Which sperm parameter limits could really guide the clinical decision in assisted reproduction?

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Clinical Embryology
• Andrology

Background:

• Previous studies identified sperm motility and morphology as predictors in fresh assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles.
• A comprehensive evaluation of both fresh and frozen ART cycles is necessary to fully assess predictive parameters.
• The study aimed to determine which sperm parameters predict overall ART success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the predictive value of sperm parameters on the success of assisted reproductive technology (ART).
• To analyze the impact of sperm parameters on both fresh and frozen ART cycles, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of real-world data from 2008 to 2021.
• Inclusion of all couples undergoing ART, encompassing fresh and frozen cycles, and both IVF and ICSI procedures.
• Statistical evaluation to identify predictive factors for live birth rates.

Main Results:

• Fresh cycle success was predicted by female age, injected oocytes, embryo number, and progressive sperm motility.
• Frozen cycle outcomes were solely predicted by sperm motility.
• Sperm motility's predictive role in frozen cycles was confirmed in IVF but not in ICSI procedures.

Conclusions:

• Both female and male factors predict overall ART success.
• Progressive sperm motility is the sole predictor for frozen cycle success in IVF, highlighting its importance.
• Improving sperm parameters may significantly enhance ART success rates, especially for couples with better prognoses who utilize frozen cycles.