Optimization of Dean flow microfluidic chip for sperm preparation for intrauterine insemination

Sperm preparation is a necessary step in all methods of assisted reproductive technology. Here, we demonstrate the utility of a microfluidic spiral channel device for preparation of sperm for intrauterine insemination (IUI) directly from semen samples. After optimization of operating conditions, we use data from 130 washed semen samples to show that the microfluidic chip can retain 89% of all sperm cells and 90% of motile sperm cells, while removing 40% of the fluid volume and 82% of white blood cells. Then, we show that, when combined with a centrifugal wash, the microfluidic chip can be used in a protocol for sperm preparation. This protocol is capable of selecting 40–70% of motile sperm in 15 min. Compared to the clinical gold standard, density gradient centrifugation, this offers a higher sperm recovery, a gentler approach, and reduced reagent costs.