REPEATED SPERM INJECTION UNDER THE ZONA FOLLOWING INITIAL FERTILIZATION FAILURE

When fertilization fails following micromanipulative under-zona insemination, it is possible to repeat the procedure adding more spermatozoa to achieve fertilization, embryonic development and pregnancy. We report on 18 human in-vitro fertilization cycles where this approach was used. In nine cycles only late-fertilized embryos were available for transfer, and these gave rise to two viable pregnancies (22.2% per transfer). In six cycles, where a mixture of late- and timely fertilized embryos were available for transfer, two viable pregnancies arose (33.3% per transfer). In three cycles no fertilization was achieved even after reinsemination by repeated under-zona insemination.