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How 1 h of abstinence improves sperm quality and increases embryo euploidy rate after PGT-A: a study on 106 sibling biopsied blastocysts

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of different ejaculatory abstinence time frames (several days versus 1 h) on semen parameters, blastocysts ploidy rate, and clinical results in assisted reproduction cycles on sibling oocytes.

Methods

This is a prospective study including 22 preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) cycles performed between November 2015 and December 2018. Male partners with oligoastenoteratozoospermia produced two semen samples on the day of oocyte retrieval: the first one after several days of abstinence and the second, 1 h after the first one. Oocytes from each patient were divided into two groups: those in group 1 were injected with spermatozoa from the first ejaculate (N = 121) and oocytes in group 2 with spermatozoa from the second one (N = 144). Outcomes of aniline blue test, fertilization, blastocyst formation, ploidy rates, and clinical results were compared between the two groups.

Results

Semen volume resulted lower in the second sperm retrieval. Sperm concentration, motility, and morphology were similar in the two groups. A total of 106 blasotcysts were biospied. Higher blastocyst euploidy rates resulted in group 2 (43.6%) than in group 1 (27.5%). A higher percentage of mature chromatine was observed in group 2.

Conclusion

Using spermatozoa from samples with a shorter abstinence could be a simple method to select higher quality spermatozoa, reducing aneuploidy rate in blastocysts. Prospective randomized controlled trials should be performed to confirm the potential advantage of using semen samples with short abstinence period to improve the outcome of assisted reproduction cycles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, European Hospital, Via Portuense 700, 00149, Rome, Italy

    Filomena Scarselli, Elisabetta Cursio, Saverio Muzzì, Valentina Casciani, Alessandra Ruberti, Simona Gatti, Pierfrancesco Greco, Maria Teresa Varricchio, Maria Giulia Minasi & Ermanno Greco

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  1. Filomena Scarselli
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  2. Elisabetta Cursio
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  3. Saverio Muzzì
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Correspondence to Filomena Scarselli.

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Scarselli, F., Cursio, E., Muzzì, S. et al. How 1 h of abstinence improves sperm quality and increases embryo euploidy rate after PGT-A: a study on 106 sibling biopsied blastocysts. J Assist Reprod Genet 36, 1591–1597 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-019-01533-7

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