Comparison of fresh and frozen ejaculated spermatozoa in sibling oocyte recipient cycles

Do IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles using fresh and frozen ejaculated spermatozoa result in similar pregnancy outcomes in couples with non-male factor infertility?

Retrospective cohort study; patients undergoing donor egg recipient cycles, in which oocytes from a single ovarian stimulation were split between two recipients, were reviewed. Two recipients of oocytes from a single donor were paired and categorized based on the type of ejaculated spermatozoa (fresh/frozen). Outcomes included delivery rate, implantation, pregnancy, pregnancy loss and fertilization rates.

Of the 408 patients who received oocytes from a split donor oocyte cycle, 45 pairs of patients used discrepant types of ejaculated spermatozoa and were included in the study. Fertilization rate: fresh (74.8%); frozen (68.6%) (P = 0.13). Pregnancy rate: fresh (76%); frozen (67%); delivery rate: fresh (69%); frozen (44%); implantation rate was significantly higher: fresh (64%); frozen (36%) (P = 0.04). Rate of pregnancy loss was significantly higher in the frozen group compared with the fresh group (33% versus 5.9%, P = 0.013). Adjusted odds for delivery was 67% lower in the frozen group (95% CI 0.12, 0.89). Adjusted odds of pregnancy (adjusted OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.20, 2.27) and implantation (adjusted OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.12, 2.12) were not significantly different between the frozen and fresh sperm groups.

In this model that controls for oocyte quality by using paired recipients from the same donor, frozen ejaculated spermatozoa resulted in lower delivery rates than those using fresh spermatozoa.