Human immunodeficiency type-1 virus (HIV-1) infection in serodiscordant couples (SDCs) does not have an impact on embryo quality or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcome

Objective: To evaluate embryo quality in our program for human immunodeficiency type-1 virus(HIV-1) serodiscordant couples(SDCs) with the male infected in comparision with a tubal-factor infertility control group. Design: Retrospective case-control study. Setting: Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, Valencia, Spain. Patient(s): Thirty SDC and 79 control couples without HIV-1 infection attending for intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI). Only first cycles were considered. Intervention(s): Controlled ovariand hyperstimulation and ICSI in both groups; sperm wash nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in semen sample, and capacitation by swim-up after thawing the semen sample in the SDC group; and sperm capacitation by swim-up after thawing the semen sample in the control group. Main Outcome Measure (s): ICSI procedure and embryo characteristics (fertilization, cleavage, embryo morphology and development) and cycle outcome (ongoing pregnancy and miscarriage rates). Result(s): Fertilization cleavage rates were similar between the groups. On days 2 and 3 of embryo development, very similar embryo features were found between the groups. There was no difference in mean number of optimal embryos on day 3. When embryos were cultured up to 5-6 days, a significant increase in embryo blockage was found in the SDC group compared with the control group. The mean number of optimal blastocysts on day 6 was comparable in both groups. No difference was found regarding the number of cryopreserved and transferred embryos or implantation pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, or miscarriage rates between the groups. Conclusion(s): HIV-1 infection in SDCs with infected m ales does not appear to have a significantly negative impact on embryo development or ICSI outcome.