Table 1 Characteristics of the participants at baseline between the two groups

No. of cycles

58

545

No. of patients

53

460

Maternal age (years)

28.53 ± 2.82

32.00 ± 3.27

< 0.001

Paternal age (years)

30.14 ± 3.87

33.84 ± 4.91

< 0.001

Duration of infertility (years)

2.72 ± 2.09

2.24 ± 2.25

0.003

No. of prior pregnancies (%)

< 0.001

 0

43 (74.1)

22 (4.0)

 ≥1

15 (25.9)

523 (96.0)

No. of prior live birth (%)

< 0.001

 0

54 (93.1)

247 (45.3)

 ≥1

4 (6.9)

298 (54.7)

No. of prior clinical miscarriage (%)

< 0.001

 0

45 (77.6)

32 (5.9)

 ≥1

13 (22.4)

513 (94.1)

Maternal BMI (kg/m²)

22.14 ± 3.08

22.08 ± 2.88

0.992

Basal FSH (mIU/mL)

7.39 ± 2.25

7.87 ± 2.44

0.113

Basal E₂ (pg/mL)

44.31 ± 23.06

44.71 ± 24.24

0.908

AMH (ng/mL)

6.18 ± 4.27

4.51 ± 3.56

< 0.001

Methods of sperm retrieval (%)

< 0.001

 Ejaculation

51 (87.9)

538 (98.7)

 Testicular/epididymal puncture

7 (12.1)

7 (1.3)

Semen volume (mL)

1.89 ± 1.00

2.04 ± 1.72

< 0.001

Sperm concentration (*10⁶/mL)

10.36 ± 13.00

37.1 ± 15.56

< 0.001

Sperm motility (%)

16.1 ± 16.54

44.23 ± 13.98

< 0.001

Progressive motility (%)

10.5 ± 12.83

33.27 ± 12.39

< 0.001

Total sperm count (*10⁶)

22.86 ± 33.31

76.30 ± 71.80

< 0.001