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Comparison of obstetrical and neonatal outcomes between fresh versus frozen-thawed testicular sperm derived from microTESE

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 09 January 2025

This article has been updated

Abstract

Purpose

To compare obstetrical and neonatal outcomes of embryo transfer cycles using fresh vs. frozen-thawed testicular sperm derived from microTESE in non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients.

Design

The retrospective cohort study included a total of 48 couples diagnosed with NOA who underwent 93 ET cycles, both fresh and frozen-thawed embryos, and resulted in pregnancy. ET cycles were divided into two groups according to sperm type, fresh (46 cycles, 49.5%) or frozen (47 cycles, 50.5%) testicular sperm. The primary outcome was the birth weight of newborns correlated with gestational week (birth weight percentile).

Results

A comparison of patients’ basic characteristics and ET cycle parameters showed no significant clinical differences between the groups. A total of 172 embryos were transferred, 86 (50%) in each group. A higher rate of good-quality blastocysts was found in the fresh testicular group (83.3% vs. 50%, p = 0.046). A comparison of pregnancy outcomes showed no significant differences in clinical pregnancy, implantation, or live birth rates. A total of 53 cycles resulted in live birth, 26 (49%) and 27 (51%) in the fresh and frozen groups, respectively. No difference was found in pregnancy length, delivery mode, or obstetrical complications. A total of 61 newborns were included, 31 (51%) and 30 (49%) in fresh and frozen testicular groups, respectively. No significant differences were found in mean birth weight or birth weight percentile between the groups.

Conclusion

No significant differences were found in obstetrical outcomes when comparing ET cycles using fresh or frozen-thawed testicular sperm retrieved from microTESE. Moreover, there is no association between the sperm source and the birth weight of newborns.

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Data Availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article. Shaare Zedek IVF and Fertility Unit does not allow public disclosure of patient data used in this study. In case of additional questions, please contact the authors or our IVF and Fertility Unit.

Change history

  • 10 January 2025

    The original version of this article was updated to rectify the incorrect structure and/or presentation of all the author names in the author byline

  • 09 January 2025

    A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-024-03384-3

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Mrs. Tali Bdolah-Abram for conducting the study’s statistical analysis.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Sima Simcha Nagawkar Perlov and Noy Deri contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IVF and Infertility Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

    Sima Simcha Nagawkar Perlov, Talia Eldar-Geva, Michael Gal & Ido Ben-Ami

  2. IVF and Infertility Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaplan Medical Center, affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

    Sima Simcha Nagawkar Perlov & Yuval Or

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

    Noy Deri

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

    Orna Reichman

  5. Department of Fertility and Childbirth, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel

    Talia Eldar-Geva

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Correspondence to Sima Simcha Nagawkar Perlov.

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The original online version of this article was revised: The given names and family names of all the authors in this article have been interchanged in the original version. The names were displayed incorrectly as "Nagawkar Perlov Sima Simcha · Deri Noy · Eldar‑Geva Talia · Gal Michael · Reichman Orna · Or Yuval · Ben‑Ami Ido" where it should have been "Sima Simcha Nagawkar Perlov · Noy Deri · Talia Eldar‑Geva · Michael Gal · Orna Reichman · Yuval Or · Ido Ben‑Ami". The original article has been corrected.

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Nagawkar Perlov, S.S., Deri, N., Eldar-Geva, T. et al. Comparison of obstetrical and neonatal outcomes between fresh versus frozen-thawed testicular sperm derived from microTESE. J Assist Reprod Genet 41, 2681–2690 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-024-03265-9

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