Purpose: We evaluated the efficacy of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in patients with extreme oligospermia.
Materials and methods: A total of 67 intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles was attempted in 58 infertile couples in which the husbands had extreme oligospermia (less than 100,000 spermatozoa per ml. ejaculate).
Results: Fertilization was achieved in 65 of 67 cycles. Mean fertilization rate per cycle was 66.4%. A total of 18 clinical pregnancies was obtained, for a pregnancy rate of 26.8% per started cycle. There were 4 miscarriages and 8 live births from 5 deliveries. Nine pregnancies are ongoing.
Conclusions: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection in patients with extreme oligospermia is associated with high fertilization rates and offers the chance of pregnancy to these otherwise intractably infertile couples.