• H Turgut.
• Avrasya University, Faculty of Health Science; Department of Urology, Medical Park Karadeniz Hospital, Trabzon, Turkey.
• Niger J Clin Pract. 2020 Dec 1; 23 (12): 1744-1747.

BackgroundVaricocele is the most common correctable cause of male infertility. But, it is still controversial in patients with severe oligospermia.AimThe aim of this study is to evaluate how varicocelectomy impacts pregnancy rates (natural or assisted reproductive techniques) in infertile couples when the male partner has severe oligospermia and history of varicocele.Materials And MethodsA retrospective examination was made of males with total motile sperm count <5 million/mL with varicocele in the period April 2013 to October 2019. Pregnancy rates were compared at the end of 1-year follow-up of 52 patients (Group 1) who underwent varicocelectomy and 36 patients (Group 2) who applied for assisted reproductive techniques without surgery. The postoperative third-month sperm parameters were compared for Group 1. Spontaneous pregnancy and conception rates with assisted reproductive techniques for Groups 1 and 2 were also investigated after 1 year.ResultsIn the semen analysis performed in the 3rd month, a statistically significant increase was observed in sperm number, motility, and morphology of the patients in Group 1. Spontaneous pregnancy was obtained in 7 (13.4%) of the 56 Group 1 patients who underwent varicocelectomy, in 7 (13.4%) patients with intrauterine insemination, and in 6 (11.5%) patients with intracytoplasmic injection (ICSI). In Group 2, pregnancy occurred with the help of ICSI in 4 of 32 patients (11.1%).ConclusionsVaricocele surgery before assisted reproductive techniques will be more beneficial in terms of both cost-effectiveness and pregnancy rates.

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