Early Period Evaluations after Varicocelectomy: Semen Analysis and Spontaneous Pregnancy Rates

Abstract

Objective:The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the sperm parameters and spontaneous pregnancy rates of patients with varicocele and primary infertility at three and six months after surgery.Materials and Methods:We retrospectively evaluated the sperm parameters of 134 male patients who presented with clinical varicocele and primary infertility between July 2016 and May 2019. All the patients underwent microscopic inguinal varicocelectomy. We compared the sperm parameters (count, movement, and morphology) and spontaneous pregnancy of the patients preoperatively, and at three and six months postoperatively.Results:In total, 134 patients with a mean age of 26.2 (20-38) years underwent the surgery. We found an increase in all the sperm parameters in the third and sixth months postoperatively. We also examined the differences among the sperm parameters in the third month and sixth month, and found a significant increase in the sperm count and motility at six months (p<0.001). The postoperative third-month pregnancy rates were 2.9% (n=4) and 26.8% (n=36) in the sixth month.Conclusion:The improvement in sperm parameters in the third month after varicocele operation continued and increased by the postoperative sixth month. Therefore, patients with varicocele and primary infertility should be aware that the rate of spontaneous pregnancy could increase within six months and should wait for at least that period before applying for assistive reproductive techniques.

Keywords

• microscopic subinguinal varicocelectomy
• spermiogram
• varicocele