We aimed to prospectively evaluate the prognostic value of seminal ASA screening in couples prepared for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
A prospective comparative study was conducted to come to useful outcomes. The subjects included a total of 184 non-azoospermic infertile men scheduled for ICSI. For each patient, the detection of ASA in seminal plasma using the ELISA technique was done. Its relation to standard semen parameters and ICSI outcomes, including fertilization, embryo development, and pregnancy rates, was analyzed.
Sperm count, motility, and morphology were negatively affected by seminal ASA (p = 0.012, 0.006, and 0.011, respectively). However, no statistically significant difference was detected between patients with positive and negative seminal ASA regarding the median values of fertilization, percentage of couples with grade A embryo development, and pregnancy rates after ICSI.
The study concluded that the ICSI seems able to overcome the problem of ASA in semen. The routine screening of ASA in men prepared for ICSI has no additional prognostic value. It cannot be recommended for the time being until more specific antigen-concerned testing can be developed.
Reference: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1756287220981488
