Artificial insemination with frozen sperm: protocol, method of analysis and results for 1188 women

The experience of a sperm bank during a five year period is reported. Artificial insemination by donor (AID) was carried out on 1188 women using frozen sperm prepared in doses of 0.25 ml. A single insemination was called for during each of the first two cycles. The patients were classified in 4 categories: lost to follow-up, successes, dropouts and open cases. The success rate per cycle was about 10 per cent and was very stable for each of the first 12 cycles. The cumulative success rate was calculated by the life table technique adapted for AID analysis. A theoretical success rate (without dropouts) and an effective success rate (with dropouts) were calculated. These two rates were 68 and 55 per cent respectively after 12 cycles. The median delay to conception was 7 and 9 cycles, respectively, under theoretical and effective conditions. The spontaneous abortion rate (17 per cent) and sex-ratio (106 males for 100 females) resemble those for natural reproduction but the success rat per cycle was markedly lower even after adjusting for age.