Male factor infertility and assisted reproductive technologies

Male infertility has many facets that need to be evaluated in an initial screening. Once these are known, recommendations become clearer for aggressively pursuing assisted reproductive techniques. Progress has been made in defining more clearly the severe male factor: concentration less than 5 x 10(6) sperm/mL, motility less than 10%, morphology less than 4% normal forms (by strict criteria), and recovered swim-up sperm less than 1.5 x 10(6). Sperm preparation techniques may be improved by use of Percoll separation medium, and morphology may be used in prediction of cleavage rate in in vitro fertilization. Hopefully, these techniques will lead to more specific guidelines for successful use of assisted reproductive technology in male factor patients.