Electroejaculation and assisted fertility in men with psychogenic anejaculation

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Andrology
• Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Background:

• Psychogenic anejaculation presents a unique challenge in male infertility.
• Electroejaculation is a method to obtain ejaculates in men unable to ejaculate spontaneously.
• Evaluating sperm quality and fertility potential post-electroejaculation is crucial for treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess sperm characteristics obtained via electroejaculation in men with psychogenic anejaculation.
• To evaluate the fertility potential of these ejaculates using assisted reproductive technologies.
• To determine the efficacy of electroejaculation combined with IVF and ICSI for achieving pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective clinical study involving 20 men with psychogenic anejaculation.
• Electroejaculation sessions were performed to obtain semen samples.
• Semen analysis, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were utilized.

Main Results:

• Sperm samples obtained showed low density and motility (e.g., 14.6% motility in antegrade samples).
• Intrauterine insemination attempts were unsuccessful in achieving pregnancy.
• IVF-ET resulted in two pregnancies (22% success rate per cycle), while ICSI did not yield pregnancies despite good embryo quality.

Conclusions:

• Electroejaculation is a viable treatment for psychogenic anejaculation, though it yields sperm with reduced motility.
• The combination of electroejaculation with IVF and ICSI offers potential for improved fertilization and pregnancy rates in these challenging cases.
• Further research may optimize protocols for combining electroejaculation with advanced reproductive techniques.