Intrauterine insemination in male factor subfertility: significance of sperm motility and morphology assessed by strict criteria: Strict criteria morphology and IUI
Abstract
The study was conducted to evaluate the results of IUI treatment in a homogenous group with male factor infertility, and to assess the correlation of sperm variables, including sperm morphology by strict criteria, with pregnancy achievement after IUI. A total of 108 couples with no apparent female aetiology for infertility underwent 264 intrauterine insemination treatment cycles. A comparison was made between the sperm variables in two groups in which the achievement of pregnancy differed. The percentage of motile spermatozoa, degree of motility and normal morphology (by strict criteria) were significantly higher in the pregnant group compared with that of the nonpregnant group. A significant difference in pregnancy rates per couple after intrauterine insemination was demonstrated among three groups according to the percentage of sperm morphology, i.e. poor ( 14%) (11.1%; 36.1% and 50.0%, respectively). Intrauterine insemination is a valid mode of treatment in cases with male infertility, provided that normal morphology by strict criteria is higher than 4%.
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Other smaller studies observed that sperm morphology affected the outcome of IUI.
“Other studies of smaller series also observed that sperm morphology affected the outcome of IUI [86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93].”
From Recommendations for Human Sperm Morphology Assessment in 2025: An Expert Review From the French BLEFCO Group (2026) · cites this paper as [88]
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- Authors
- Hauser, R., Yogev, L., Botchan, A., Lessing, J. B., Paz, G., & Yavetz, H.
- Affiliations
- Tel Aviv University (IL)
- Corresponding author
- Hauser, R.
- Venue
- Andrologia
- Publisher
- Hindawi Limited
- Published
- 2001-01-29
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 13-17
- ISSN
- 0303-4569 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2023702191
- Cited by
- 49
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 3.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Andrologia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Sperm and Testicular Function
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Male Reproductive Health Studies
- Keywords
- intrauterine insemination, male factor infertility, subfertility, sperm motility, sperm morphology, pregnancy rate, semen quality, assisted reproduction
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Humans, Infertility, Male, Insemination, Artificial, Homologous, Male, Pregnancy, Sperm Motility, Spermatozoa, Uterus, Treatment Outcome
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