Retrograde ejaculation: a systematic approach to non-invasive recovery of spermatozoa from post-ejaculatory urine for artificial insemination.

Retrograde ejaculation is an uncommon but treatable form of male infertility. Successful recovery of live spermatozoa from the post-ejaculatory urine for artificial insemination is dependent on careful regulation of pH and osmolarity of the urine into which ejaculation takes place, and separation of the motile spermatozoa from the debris and cells which are found in these samples. Three pregnancies established by artificial insemination of spermatozoa recovered by noninvasive means from the bladders of men suffering from retrograde ejaculation are described. The techniques for preparing the urine for spermatozoal survival, and for removal of cells and debris by sedimentation or buoyant density centrifugation are discussed.