OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of the time interval from the end of semen processing to artificial intrauterine in semination with husband's sperm (AIH-IUI) on the rate of clinical pregnancy.

METHODSThis study involved 191 AIH-IUI cycles with the same ovulation induction protocol. After Percoll density gradient centrifugation, we divided the sperm into four groups based on the incubation time: 0-19, 20-39, 40-59, and 60-80 min, and again into another four groups according to the total progressively motile sperm count (TPMC): (0-9), (10-20), (21-30), and > 30 x 10(6). We analyzed the correlation of the clinical pregnancy rate with the time interval from the end of sperm processing to AIH-IUI and with other influencing factors, such as maternal age, infertility duration, and semen quality.

RESULTSThe rate of clinical pregnancy was significantly higher in the 20-39 min group (18.3%) than in the 0-19, 40-59, and 60-80 min groups (12.7, 11.4 and 9.1%) (all P < 0.05). The (10-20) x 10(6) group achieved a remarkably higher pregnancy rate (16.7%) than the (0-9), (21-30), and > 30 x 10(6) groups (0, 11.4, and 8.3%) (all P < 0.05). Logistic multivariate analysis showed that the rate of clinical pregnancy was decreased with the increased age of the women (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83-0.94) but significantly elevated in the 20-39 min group (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.34-3.13) and of (10-20) x 10(6) group (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.32-3.46).

CONCLUSIONThe time interval from the end of sperm processing to AIH-IUI is a most significant factor influencing the rate of clinical pregnancy of AIH-IUI.