Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6188938 | Reproductive BioMedicine Online | 2015 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
In human sperm head, birefringence can be seen under polarized light resulting from highly ordered structures within the acrosome and nucleus. Selecting sperm with partial head birefringence improves success of clinical pregnancies in patients with severe male factor infertility. The aim of this study was to establish a range of retardance in sperm heads using polarized light microscopy to select an optimum sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Sperm heads of 63 couples undergoing ICSI in women aged 38 years or younger were imaged at the time of ICSI and later analysed for retardance blinded to embryo and cycle outcomes. Sperm head retardance was similar irrespective of whether fertilization occurred. Quality of embryos on day 3 and day 5 were higher when sperm were selected with head retardance ranging from 0.56ânm or greater to 0.91ânm or less. Selection of sperm with head retardance ranging from 0.56ânm or greater to 0.91ânm or less was associated with higher clinical pregnancy rates (OR 3.74 95% CI 1.43 to 9.77). Optimum sperm for selection at the time of ICSI was with head retardance within the range 0.56ânm or greater to 0.91ânm or less.
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Authors
Belinda G. Vermey, Michael G. Chapman, Simon Cooke, Suha Kilani,