The effect of sperm morphology and protamine deficiency on fertilization rate in ICSI:
AIM: The main purpose of this study was to determine the possible relationship between protamine deficiency (Chromomycin A3 Staining), morphology of spermatozoa according to Strict Criteria with fertilization rate in Intracyto Plasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) cases.
METHODS AND MATERIALS: 55 Infertile couples were selected from ICSI candidates referring to Isfahan Fertility and Infertility Centre. Semen samples were collected on the day of oocyte recovery. Major portion of the semen were prepared for routine ICSI and rest was used for Chromomycin A3 staining and sperm morphogy according to Strict Criteria.
200 Sperm were evaluated in the each slide and the results were recorded and were analyzed in order to evaluate Relation of these reports with fertilization rate using correlation coefficient, Logistic regression analysis, t-test and ROC Curve.
RESULTS: Both Protamine Deficiency, (assessed by Chromomycin A3 Staining) and both Sperm morphology (assessed by Strict Criteria) Showed a significant Correlation With Fertilization rate in ICSI cases. However Logistic regression Analysis shwoed that Only Protamine Deficiency had the Independent effects on Fertilization rate in ICSI. When Patients were grouped according % Fertilization (<%50 and > %50), the mean CMA3 and mean Index morphology were significantly different between two groups.
The area under ROC Curves data suggest that CMA3 staining is the More specific and sensitive test.
CONCLUSION: Thus, the data in this study suggest that CMA3 staining can be used as an complementary test along with sperm morphology for prediction of fertilization rate following ICSI.