精子形态对体外受精-胚胎移植妊娠结局的影响

目的:分析男性精液参数与卵裂率、优质胚胎率及妊娠率的相关性,探讨休外受精一胚胎移植(IVF-ET)周期中精子形态对精子功能的影响.方法:分析82个受精率100%的IVF-ET周期.以Diff-Quickstain方法染色,密度梯度离心法处理精液.WHO精子形态学标准评估精子形态,精子正常形态率≥14%为正常组,<14%...     

两种精子优化处理方法在体外受精中的应用选择

目的:评价Isolate密度梯度离心法和上游法两种活动精子处理方法在体外受精-胚胎移植(IVF-ET)中的效果。方法:本中心2003.01-12完成的253个IVF-ET周期为研究对象,回顾性地比较了两种精子分离方法的受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率和临床妊娠率。结果:Isolate离心法和上游法两组比较,受精率分别为84.13%和94.06%,有显著差异(P<0.01);卵裂率93.81%和97.01%,有显著差异(P<0.01);优秀胚胎率62.80%和56.62%,差异显著(P<0.05);临床妊娠率53.5%和48.0%,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:在IVF-ET治疗不孕不育中,Isolate离心法分离的活动精子在受精和卵裂上不如上游法,在优质胚胎率上优于上游法,但两者的临床妊娠率无显著差异,故两者同样适用于IVF精子处理。     

成熟卵泡获卵率对体外受精结局的影响

目的比较在体外受精-胚胎移植/卵细胞浆内单精子注射（IVF-ET/ICSI）过程中,控制性超促排卵（COH）后成熟卵泡获卵率对IVF-ET/ICSI的实验室和临床结局的影响。方法回顾性分析2010年5月至2010年12月四川大学华西第二医院行IVF-ET/ICSI治疗的693例患者,共746个周期,根据获卵率将患者分为A组：获卵率≥80%;B组：获卵率50%～79%;C组：获卵率30%～49%;D组：获卵率〈30%。比较4组患者的临床和实验室结局。结果 A、B组卵子成熟率、受精率、卵裂率和可移植胚胎形成率等各项临床和实验室结局比较,差异均无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。随着获卵数的减少,获卵数最低的D组的卵子成熟率、受精率、卵裂率和可移植胚胎形成率与A组和B组比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）;同时,D组的临床妊娠率、胚胎种植率和累积妊娠率明显低于其他各组（P〈0.05）。C组受精率、卵裂率、可移植胚胎形成率和临床妊娠率也显著低于A组（P〈0.05）,C组卵裂率、临床妊娠率低于B组（P〈0.05）,但C组的累积妊娠率与A组和B组相似（P〉0.05）。结论获卵率减少可导致卵子成熟率、受精率、卵裂率和可移植胚胎形成率下降,直接导致临床妊娠率下降。     

IVF周期精子处理前、后凋亡率与受精率和胚胎质量的相关性分析

目的:探讨体外受精-胚胎移植(IVF-ET)中精子处理前、后凋亡率的变化以及处理前、后精子凋亡率与受精率和胚胎质量的相关性。方法:收集行IVF者的精液55例,密度梯度离心结合上游法处理精液,IVF当日通过流式细胞术检测处理前、后精子凋亡指标——caspase-3(CP3)活化率,于受精后16 h、48 h、72 h分别观察受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率。结果:共获卵690枚,平均受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率分别为:84.49±14.92%、94.62±11.09%、47.11±27.17%;处理后精子CP3活化率较处理前有明显降低(22.84±6.05%vs 34.80±6.56%,P<0.05);处理前精子CP3活化率与受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率均无显著相关性(Spearman相关系数:0.056,0137,-0.060,P>0.05),处理后精子CP3活化率与受精率及优质胚胎率呈显著负相关(Spearman相关系数:-0.375,-0.416,P<0.01),与卵裂率无显著相关性(Spearman相关系数:-0.156,P>0.05)。结论:密度梯度离心结合上游法处理精子后可以显著降低精子凋亡率,处理后精子凋亡率可能影响受精率和优质胚胎率,可为临床预测受精结局及胚胎发育情况提供参考指标。     

精子顶体精氨酸酰胺酶测定在体外受精-胚胎移植妊娠结局中的价值研究

目的研究精子顶体精氨酸酰胺酶在体外受精-胚胎移植(IVF-ET)中的应用价值。方法选择349个IVF治疗周期,其中精氨酸酰胺酶高值组162个周期,精氨酸酰胺酶低值组187个周期。比较两组间的受精率、正常受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率以及新鲜移植周期的生化妊娠率、临床妊娠率、流产率及活产率等指标。结果精子精氨酸酰胺酶高值组的受精率(78.74%)高于低值组(76.07%,P0.05),而卵裂率高值组(98.24%)低于低值组(99.58%,P0.05)。两组间正常受精率和优质胚胎率比较无统计学差异。高值组新鲜移植周期的临床妊娠率(58.75%)及活产率(52.50%)均明显高于低值组(44.00%,P0.05;33.00%,P0.01)。两组间生化妊娠率和流产率比较无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论精子精氨酸酰胺酶活性与IVF-ET精卵结合有一定关系,并对妊娠结局有一定的指导作用。     

精子DNA碎片与体外受精结局的关系

目的:探讨精子DNA碎片与体外受精(in vitro fertilization,IVF)结局的关系。方法:采用染色质扩散实验(sperm chromatin dispersion,SCD)对242例接受IVF的男方进行精子DNA碎片率(DNAfragmentation index,DFI)检测,按照WHO标准进行精液常规分析,将精子DFI、精液常规参数和IVF受精率、卵裂率、可移植胚胎率、优质胚胎率进行Spearman相关分析,将精子DFI、精液常规参数对生化妊娠、临床妊娠的影响进行Logistic回归分析。结果:精子DFI与精子前向活动率呈负相关(r=-0.355,P<0.001);密度梯度法处理前、后精子DFI均与IVF受精率呈负相关(r=-0.223,P<0.001)(r=-0.136,P<0.05);精子DFI、精液常规参数与卵裂率、可移植胚胎率、优质胚胎率无相关性;精子DFI与生化妊娠、临床妊娠结局无相关性。结论:精子DFI影响精子活力与IVF受精率,精子DFI检测对预测IVF受精率有一定的临床意义。     

精子DNA碎片对IVF-ET胚胎发育和临床结局的影响

目的:探讨精子DNA完整性对体外受精-胚胎移植(IVF-ET)胚胎发育及临床结局的影响。方法:选择190对不孕症夫妇为研究对象,采用密度梯度洗涤及上游法处理精子,检测处理前后的DNA碎片指数(DFI)。通过受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线,根据DFI预测IVF-ET受精率的阈值将患者分为高DFI组和低DFI组。比较两组精液参数及体外受精/卵胞浆内单精子注射(IVF/ICSI)的助孕情况和妊娠结局。结果:(1)DFI预测IVF受精的AUC为0.559(95%CI 0.501～0.617),最大约登指数对应阈值为25%。患者分为高DFI组[≥25%,59对夫妇(IVF 24对,ICSI 35对)]和低DFI组[25%,131对夫妇(IVF101对,ICSI 30对)]。经过密度梯度洗涤及上游后精子DFI显著降低(17.9%vs 1.9%,P0.01)。(2)无论IVF还是ICSI周期,两组前向运动精子比例的差异均有统计学意义[(39.7±17.3)%vs (21.8±19.1)%,P0.01;(28.5±18.3)%vs (13.6±10.9)%,P0.01]。在IVF周期中,低DFI组受精率[(84.0±15.9)%]明显高于高DFI组[(76.3±16.4)%],差异有统计学意义(P0.05),而在ICSI周期中,两组受精率差异无统计学意义[(73.8±19.9)%vs(76.2±20.1)%,P0.05]。(3)两组的卵裂率、优质胚胎率、囊胚形成率、种植率、临床妊娠率、早期流产率、持续妊娠率差异均无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:高DFI患者的精子活力明显降低,密度梯度洗涤及上游后可显著降低精子DFI。高DFI患者可通过ICSI提高受精率,但是DFI对于IVF/ICSI胚胎发育以及临床结局没有预测价值。     

乙肝病毒携带对不同卵巢储备功能女性体外受精-胚胎移植结局的影响

目的探讨乙肝病毒携带对不同卵巢储备功能女性进行体外受精-胚胎移植(IVF-ET)助孕胚胎发育及妊娠结局的影响。方法回顾性分析接受IVF-ET助孕的1 310例不孕症患者资料,按照血清抗苗勒管激素(AMH)水平,分为三组:卵巢储备低下组(A组)AMH2μg/L,正常卵巢储备组(B组)AMH 2~7μg/L,卵巢高储备组(C组)AMH7μg/L,每组按HBs Ag检测结果分为女方乙肝病毒携带组和正常对照组,比较两组的正常受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率、着床率、临床妊娠率及流产率有无差异。结果 A组及C组中,乙肝病毒携带组与正常对照组的正常受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率、着床率及临床妊娠率差异无统计学意义(P0.05),但A组中乙肝病毒携带组的无可移植胚胎率(14.6%)高于正常对照组(5.9%)(P0.05);B组中乙肝病毒携带组的正常受精率(69.8%)、卵裂率(96.97%)、优质胚胎率(21.8%)、着床率(31.3%)及临床妊娠率(44.1%)均低于正常对照组(73.6%,98.6%,26.2%,41.3%,59.8%)(P0.05),差异有统计学意义。3组中乙肝病毒携带组的流产率均高于正常对照组(P0.05),差异有统计学意义。结论乙肝病毒携带可能干扰了卵巢储备低下及正常卵巢储备女性的卵子质量及胚胎的发育,最终影响妊娠结局。     

人精子-透明质结合试验与IVF-ET结局相关性研究

目的:分析精子-透明质结合试验(hyaluronan binding assay,HBA)与精子常规参数及体外受精-胚胎移植(in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer,IVF-ET)结局的相关性,探寻精子质量评估和授精方式选择的新指标。方法:对进入IVF-ET周期的136例患者进行HBA检测,并按HBA结合率将患者分为HBA结合率≥65%组(A组)与HBA结合率65%组(B组),统计分析HBA与精液常规参数、体外受精率、胚胎质量和临床妊娠结局的相关性。结果:A组与B组相比,精子浓度无统计学差异(P0.05);而前者的前向运动(PR)精子明显高于后者,差异有显著统计学意义(P0.01)。A组总受精率和正常受精率均高于B组(P0.01),而可利用胚胎率、临床妊娠率、胚胎着床率及活产婴儿出生率组间均无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:HBA反映精子活动力,对体外受精率具有指示作用,对于临床选择体外辅助授精方式具有一定的参考意义。     

不同精子来源及授精方式对剩余胚胎继续囊胚培养结局的影响

目的:探讨不同精子来源及不同授精方式对胚胎继续发育能力的影响。方法:分析499例患者499个取卵周期剩余胚胎继续培养形成囊胚的情况,按精子来源不同分为供精IVF(D-IVF)组和夫精IVF(H-IVF)组,按授精方式不同分为IVF组和ICSI组,ICSI组按精子来源分为新鲜精液组、附睾精子和睾丸精子组,比较不同精子来源及授精方式获得剩余胚胎的囊胚形成率、胚胎利用率和无囊胚移植率。结果:① D-IVF组和H-IVF组受精率、卵裂率、优质胚胎率、第3日和第5日胚胎种植率、临床妊娠率和流产率均无统计学差异(P0.05),组间剩余胚胎囊胚形成率、胚胎利用率和无囊胚移植率亦无统计学差异(P0.05);②ICSI组与IVF组比较,其受精率较高(P0.05),但优质胚胎率显著下降,有统计学差异(55.11%vs 61.30%,P0.05),组间第3日卵裂期胚胎和剩余胚胎囊胚种植率、临床妊娠率无统计学差异(P0.05),但ICSI组与IVF组比较,其剩余胚胎囊胚形成率、胚胎利用率稍低,无囊胚移植率较IVF组稍高,差异有统计学意义(56.13%vs 65.32%,48.18%vs 55.39%,21.68%vs 13.20%,P0.05)。③新鲜精液组的优质胚胎率、胚胎利用率显著低于附睾精子和睾丸精子组(P0.05),各组囊胚移植的种植率和临床妊娠率无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:D-IVF可获得H-IVF相似的结局,其剩余胚胎都有较高的发育潜能,ICSI获得的剩余胚胎发育潜能低于IVF组。附睾精子和睾丸精子ICSI后获得的胚胎比新鲜精液精子ICSI后胚胎发育潜能高。针对不同的授精方式可能需要制定相应的剩余胚胎囊胚培养标准。     

Influence of individual sperm morphology on fertilization,embryo morphology,and pregnancy outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the influence of morphology of individual spermatozoa on fertilization and pregnancy outcome. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTING: An IVF center in an institutional research environment. PATIENT(S): Fertilization and embryo quality according to individual sperm morphology were analyzed in 662 consecutive ICSI cycles. Pregnancy outcome was evaluated for these cycles and an additional 1005 consecutive ICSI cycles. INTERVENTION(S): ICSI was performed using sperm cells of ejaculated, epididymal, or testicular origin. Observation through an inverted microscope was used to prospectively classify injected sperm cells as normal or morphologically abnormal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Oocyte fertilization, embryo morphology, and pregnancy outcome of unmixed embryo transfers. RESULT(S): Injection of morphologically abnormal spermatozoa (irrespective of origin) resulted in a lower fertilization rate (60.7%) than did injection of morphologically normal spermatozoa (71.7%). Embryo cleavage quality did not differ between groups. Higher pregnancy and implantation rates were obtained in patients with normal sperm morphology (36.7% and 18.7%, respectively) than in those with abnormal sperm morphology (20.2% and 9.6%). CONCLUSION(S): Individual sperm morphology assessed at the moment of ICSI correlated well with fertilization outcome but did not affect embryo development. The implantation rate was lower when only embryos resulting from injection of an abnormal spermatozoon were available.     

The impact of sperm morphology analysis on IVF results

Analysis of sperm factors correlates rather poorly with results and there is a considerable overlap between fertility and infertility. The threshold values for normal sperm morphology have changed, falling from 80% in 1951 to around 14% today. Using a threshold value of 10% normal sperm in the ejaculate, we find a high fertilisation rate and no reduction in pregnancy rate when performing conventional IVF in our department. Only a small group of these patients actually have such a low fertilisation rate that ICSI is required. Morphology analysis, even with training, is difficult, and using current morphology methods to establish the type of treatment to offer leads to an unnecessarily large number of ICSI being performed. It has to be remembered that ICSI is more invasive, more time-consuming and more expensive than conventional IVF. We have conducted a prospective, one year study of not analysing morphology before treatment. If the sperm sample appears normal overall and there are more than one million motile spermatozoa after swim-up preparation, we perform conventional IVF. We included a total of 369 cycles. The overall fertilisation failure rate was 4% and the proportion of ICSI fell from 61% to 48% after this work. As a result of this, we now no longer analyse sperm morphology, and we perform conventional IVF in the 1(st) cycle when we have normal sperm values and more than one million motile spermatozoa after swim-up. We thereby perform 150 fewer ICSI treatments per year.     

A prospective auto-controlled study to evaluate the interest of selected sperm morphology to inseminate oocytes during IVF

OBJECTIVES: Since we observed in our laboratory a significant decrease of the fertilization rate in the classical IVF procedure compared to ICSI, we wanted to evaluate a new insemination procedure, using sperm morphology of selected semen as a criterion taken into account to calculate the number of mobile sperm to inseminate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Therefore, we designed a prospective autocontrolled study which took place from September 2006 to May 2007. All IVF attempts resulting from infertile couples were included in the study if a previous analysis (lesser than one year) of sperm parameters performed in our laboratory was assessed as normal. The retrieved oocytes were separated into two groups (sibling ovocytes), inseminated randomly either with the usual procedure (control group) or with the tested protocol (tested group). Fertilization rate was the primary end point to evaluate this assay. Polyspermy rates were also compared. Subsequently, embryonic quality and development were assessed to eliminate an oxidative stress impact. Paired Student t-test was applied for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In all, 130 couples were included. The diploid fertilization rate was significantly increased in the tested group compared to the control group (66.9% vs 61.3%; p=0.017). No statistically significant difference was showed between the polyspermy rate and numbers of (i) good quality embryos and (ii) blastomeres per embryo into the two groups. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the conventional insemination procedure, the fertilization rate benefited from the tested insemination method in our laboratory without damaging embryonic growth. In the limit of our procedure, selected sperm morphology should be used to inseminate an appropriate number of spermatozoa within oocytes, even in case of normal semen values.     

Factors influencing pregnancy rates in intrauterine insemination cycles

OBJECTIVE: To identify the predictors of pregnancy rate (PR) among women undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred thirty-two women undergoing 255 IUI cycles were retrospectively evaluated according to clinical and semen characteristics in terms of PRs. RESULTS: The overall PR was 9.4%. The PR was 7.9% in the primary infertility group, whereas the rate was 21.4% in the secondary infertility group (p < 0.05). The pregnancy rate was 3.1% for 1 preovulatory follicle, 9.3% for 2 follicles, 16.9% for 3 and 23.1% for 4 (p < 0.05). The PR increased in accordance with the total motile sperm count before sperm preparation (p > 0.05); however, the PR was significantly higher in sperm morphology of >4% (according to Kruger criteria) than in the < or = 4% group (6.7% vs. 22.2%, respectively; p = 0.003). Using binary logistic regression analysis, the number of preovulatory follicles and the percentage of normal sperm morphology in processed sperm had the maximum power to predict the PR following IUI. CONCLUSION: Other than clinical and laboratory characteristics, only the number of preovulatory follicles and the percentage of normal sperm morphology in processed sperm can be used in the prediction of a favorable IUI outcome.     

The proportion of human sperm with poor morphology but normal intact acrosomes detected with Pisum sativum agglutinin correlates with fertilization in vitro

Sperm acrosomes were examined with fluorescein-labeled pisum sativum agglutinin in 137 in vitro fertilization treatments. The percentage of sperm with normal intact acrosomes in semen was correlated with sperm concentration, morphology, viability, and motility. The proportion of sperm with normal intact acrosomes was significantly increased by the "swim up" selection from semen. Fertilization rates in the whole group studied were significantly related to percentage normal morphology, concentration of sperm inseminated and cause of infertility. However, with normal morphology less than 30%, the proportion of sperm with normal intact acrosomes in the insemination medium was the only significant factor related to fertilization rate in the logistic regression analysis. Thus, assessment of acrosomes may be of clinical value for predicting the fertility of men with poor sperm morphology.     

Fallopian tube sperm perfusion: the impact of sperm count and morphology on pregnancy rates

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of changed criteria for sperm count and morphology when performing fallopian tube sperm perfusion (FSP) in unexplained infertility. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report on a longitudinal study in which two periods of insemination cycles are compared. One hundred and eighty-three couples who started 361 stimulation cycles intended for FSP were included in the first period and 190 couples starting 303 cycles in the second period. The sperm requirement in the first study period was at least 7 million sperm in the prepared test sample. The FSP cycle included downregulation, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), ovulation induction and intrauterine and intrafallopian tube insemination using a sperm suspension of 3 mL volume. To avoid high-order multiple pregnancies, cycles at risk were converted to in vitro fertilization (IVF). Based on the results from the first period, sperm requirements were lowered to a sperm count of 3 million and at least 5% normal morphology according to strict criteria. RESULTS: FSP was performed in 51% and 60% of started cycles during the two periods with similar pregnancy (24% and 23%) and birth (15% and 19%) rates. Neither sperm count nor morphology above the requirements affected pregnancy rates. IVF-converted, completed cycles reached equal pregnancy (41%) and delivery (32%) rates in both periods. Multiple pregnancy rates were higher after IVF (38%) than after FSP (24%). CONCLUSION: The lowered requirements for sperm count and morphology have not impaired pregnancy results after FSP. Patients who either completed an FSP cycle or had their cycle converted to IVF were all at high risk of multiple pregnancy.     

Tests of human sperm function and fertilization in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To review recent studies on the development of new tests of human sperm function and evaluation of which sperm characteristics are most important for fertilization in vitro by logistic regression analysis. STUDY SELECTION: Recent studies on the relationship between putative and new tests of human sperm function and fertility in vitro or in vivo are discussed in this review. Some physiological and technical aspects are included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fertilization rates in vitro and sperm tests including standard semen analysis, improved morphology assessment, objective assessment of sperm motility and movement characteristics, nuclear maturity, hypo-osmotic swelling, the acrosome and the acrosome reaction, acrosin activity, human sperm-hamster oocyte penetration assay, and sperm-zona pellucida (ZP) and sperm-oolemma binding. RESULTS: The percentages of sperm with normal morphology and a normal intact acrosome, mean linearity, and the number of sperm binding to the ZP were highly significant related to fertilization rates in vitro. Other sperm tests evaluated usually provided no additional information about fertilization rates. The human ZP is highly selective for binding of morphologically normal sperm. Acrosome-reacted human sperm have little or no ability to bind to the ZP. CONCLUSION: Results of in vitro fertilization can be used to evaluate tests of human sperm function. Logistic regression analysis is a powerful method for determining which groups of sperm characteristics are independently related to fertilization rates. Normal morphology, linearity, acrosome status, and sperm-ZP binding are the most important characteristics for fertilization in vitro.     

Outcome of conventional IVF and ICSI on sibling oocytes in the case of isolated teratozoospermia

Purpose

To reevaluate the effect of isolated teratozoospermia on IVF and determine if there was any therapeutic benefit to isolated teratozoospermia by ICSI, since there are no widely accepted criteria for the treatment technique about isolated teratozoospermia.

Methods

A total of 441 couples with >20 million and progressive motility >30 % sperm undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycle were included in the study between 2008 and 2010, for whom at least 8 oocytes were retrived. Isolated teratozoospermia was diagnosed in 183 of the included couples, and the rest couples (normal sperm morphology) were studied as control. Sibling oocytes were randomized to be inseminated either by ICSI or IVF. Fertilization rate, embryo quality, pregnancy rate, implantation rate and spontaneous abortion rate were assessed.

Results

There was no difference in the percentage of eggs fertilized, implantation rate, pregnancy rate and spontaneous abortion rate between conventional IVF and ICSI regardless of the percentage of normal morphology. The day 3 embryonic morphology and rate of development were not different despite the insemination method and percentage of normal morphology.

Conclusion

Because isolated teratozoospermia did not influence the major indices of IVF and the unnecessary use of ICSI is time-consuming, costly and potential risks, couples with isolated teratozoospermia need not be subjected to ICSI.     

A comparison of the morphology of testicular, epididymal, and ejaculated sperm from fertile men and men with obstructive azoospermia

Objective: To assess the morphology of testicular, epididymal, and ejaculated sperm.

Design: Morphology of the three types of sperm was assessed by using Tygerberg strict criteria.

Setting: The Regional Fertility Center, Royal Maternity Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Patient(s): Thirty-two men with obstructive azoospermia and 10 fertile men.

Intervention(s): Trucut needle testicular biopsy and percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration under local anesthetic.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Percentages of normal sperm and sperm with head, midpiece, and tail defects for testicular, epididymal, and ejaculated sperm. Testicular sperm morphology in men with obstructive azoospermia was compared with that of fertile men.

Result(s): The percentage of normal testicular sperm (4.3%) differed significantly from the percentages of normal epididymal (10.8%) and ejaculated sperm (9.6%). Testicular sperm morphology in men with obstructive azoospermia did not differ from that in fertile men.

Conclusion(s): Tygerberg strict criteria are not suitable for the assessment of testicular sperm morphology.     

Isolated teratozoospermia and in vitro fertilization

Purpose: To show whether increased amounts of spermatozoa used in insemination of preovulatory oocytes in isolated teratozoospermia according to Kruger's strict criteria gives good fertilization rates. Methods: This study was carried out from September 1993 to November 1994 for a total of 77 cycles, with sperm samples classified according to Kruger's strict classification. Group 1 (C; control) included 37 couples with normal sperm morphology (>14% normal; SC). Group 2 (GP; good prognosis) included 18 couples (morphology, 4 and 14% normal) and group 3 (T; teratozoospermic) included 11 couples, with isolated teratozoospermia in the male partner (morphology, <4% normal). Results: No statistically significant difference was seen in the three groups regarding age, duration of infertility, aspirated follicles, oocytes collected, and embryos transferred. There is a statistically significantly difference (P<0.001) in the number of spermatozoa used in insemination in group 3. Conclusions: In conclusion, a morphological classification using strict criteria in the assessment of sperm morphology is still very important, as increasing the sperm number of spermatozoa inseminated per oocyte may improve zona pellucida binding and give better IVF results.Presented in part at the IXth World Congress on In Vitro Fertilization and Alternate Assisted Reproduction, Vienna, Austria, April 3–7, 1995.