Common Cause of Male Infertility Successfully Treated Without Surgery (Part 2)

Of all the potential pre-treatment predictors of pregnancy such as varicocele severity, hormone levels, ultrasound findings, and other semen parameters, the researchers found that the only significant predictor was sperm movement.

In follow-up data on pregnancy in partners for 173 of the men, 45 couples or 26 percent, reported a pregnancy with five of them assisted by intrauterine insemination.

The study findings indicate that RVE does improve semen quality, resulting in pregnancy about one-third of the time, which prompted the authors to conclude that fertility benefits seen with this procedure are "similar to those reported after surgical repair," and refer to the treatment as a "useful adjunct to in vitro fertilization therapy."

The authors acknowledged several limitations of the study which included the absence of a control group, the lack of further assessment and grading of female infertility in women without proven infertility, and the relatively short observation period for treatment success. The study and its findings appear in the August issue of Radiology.