Journal
FERTILITY AND STERILITY
Volume 106, Issue 6, Pages 1338-1343Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.07.1093
Keywords
Varicocele; varicocele repair; varicocelectomy; assisted reproductive technology; male factor infertility
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Objective: To evaluate how varicocele repair (VR) impacts pregnancy (PRs) and live birth rates in infertile couples undergoing assisted reproduction wherein the male partner has oligospermia or azoospermia and a history of varicocele. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting: Not applicable. Patient(s): Azoospermic and oligospermic males with varicoceles and in couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) with IUI, IVF, or testicular sperm extraction (TESE) with IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Intervention(s): Measurement of PRs, live birth, and sperm extraction rates. Main Outcome Measure(s): Odds ratios for the impact of VR on PRs, live birth, and sperm extraction rates for couples undergoing ART. Result(s): Seven articles involving a total of 1,241 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that VR improved live birth rates for the oligospermic (odds ratio [OR] = 1.699) and combined oligospermic/azoospermic groups (OR = 1.761). Pregnancy rates were higher in the azoospermic group (OR = 2.336) and combined oligospermic/azoospermic groups (OR = 1.760). Live birth rates were higher for patients undergoing IUI after VR (OR = 8.360). Sperm retrieval rates were higher in persistently azoospermic men after VR (OR = 2.509). Conclusion(s): Oligospermic and azoospermic patients with clinical varicocele who undergo VR experience improved live birth rates and PRs with IVF or IVF/ICSI. For persistently azoospermicmen after VR requiring TESE for IVF/ICSI, VR improves sperm retrieval rates. Therefore, VR should be considered to have substantial benefits for couples with a clinical varicocele even if oligospermia or azoospermia persists after repair and ART is required. (C) 2016 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
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