Prevalence and clinical utility of sperm DNA fragmentation index in couples with unexplained infertility

Authors

  • Sunita Tandulwadkar Department of IVF and Endoscopy, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, Maharashtra, India
  • Swati R. Babar Department of IVF and Endoscopy, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, Maharashtra, India
  • Sneha Mishra Department of IVF and Endoscopy, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, Maharashtra, India
  • Shruti Gupta Department of IVF and Endoscopy, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, Maharashtra, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20221439

Keywords:

Sperm DFI, Unexplained infertility, Male infertility, SCD, Infertility

Abstract

Background: Worldwide increased burden of infertility has built up stress in reproductive age group couples. Female factor evaluation and semen analysis are carried out routinely in infertility work up. As per the recent observations, males with normal semen analysis may have abnormal sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI). Thus, rendering semen analysis with poor diagnostic value in unexplained infertility cases. There is lack of adequate literature on prevalence of abnormal DFI in unexplained infertility. This study is directed to contribute to the literature by assessing prevalence of couples with ‘unexplained infertility’ having DFI>15% in male partners. 

Methods: After getting approval from institutional ethical and scientific research committee, 200 couples with unexplained infertility were recruited for the study and sperm DFI using sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test (Halo test) was done. 

Results: Out of 200 subjects, 54% were having low DFI, 32% were having moderate DFI and 14% were having high DFI.

Conclusions: Many couples diagnosed as unexplained infertility according to traditional diagnostic methods has remarkably high degrees of fragmented sperm DNA. Identification of such couples provide vital information and better therapeutic options can be offered to them to achieve best reproductive outcomes.

Author Biographies

Sunita Tandulwadkar, Department of IVF and Endoscopy, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Head of the Department, IVf and Endoscopy, Ruby Hall Clinic ,Pune

Director, Solo stem, cells

Director, Department of IVF and Endoscopy, DY Patil Hospital, Pimpri, Pune

Sneha Mishra, Department of IVF and Endoscopy, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Fellow in deprtment of IVF

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Published

2022-05-26

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Original Research Articles