sperm has not been fully evaluated. This study detected significant amountsof cytokine in seminal plasma but also demonstrates that cytokines have notdamaged the sperm whilst they are in seminal plasma, as their concentra-tions do not correlate with fertilization rates. It also demonstrates that theprocess of sperm preparation during IVF removes any potential adverseeffect on sperm-oocyte interaction.

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Semen analysis parameters do not affect the development and impla-nation of resulting embryos. Lynette A. Scott, Amin Khabani, LaTashaCraig, Nancy Klein. Univ of Washington, Div Repro Endo, Seattle, WA.

Objectives: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is routinely used inmale factor cases where either one or all of count, motility and morphologyparameters are abnormal. There have been many reports on the impact ofsemen quality on ICSI outcome and potentially the offspring. This studyaimed to retrospectively correlated 3 semen variables with 4 outcomevariables to assess any links between semen characteristics and outcome.

Setting: University based assisted reproductive technologies program.Methods: Couples presenting for ART where designated as ICSI candi-

dates if their count was �20, motility �50% or morphology �30%. Afurther group of patients were designated for ICSI, regardless of semenparameters if they had previously failed or had poor fertilization, if they hadfewer than 6 oocytes retrieved or they requested ICSI. All oocyte retrieval,sperm preparation, IVF and ICSI were routine. During ICSI procedures onlymotile sperm were used and an attempt was made to select morphologicallynormal appearing sperm. All data over a 2 year period was included andanalyzed for fertilization (FR), implantation (IR), clinical pregnancy (CPR)and delivery rates (DR) for sperm count, motility and morphology variables.Data was analyzed using the T-test and ANOVA.

Results: The results for the 4 sperm concentration-, 3 motility- and 4morphology-groups are shown in table 1.

● WHO criteria

There was no difference in outcomes in any of the groups; there was nodifference in the number of patients �39 or the number of day 3 or 5transfers performed in each group. The variables that affected outcome wereage and cycle number.

Conclusions: Assuming a motile, morphological normal appearing spermis used in ICSI, the original parameters of the sample it came from has noaffect on its ability to contribute to embryo and fetal development. Withinthe limited scope of a routine IVF-Andrology laboratory, the basic criteriacurrently used to distinguish good from poor sperm is sufficient to desig-nated cases as ICSI vs. IVF and to select sperm for ICSI.

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Do different sperm types influence Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection(ICSI) fertilization rates? Shehua Shen, Christin Wong, Victor Y. Fuji-moto, Marcelle I. Cedars, Paul J. Turek. Univ of CA San Francisco, SanFrancisco, CA.

Objectives: ICSI has significantly improved reproductive options formales with severe sperm production and/or ejaculatory defects. The impactof sperm source on ICSI outcome, has been debated with data suggesting 2pronuclear (2PN) rates utilizing sperm of testicular origin are lower thanthat with epididymal- or ejaculate-derived sperm. To further address thisissue of the relationship between ICSI fertilization and sperm source andquality, we compared our ICSI experience with sperm from men withnormal ejaculates (Ejac.), severe oligospermia (Oligo.), obstructive

azoospermia with both epididymal (MESA) and testis (TESA/E, obstruc-tive) sperm, and nonobstructive azoospermia (TESA/E, non-obstructive).

Design: Retrospective study of consecutive IVF-ICSI cycles at a singleacademic institution from 2000 to 2003.

Material and Methods: Five groups of sperm were analyzed and com-pared for ICSI success. The control group included all cycles that usednormal ejaculated sperm (total motile count �20 million/ml). A secondgroup included all cycles using sperm from severely oligospermic men(total motile count�1 million/ml). In addition, cycles with aspirated epi-didymal sperm and testis sperm from obstructed and nonobstructive menwere included. In cases of aspirated sperm, only motile or twitching spermswere selected for ICSI. One-way ANOVA and Chi Square analyses wereapplied, with P�0.05 considered significant.

Results: Findings were assessed from first IVF cycles performed in 267couples and are outlined below. Overall, high 2PN rates were achievedregardless of sperm source. However, ICSI in cases of severe oligospermiashowed significantly lower 2PN rates than that achieved with sperm fromnormal ejaculates.

Conclusion: In our experience, high 2PN fertilization rates are possiblewith all types of sperm. However, lower fertilization potential might beexpected with sperm from severely oligospermic and non-obstructiveazoospermic men. This might reflect the increased genetic risk these menharbor relative to other male factor conditions that require ICSI. Theevaluation of pregnancy and biochemical loss rates will be analyzed tofurther assess this possibility.

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Improvement of morphological deficiencies according to the degree ofteratozoospermia: Is it possible to reach a comparable to normozo-ospermic semen specimen? Juan R. Correa-Perez, Rene Fernandez-Pele-grina, Mario J. Cordova-Claudio, Khalied Kaskar, Panayiotis M. Zavos. Ctrde Fertilidad del Caribe, Rio Piedras, PR; Univ of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras,PR; Andrology Institute of America, Lexington, KY.

Objective: Semen specimens are classified according to the most commonparameters: concentration, motility and morphology. Specimens with in-creased morphological abnormalities as the only deficiency are classified asteratozoospermic, which is the most common deficiency observed in semensamples. In our program, those samples alone represent 45% of all samplesanalyzed, and 75% when other deficient combinations are observed. Fur-thermore, since abnormal morphology is the only deficiency, it may bepossible to isolate the normal spermatozoa to a level comparable to normo-zoospermic specimens. The aim of this study was to 1) assess the recoveryof TFSF in cases of teratozoospermia according to the degree of thisparameter, and 2) determine if the isolation of morphological sperm interatozoospermic specimens could reach a level comparable to those innormozoospermic specimens.

Design: Retrospective analysis of semen specimens classified as normo-zoospermic or teratozoospermic according to the degree of morphologicalabnormalities from 2000-present. The proposed study was reviewed andIRB approved.

Materials and Methods: Semen specimens classified (WHO criteria,1999) as normozoospermic (n�145; �30% normal forms) or teratozoosper-mic (n�253; �30% normal forms) after semen analysis were evaluated forrecovery of numbers of morphologically normal spermatozoa and swim-upprofiles. The teratozoospermic specimens were divided into subgroupsaccording to the degree of teratozoospermia; mild (20-29% normal forms;n�128), moderate (10-19% normal forms; n�95) and severe (�10% nor-mal forms; n�30). The recovery values of the total functional spermfraction (TFSF) after 90 minutes of swim-up incubation were applied and

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