Incidence of spontaneous abortion following artificial insemination by donor

This study examines the frequency of spontaneous abortions in pregnancies achieved by artificial inseminations with donor semen (AID), with special respect to the use of cryopreserved semen and ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate. The abortion rate was found to be similar in AID series using frozen semen to those using fresh semen, nor was the rate increased in composite AID series (both fresh and frozen semen) when compared with the rate of spontaneous abortions in the general population. When clomiphene was used, the abortion rate was increased only in groups of anovulatory and irregularly ovulating women. Those AID series where all women treated are given clomiphene show no increase in abortion rates. The discussion is focused on factors that influence the abortion rate and on possible etiological factors.