The immunologic effects of husband's semen on donor spermatozoa during mixed insemination

Artificial insemination with fresh donor semen

A review is given of the use of fresh donor semen for therapeutic artificial insemination. This includes a section on the legal, ethical, and psychological aspects as seen from the point of view of various cultures. Topics covered are the indications for donor insemination, the selection of donors, and the techniques in common use. The success rate is described together with the sex ratio of the neonates. Short mention is made of short-term office semen preservation and the obsolete technique of mixed husband-donor insemination.

Functional alterations in the social organization of bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) induced by ovariectomy: an experimental analysis

A group of seven ovariectomized female and three intact male Macaca radiata was compared to a matched control group of intact females and males during a breeding season. A second, replicate, experiment was conducted after the males had been switched between groups to partially control for seasonal effects and differences in the age of males. In the first experiment, 161 hr of quantitative data were collected and in the second, 93 hr. Differences in the social organization of the experimental and control groups were anticipated by five a priori evolutionary predictions focused on aspects of intersexual and intrasexual selection: (1) less affiliative and sexual behavior between males and ovariectomized females; (2) less intrasexual competition between them; (3) more intrasexual affiliation among males and ovariectomized females; (4) more intersexual competition between them and (5) more homogeneous patterns of use of resources. Sixty of 90 applications of these predictions to behavioral measures were confirmed. These admittedly exploratory a priori predictions thus significantly increased the ability to anticipate social consequences of female castration. Contrary to Predictions 2 and 4, ovariectomized females engaged in more intrasexual agonistic behavior and less frequently showed aggression toward males.

Characteristics of donor semen and cervical mucus at the time of conception

With freshly ejaculated semen from 15 donors, 1017 inseminations were performed in 247 women. One hundred conceptions were achieved. The degree of crystallization of the cervical mucus and the characteristics of the donor semen were examined at each insemination. One insemination only from one single ejaculate was performed in each cycle. This procedure made it possible to describe the quality of the cervical mucus and the sperm sample characteristics on each occasion of conception. The conception rate was significantly reduced (P less than 0.001) when the degree of crystallization of the cervical mucus was impaired. The conception rate was low when the sperm density was less than 20 million/ml, the percentage of abnormal sperm was above 50, and the degree of motility was graded 2 or less. The in vitro capillary sperm penetration test gave reliable information on the progressive motility of the sperm, showing a good correlation between penetration ability and conception rate.

Artificial insemination with donor semen mixed with semen of the infertile husband

Mixing an oligoasthenospermic husband's semen with that of a donor prior to insemination (AIM) has been criticized, since such semen may contain antibodies which could interfere with normal sperm function. The efficacy of AIM was reviewed in 227 patients who underwent AI with frozen donor semen. Thirty-four patients requested AIM and thirteen conceived (38.2%). Seven who failed to conceive after AIM changed to donor insemination (AID), and two conceived. One hundred and ninety-three patients had AID alone, and eighty conceived. Thus, 200 patients had AID, with 82 pregnancies (41%). There were no significant differences between the AIM and AID groups with regard to age, prior fertility, and additional infertility factors. The conception rates between groups were not significantly different. Pregnancy rates per cycle of AI and dropout rates were also similar. Postinsemination testing after AIM did not reveal any effect of husband's semen upon donor spermatozoa. This study failed to show a deleterious effect of semen from azoospermic or oligoasthenospermic, infertile men upon normal semen, as used in AIM.

Spermatozoal antibodies in human seminal plasma as a cause of failed artificial donor insemination

Seven couples who were in a program of artificial donor insemination (AID) which had not resulted in a pregnancy were advised to abstain from sexual intercourse for 2 days prior to AID. Six of the wives became pregnant following this advice. Seminal plasmas from the seven husbands showed evidence of spermatozoal antibodies. They agglutinated or immobilized healthy spermatozoa and contained immunoglobulin A and complements C-3 and C-4. Immunoglubulin G levels in these seminal plasmas were slightly elevated. Blood sera from the same husbands also agglutinated normal spermatozoa or decreased their motility. A comparison of 33 women who were not advised concerning sexual intercourse prior to AID and 17 women who were advised revealed that 46% of the former group became pregnant, whereas in the advised group 88% achieved pregnancy. The conclusion is that abnormal semen may contain spermatozoal antibodies which adversely affect normal spermatozoa. In order to avoid the presence of spermatozoal antibodies on the wife's cervix, couples are advised to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to use a condom, for 2 days prior to AID.