The value of intrauterine insemination with washed husband's sperm in the treatment of infertility

Abstract

Twenty-nine infertile couples were treated by intrauterine insemination (IUI)of washed sperm from a sub-fertile husband (n = 16), in cases of gynaecological (n = 3), combined (n = 4) or idiopathic (n = 6) infertility; 116 treatment cycles redted in 11 ongoing pregnancies. Between 0.25 and 0.45 ml of capacitation medium, containing at least 500 000 pretreated spermatozoa, were inseminated. Pretreatment of first split fractions was performed by centrifugation and swimming up of motile spermatozoa. The pregnancy per cycle index (P/C) for IUI was 9.5% for a total of 37.9% of all couples treated achieving pregnancy. These results suggest a substantial benefit compared with a calculated six months' cumulative pregnancy rate of 4.2% independent of treatment, for this infertile population. The value of IUI in selected cam of infertility seems obvious but needs further investigation.