

Conclusions: The SpermPrep method is an improved semen manipulation method for oligozoospermia and/or asthenozoospermia.