Outcome of sperm preparation using double-gradients technique study in Siriraj Hospital

Objective: To determine the succession of sperm preparation using the double-gradients technique on sperm quality: sperm recovery rate, sperm concentration, sperm motility and percentage of post wash total motile sperm count. Study Design: Retrospective descriptive study. Settings: Infertility clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj hospital. Material and Method: During the period of January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2007, data including semen analysis before and after IUI procedure were reviewed in all male patients who were referred to the andrology laboratory for sperm washing and IUl. Comparison of semen parameters such as total sperm concentration, total motile sperm count before and after sperm preparation as well as total sperm recovery rate and total motile sperm recovery rate was evaluated. Results: After sperm preparation, both sperm concentration and progressive sperm motility significantly increased, while total motile sperm count significantly decreased. Moreover, the percentage of motile sperm recovery rate and total sperm recovery rate was higher after sperm preparation at around 59.88 + 19.26% and 34.03 + 14.58% respectively. When categorizing semen parameters to 4 groups: normozoospermia, oligozoospermia, astenozo-ospermia and oligo-astenozoospermia, sperm motility in each group, comparing with sperm motility prior preparation, significantly improved after sperm preparation. Furthermore, motile sperm recovery rate in each group significantly increased except for astenozoospermia. Total sperm recovery rate in oligozoospermia was significantly higher than normozoospermia, yet the others were significantly lower. Conclusion: Sperm preparation using double gradient percoll provided a high percentage of motile sperm recovery rate and total sperm recovery rate. It also dramatically improved progressive sperm motility in normozoospermia, oligozoospermia, astenozoospermia and oligo-astenozoospermia.