Impact of fresh versus cryopreserved testicular sperm upon intracytoplasmic sperm injection pregnancy outcomes in men with azoospermia due to spermatogenic dysfunction: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: To determine if clinical pregnancy rates and fertilization rates with the use of cryopreserved sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in patients with azoospermia due to spermatogenic dysfunction (i.e., nonobstructive azoospermia) are similar to those with fresh sperm.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Patient(s): Azoospermic men secondary to spermatogenic dysfunction.

Intervention(s): Not applicable.

Main outcome measure(s): Clinical pregnancy rate, fertilization rate.

Result(s): Eleven studies met criteria for the outcome of clinical pregnancy rate. Seventy-nine (28.7%) of 275 intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles using fresh testicular sperm resulted in a clinical pregnancy, compared with 84 (28.1%) of 299 intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles using cryopreserved sperm (relative risk [RR] 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75-1.33). Ten studies met criteria for the outcome of fertilization rate. A total of 1,422 (52.9%) of 2,687 oocytes injected with fresh testicular sperm were fertilized, compared with 1,490 (54.0%) of 2,757 oocytes injected with cryopreserved sperm (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.92-1.02).

Conclusion(s): In men with azoospermia due to spermatogenic dysfunction, there is no statistical difference between the use of fresh versus cryopreserved-thawed testicular sperm when assessing clinical pregnancy or fertilization rates in couples undergoing ICSI.

Keywords: Nonobstructive azoospermia; cryopreservation; intracytoplasmic sperm injection.