Artificial insemination with husband's semen: prognostic factors

This retrospective review of 38 couples has considered 148 cycles of artificial insemination with husband's semen (AIH) and 178 cycles of natural insemination with husband's semen (NIH). The indication for AIH in every case was that postcoital testing had revealed less than 15 motile sperm/high-power field of endocervical mucus. Conception through AIH occurred in 12 cases; 1 couple conceived by NIH. The rate of conception per cycle was significantly higher in the AIH cycles than in the NIH cycles (P < 0.005). No man with both low density (less than 25 million spermatozoa/ml) and low motility (less than 50%) on semen analysis produced a pregnancy through AIH. Couples demonstrating more than 15 motile sperm/high-power field (on examination of cervical mucus 2 hours after AIH) were more likely to conceive through AIH than couples demonstrating less than 15 motile sperm. The role of AIH is discussed.