Research by Instituto Bernabeu investigates if the choice of day for sperm retrieval has an impact on pregnancy results

Azoospermia is one of the causes of male sterility. In order to be able to retrieve spermatozoa in men with this condition, the man has to undergo techniques involving sperm aspiration from the epididymis or testicles, or a testicular biopsy. Although these techniques can be performed at any time and the samples can be cryopreserved for use in the future, with our patients we generally aim to synchronise the procedure with oocyte retrieval. When we do so, the procedure can be performed the day before or the same day as the ovarian puncture that is used to retrieve oocytes from the female partner. Researchers at Instituto Bernabeu carried out a study to find out which of the two days chosen for testicular spermatozoa retrieval gave the best clinical results.  The research work was presented to the 1st National Congress of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (SEISEGO) that was held within the framework of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics Congress (SEGO).

Further to analysis of the results in over two hundred cycles, the researchers observed improved results when sperm retrieval was performed the day before ovarian puncture. The main advantage in this case is the extended incubation period. It allows immature spermatozoa to mature or become mobile. This makes selection prior to micro-injection easier. In terms of positive beta pregnancy tests, the result was 52% compared with 47.2% when the procedure was performed on the same day as puncture; clinical pregnancies reached 46.9% compared with 37.7%; and the embryo implantation rate was 31.9% compared with 29.6% when sperm retrieval was performed on the same day as puncture. The percentage of pregnancy losses was also somewhat lower in the first term when retrieval was performed the day before ovarian puncture. The result was 10.3% in comparison with 16.7%.

Further to analysis of the results, the researchers conclude that they are of no statistical relevance. With this in mind, they point out that the main criteria to take into account is personalisation in order to adapt to each patient’s profile when deciding whether to perform spermatozoa retrieval technique on the same day as ovarian puncture or the day before ovarian puncture.

The impact of the choice of day for testicular spermatozoa retrieval on clinical results

M. Herreros, J. Ten, R. Romero, A.C. Lérida de Ramón, A. Rodríguez-Arnedo, R. Bernabeu