William W. Beck

Artificial Insemination with Husband’s Semen: Prognostic Factors

This retrospective review of 38 couples has considered 148 cycles of artificial insemination with husbands semen (AIH) and 178 cycles of natural insemination with husbands semen (NIH). The indication for AIH in every case was that postcoital testing had revealed less than 15 motile sperm/high-power field of endocervical mucus. Conception through AIH occurred in 12 cases; 1 couple conceived by NIH. The rate of conception per cycle was significantly higher in the AIH cycles than in the NIH cycles (P < 0.005). No man with both low density (less than 25 million spermatozoa/ml) and low motility (less than 50%) on semen analysis produced a pregnancy through AIH. Couples demonstrating more than 15 motile sperm/high-power field (on examination of cervical mucus 2 hours after AIH) were more likely to conceive through AIH than couples demonstrating less than 15 motile sperm. The role of AIH is discussed.

Prevention of the postpartum, postspinal headache

Abstract Headache following spinal anesthesia in the obstetric patient is a disturbing complication to both patient and physician. Prevention of the postspinal postpartum headache was the goal of a study conducted at an institution where low spinal or saddle block anesthesia was the primary method of obstetric anesthesia in primigravidas and secundigravidas. In two consecutive groups (A and B) of 100 patients each, the only difference in management was the use of an abdominal binder in Group B from delivery to discharge In Group A (without binders) the headache incidence was 18 per cent, 14 per cent being mild and 4 per cent severe. In Group B (with binders) there were only 4 mild headaches The pathophysiology of the postspinal headache in the obstetric patient is discussed.