The impact of surgical sperm retrieval on the in vitro fertilization outcomes of infertile patients with temporary ejaculation failure on their oocyte retrieval day

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of testicular sperm aspiration on the clinical outcomes of IVF patients with temporary ejaculation failure (TEF) on the day of oocyte retrieval.

Design: A case-control study.

Setting: University-affiliated IVF center.

Patient(s): One hundred eight infertile couples encountering TEF on the day of oocyte retrieval.

Intervention(s): Testicular sperm aspiration and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (TESA-ICSI) were employed to help the TEF couples to complete their IVF treatments. A group of obstructive azoospermia (OA) patients was chosen as a control group to evaluate the efficiency and safety of this intervention.

Main outcome measure(s): Fertilization rates, transferable embryo rates, and clinical pregnancy rates (PRs).

Result(s): Through the TESA-ICSI, TEF couples achieved a 38.83% (40/103) clinical PR per IVF cycle. Compared with the OA group, the TEF group showed a comparable fertilization rate (66.43% vs. 65.25%), transferable embryo rate (60.76% vs. 60.85%), and PR (51.61% vs. 50.00%) in thawed ET cycles but a relatively low PR (25.49% vs. 44.64%) in fresh ET cycles.

Conclusion(s): TESA-ICSI is a relatively efficient and safe way to help the patients encountering TEF.