The Success Rate and Factors Affecting the Outcome of Assisted Reproductive Treatment in Subfertile Men

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to evaluate the success rate of male infertility treatment and the factors affecting its outcome. METHODS: In a historical cohort study, from Mar 2013 to Mar 2014, 323 couples with male factor were investigated. Couples had treated with IUI or/and ICSI were included randomly. Assisted reproduction technology (ART) outcome (treatment success) was defined as a live birth. Age, duration of infertility, type of infertility, treatment history and clinical examination results were investigated. The logistic regression and survival analysis were applied. RESULTS: The average of men age, duration of infertility and BMI were 33.5, 4.7 (yr) and 26.6 (kg/m(2)) respectively. 87.9% of men have primary infertility and average duration of treatment was 14.1(month). Previous treatment, type of infertility, treatment method, man’s BMI, normality of sperm and sperm head were important variable that affecting outcome. The rate of live birth in the first attempt was 29.7%, and 44.9% of the couples succeeded to give live birth after several treatment cycles. Couples who had no previous history of treatment were 8.5 times more successful in live birth. The Cox analysis showed that “BMI of man” and percentage of “Sperm with normal head” are predictors that had a significant effect on live birth. CONCLUSION: Live birth in the first treatment cycles was influenced by four variables but two other variable were affecting several treatment cycles outcome. The chances of successful treatment were higher with taking into account the length of time and having live birth was determined as 78% for five years of continuous treatment.