Comparison of the Effect of Microchip and Density Gradient Methods in Intrauterine Insemination Cycles

Overview

Microfluidic chips are one of the methods of sperm separation to eliminate DNA fragmentation in sperm. It is thought that the separation of sperm by centrifugation in the classical gradient density (Percoll) method used in sperm separation in IVF and IUI cycles leads to the increase of reactive oxygen radicals in sperm and this leads to sperm DNA fragmentation. Studies comparing Percoll and microfluidic chip method in terms of sperm, embryo quality and pregnancy rates are limited. In this context, it is aimed to investigate the effect of Percoll or Microfluidic Chip Technology on the quality of sperms and embryos obtained with these sperms and their pregnancy rates prospectively.

The increase in infertility rate due to environmental and physiological conditions leads to an increase in the use of assisted reproductive techniques. Isolation of living and morphologically normal live sperm is an integrated procedure in commonly used IVF / ICSI(intracytoplasmic sperm injection) / IUI(intrauterine insemination) procedures. Although current IUI procedures result in a successful pregnancy of around 10-15%, the process can be greatly compromised if the selected sperm is abnormal. Microfluidic chips are one of the recommended sperm separation methods to eliminate DNA fragmentation in sperm. It is thought that the separation of the sperm by centrifugation in the classical gradient density (Percoll) method which is used in the separation of sperm in the IUI cycles, causes the increase of reactive oxygen radicals in sperm and this leads to sperm DNA fragmentation. Studies comparing Percoll and microfluidic chip method in terms of sperm, embryo quality and pregnancy rates are limited. In this context, it is aimed to investigate the effect of Percoll or Microfluidic Chip Technology on the quality of sperms and embryos obtained with these sperms and their pregnancy rates prospectively.