OBJECTIVETo investigate the outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in couples with the husband positive for chronic infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV).

METHODSThis study involved 102 infertile couples receiving IVF-ET with the husbands(but not the wives) positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and another 204 couples negative for HBsAg receiving the treatment served as the control group. The cumulative embryo score, fertilization rate, cleavage rate, rate of good quality embryos, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, first trimester and late miscarriage rates, delivery rate, and neonatal malformation rate were recorded and compared between the two groups.

RESULTSBetween the HBsAg-positive and the control groups, the cumulative embryo score (52.8-/+18.7 vs 55.4-/+16.9), insemination rate (66.9% vs 66.1%), cleavage rate (97.6% vs 97.2%), rate of good quality embryos (34.0% vs 37.1%), implantation rate (40.9% vs 34.6%), clinical pregnancy rate (56.9% vs 50%), first trimester miscarriage rate (6.9% vs 5.9%) and late pregnancy miscarriage rate (8.6% vs 4.9%), delivery rate (40.2% vs 43.6%) and neonatal malformation rate (0 vs 0) were all similar (P>0.05;).

CONCLUSIONChronic HBV infection in the husband might not affect the outcome of IVF-ET treatment.