Objective: To compare the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) with fresh and cryopreserved testicular spermatozoa in patients with obstructive and nonobstructive azoospermia.
Design: Retrospective analysis of consecutive ICSI cycles.
Setting: Large urban reproductive medicine program.
Patient(s): Twenty-nine patients with obstructive and nonobstructive azoospermia undergoing testicular sperm extraction for a total of 46 IVF-ICSI cycles (12 fresh, 34 frozen).
Intervention(s): Testicular sperm extraction, cryopreservation, and IVF-ICSI with fresh or frozen-thawed spermatozoa.
Main outcome measure(s): Fertilization rates, embryo cleavage rates, embryo implantation rates, clinical pregnancy rates per cycle and per embryo transfer, and delivery and spontaneous abortion rates.
Result(s): No statistically significant differences were noted in any of the parameters examined between IVF-ICSI cycles from fresh or frozen-thawed testicular spermatozoa. Fertilization rates were 56% with fresh vs. 61% with frozen-thawed testicular sperm, cleavage rates 92% vs. 95%, implantation rates 26% vs. 17%, clinical pregnancy rates per cycle 33% vs. 41%, and pregnancy rates per embryo transfer 33% vs. 45%, respectively. Delivery rates were 75% with fresh vs. 69.2% with frozen-thawed testicular sperm, and spontaneous abortion rates 25% and 30.8%, respectively.
Conclusion(s): No differences were found in IVF-ICSI outcomes between cryopreserved and fresh testicular sperm. In addition, cryopreservation provides several advantages for the patients and reproductive team.