Clinical pregnancies and livebirths achieved by intracytoplasmic injection of round headed acrosomeless spermatozoa with and without oocyte activation in familial globozoospermia: case report

Abstract

We report the successful outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment in two siblings with familial globozoospermia. After controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and oocyte pick-up, retrieved oocytes were mechanically activated before ICSI and a fertilization rate of 33.3% was achieved in the first case. The second couple underwent ICSI without oocyte activation and a 9.1% fertilization rate was obtained. The transfer of two grade I embryos in the first couple and one grade I embryo in the second couple resulted in clinical pregnancies with healthy livebirths. It was concluded that the main problem of cases with globozoospermia is a low fertilization rate, and even though ICSI and oocyte activation can increase this rate it is not necessarily needed to achieve a pregnancy.