Treatment of unexplained infertility. Fallopian tube sperm perfusion (FSP)

Fifty-one couples with unexplained infertility were enrolled in the fallopian tube sperm perfusion (FSP) program. FSP is in short a combination of ovarian hyperstimulation, ovulation induction and intrauterine and intrafallopian tube insemination using a sperm suspension of 4 ml volume.

One hundred cycles were started; 93 of these were completed, resulting in 27 pregnancies (29.0% per cycle). The pregnancy rate in the first treatment cycle (41.2%) was significantly higher than in the subsequent treatment cycles (14.3%, p < 0.01). Total pregnancy loss was 22.2% (2 ectopic pregnancies and 4 spontaneous abortions). The multiple birth rate was 14.2% (two sets of twins and one set of triplets). Twenty-two couples not conceiving following a maximum of three FSP treatment, were offered IVF treatment. Forty-three IVF cycles were started resulting in 27 embryo replacements in 15 patients. Seven pregnancies occurred in six couples. In 11 of the couples treated, IVF treatment revealed a possible explanation for the infertility; development of multiple small follicles following ovarian hyperstimulation, empty follicle syndrome and partial or total fertilization failure. Only in five of the couples who did not conceive, no cause for the infertility could be found.

In the treatment of couples with unexplained infertility, the FSP procedure seems to give a birth rate of about 40% in less than two treatment cycles. FSP is less invasive and less expensive than alternative procedures such as GIFT, ZIFT and IVF and does not require the expertise and facilities for culturing of human oocytes and embryos.