Successful pregnancy in a case of azoospermic infertility by using testicular sperm for intracytoplasmic injection into the oocyte

MKH Leong, KK Wong, CKM Leung, C Wong, W Tang, F Tang
IVF Centre, Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, 6th Floor, 2-4 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong

Non-obstructive azoospermia used to be considered an untreatable cause of infertility. By the microinjection technique, however, sperm that has been surgically extracted from the testis can be injected into the oocyte cytoplasm. The injected eggs can be transferred to the uterus or fallopian tubes to initiate a pregnancy. A healthy baby boy conceived by using this method was delivered in November 1997. This micromanipulation technique offers couples in which the man has non-obstructive azoospermia the chance of having their own offspring. The methodology used and a brief discussion of its merits are presented.

Hong Kong Med J 1999;5:69-71

Key words: Fertilization in vitro; Microinjections; Oligospermia; Reproduction techniques