In vitro fertilization treatment, there may be some problems in women as well as in men. Poor quality of sperm, not being produced at all and not being in sufficient numbers are such situations. This problem is also eliminated with azoospermia treatment method. Then in vitro fertilization treatment is started.
Semen Analysis (Spermiogram)
Semen analysis is the process of evaluating the fluid and its content coming from the penis during ejaculation based on quantity and quality. With this test, both the liquid part called semen and the sperm, which are motile cells that can be seen microscopically, can be analyzed.
It is the most important and first-referenced laboratory test for evaluating male reproductive potential.
Semen is a viscous, whitish fluid containing sperm and fluids secreted from various glands. It is a fluid that is thick immediately after ejaculation and liquefies within the next 10-30 minutes and becomes fluid. Sperms are motile reproductive cells with a head and tail found in semen. With these features, when they enter the female body, they move and advance to the egg, and fertilization is achieved by merging with the egg. Each semen sample contains millions of sperm, varying amounts of fructose, buffer fluids, coagulation agents, lubricants and enzymes that support the sperm and help the fertilization process.
In semen analysis, the semen sample can also be washed to obtain information about the planning of the treatment method. This test, which is applied after 3-5 days of sexual abstinence, provides important information about which treatment method will give better results.
In IVF Microinjection, One Sperm Is Enough
In IVF treatments, candidates who cannot become fathers with even a single sperm can become fathers with the IVF microinjection technique. It was first applied in 1992 at the Vrije University in Brussels and was successful. With this application, millions of couples who cannot have children can have children.
How Does Pregnancy Occur?
Fertilization is an event that occurs when the sperm reaches the egg. Sperm generally consists of chromosomes. The genes in the chromosomes match with the genes in the eggs, forming an embryo , which indicates pregnancy. The health of the pregnancy and the baby to be born varies depending on the presence of good quality genes.
Causes of Sperm Disorder
The sperm cells produced in the father candidate travel almost 5 meters after leaving the testicles to reach the eggs. The union of sperm with the egg is also related to the external environment. Because the reproductive system is very sensitive to external factors. Substances taken into the body from the outside, such as cigarettes, can cause dysfunction in sperm. Apart from this, unexplained and unknown structural factors can also affect sperm production. The most common cause of disorders in sperm production is damages that exist or have occurred in the DNA system. A disorder in the DNA system is a factor that prevents the development of the embryo. In fact, some precautions have been taken according to DNA disorders in the body structure. While chromosomes combine during reproduction, it can also repair some of the disorders that occur in the DNA.
Success of IVF Treatment
In standard semen analysis, the success of IVF treatment has been proven for men with abnormal sperm motility. However, in IVF treatments, it is very important to select high-quality sperm and perform the treatment. However, despite selecting high-quality sperm, there may be disorders in the DNA of the sperm. In the face of this problem, the chance of success in IVF treatment may also decrease in male factor infertility. Genetic damage in sperm may negatively affect fertilization and embryo development. It may even lead to miscarriages in pregnancies. Therefore, abnormalities in sperm DNA also negatively affect normal pregnancy. When IVF treatment is applied, it is important to select high-quality, regular and qualified sperm in terms of movement. The perfect DNA content in the sperm cell deemed suitable for treatment will be very effective in achieving successful results in IVF treatment.
As Damaged Sperm Increases, Embryo Quality Decreases!
According to scientific research, even in sperms with normal shape, there may be around 15% DNA structure defects, which is a matter of debate. As the number of sperms with DNA defects increases, embryo quality is also negatively affected. However, if sperm cells are examined and there is less than 17% defect, IVF treatments are very successful. However, if the decrease in sperm DNA is high, it is also possible and high that the probability of pregnancy is halved.
Another issue that should not be forgotten is the woman's age and egg count, which are effective in embryo quality. Especially if the female patient is over 35, it prevents the embryo from clinging. For this reason, it is beneficial to start the IVF treatment process without wasting time for the result to be positive.
How is the Man's Sperm Collected During Treatment?
Your partner is called to the clinic on the day of egg collection to donate sperm. Before the egg collection process, a 3 to 5-day sexual abstinence is required. Sperms are given by your partner in a special container in a sperm donation room specially prepared for the man, via masturbation, and are waited for to liquefy. The liquefied semen is examined in terms of sperm count, motility and shape, and then various processes are performed in the laboratory to ensure that the highest quality sperm are selected.
In patients who cannot obtain sperm through masturbation or in men who have no sperm in their semen, a sperm search is performed by surgically removing multiple samples from the testicles. The probability of finding sperm in this method, called TESE, varies between 25% and 60% depending on the causes of the current situation. This procedure can be performed under local or general anesthesia.
Azoospermia
For various reasons; the absence of sperm in men due to congenital genetic structure or any previous illness is called azoospermia in medicine. While some individuals cannot find any sperm sample at all, others may have sperm that is too few in number and quality to allow fertilization. Although sperm can be produced in the relevant area of the body, some reasons may prevent these cells from coming out.
Since azoospermia does not allow fertilization, couples' expectations of having a baby naturally become impossible and couples are directed to in vitro fertilization centers.
IVF treatments and azoospermia cases;
Azoospermia and IVF
IVF treatments are a miracle for couples who cannot have a baby through normal means, a technological but natural pregnancy method. It includes techniques that can bring together the reproductive cells of two separate bodies in a laboratory environment and allow for a good quality embryo. As we often say, IVF treatment is a reproductive treatment method that comes to the rescue of couples in cases of infertility and can make families happy with the results it has achieved with the stages it has gone through.
While male reproductive problems are clearer, female anatomy is quite complex. It is possible to determine female reproductive problems through various tests. The absence of male sperm is a very clear issue and one of the most important issues to overcome. The name given to this condition is azoospermia and it is the clearest form of male infertility. There are two types of azoospermia.
We can briefly mention these situations as follows; one is the case where there is no sperm production at all, and the other is the case where sperm is produced but cannot be ejected. In this case, the gynecologist and the urologist should cooperate and the necessary details for in vitro fertilization treatment should be considered.
Azoospermia and microinjection treatment;
IVF and azoospermia
The innovation that in vitro fertilization treatments have brought to the service of humanity, the microinjection technique, has provided positive results even for azoospermia cases belonging to men, which has become a source of hope. With the microinjection technique to be applied in diagnosed cases, high-quality sperm grains will be reached and will be processed in suitable environments for in vitro fertilization treatment. The mother's eggs will be collected on the same day and the treatment process will be carried out simultaneously. If such a situation occurs, every sperm grain obtained will be valuable and the collected sperm will be frozen and stored for future use.
The laboratory will provide an environment with suitable conditions for the obtained quality sperm and egg cell. After the sperm are washed with appropriate solutions and the highest quality ones are selected, the waiting period for fertilization will begin, as in the normal in vitro fertilization process.
For these cells that are put on hold, the embryo quality is checked during the control phase. Then, the highest quality embryo is injected into the uterus in an appropriate manner. The fact that even azoospermia cases are being solved with the microinjection technique in in vitro fertilization treatments has created quite an excitement among couples. The number of patients who apply for treatment due to such cases and receive positive results has also shown a positive development compared to the past.
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