Successful pregnancy achieved by intracytoplasmic sperm injection using cryopreserved electroejaculate sperm in a couple both with spinal cord injury: A case report

Anejaculation and poor semen quality are 2 major causes of infertility in men with spinal cord injury (SCI). The low motility of retrieved sperm often results in use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to achieve fertilization. Pregnancy is a challenging event for women with SCI. Herein we report a pregnancy after ICSI with cryopreserved electroejaculate sperm for a couple both with SCI. The husband had T10 paraplegia with a neurogenic bladder. He underwent 2 electroejaculations. The concentration of sperm was 0.1×10⁶/mL to 0.3×10⁶/mL, with a motility of 5% to 20%. ICSI was considered the best choice for the couple. His wife had L2 paraplegia with cauda equina syndrome. She underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, and 10 oocytes were retrieved. Eight mature oocytes were injected using thawed sperm, which resulted in 5 normal zygotes. Conception was achieved by the transfer of 4 embryos into the uterus. A healthy female baby was delivered vaginally at 39 weeks of gestation. This woman had never undergone any other assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures. With the advancement of ART and prenatal care, this couple achieved a successful pregnancy. The use of cryopreserved electroejaculated sperm for ICSI can avoid the inconvenience or cost to the patient of repeated electroejaculations.