[Is there a future for Fallopian tube insemination in women?]

Abstract

In unselected patients, the pregnancy rate after intrauterine insemination (i.u.i.) seldom goes beyond 10-15% per cycle. An insufficient number of spermatozoa at the fertilization site has been hypothesized for a long time to explain the low efficacy of this technique. Thus, the introduction of a larger number of male gametes into the female tubes has been thought of to give better results since the late eighties. First, a direct tubal catheterisation has been proposed for injection of spermatozoa, either by laparoscopy or transvaginally under ultrasound guidance or by tactile sensation. However, these procedures have been abandoned because of some severe traumatic and infectious complications. Alternatively, a spermatozoa suspension of several millilitres can be injected under pressure into the uterine cavity while sealing the cervical os, by various systems. This technique called Fallopian sperm perfusion (FSP) has yielded some interesting results, particularly in unexplained infertility. Nevertheless, the superiority of FSP over i.u.i. still remains controversial. This review describes the current knowledge about intratubal insemination and its potential role in the management of human infertility.