Birth of a healthy neonate following the intracytoplasmic injection of testicular spermatozoa from a patient with Klinefelter's syndrome

Klinefelter's syndrome is one of the known causes of azoospermia or cryptoazoospermia, and it may present in non-mosaic (47,XXY) or mosaic (47,XXY/46,XY) form. The likelihood of finding spermatozoa in the ejaculate or testicular tissue of patients with mosaic Klinefelter's syndrome is low, and with the non-mosaic form, even lower. We describe a patient with non-mosaic Klinefelter in whom initially non-motile spermatozoa were derived from searching the ejaculate. Ten mature oocytes were injected, but none was fertilized. Subsequently, testicular biopsy was undertaken in order to collect spermatozoa for oocyte injection. Fifteen motile sperm cells were found and injected. Nine oocytes were fertilized and cleaved; three embryos were transferred into the uterine cavity. The woman conceived and following a normal pregnancy delivered a healthy child. Genetic analysis of the neonate disclosed a normal 46,XY karyotype. Non-motile spermatozoa in the ejaculate did not prove their fertilization potential, but their presence did not exclude finding motile, fertile spermatozoa in the testicular tissue in a non-mosaic Klinefelter patient. This report is further evidence that normal spermatozoa with fertilization potential are produced in the testes of patients with Klinefelter's syndrome.