News | Sperm DNA Damage May Increase the Risk of IVF Pregnancy Complications
A Lund University study in Sweden has identified an association between specific sperm defects and risks to pregnancy and fetal health. A higher proportion of DNA strand breaks in the father's sperm was associated with twice the risk of preeclampsia among women who conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF), as well as a greater likelihood of preterm birth.
Infertility is increasing, and IVF use is expanding rapidly. Pregnancies achieved through assisted reproductive technology are already known to carry higher risks of preeclampsia, recurrent miscarriage, preterm birth, and low birth weight. The reasons for these risks remain incompletely understood.
"Before IVF, a man's semen sample is generally analyzed for sperm count, motility, and morphology. Yet some men still have impaired fertility even when these measures are normal," said Dr. Amelie Stenqvist, a Lund University lecturer and specialist in obstetrics and gynecology.
About 20% to 30% of babies born through IVF have fathers whose sperm shows DNA damage, measured by the DNA fragmentation index (DFI). DFI measures the number of breaks in sperm DNA strands. Men with a DFI above 30% have almost no chance of conceiving naturally. Modern assisted reproductive technology allows these men to become fathers, but little was previously known about how the damage affects pregnancy or infant health.
The study included 1,660 babies conceived through IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) at the Reproductive Medicine Centre in Malmö from 2007 to 2018. Among 841 IVF couples, women whose partners had a DFI above 20% had a 10.5% risk of preeclampsia, twice the risk among women whose partners had a DFI below 20%. Higher sperm DFI was also associated with preterm birth. No significant association between DFI and preeclampsia was found in the ICSI group.
The researchers recommended routine DFI analysis at fertility clinics to help couples understand possible causes of infertility and select an appropriate assisted reproduction method. DFI may also help identify high-risk pregnancies for earlier intervention.
Sperm DNA damage is related not only to fertility but also to the father's overall health. Most damage is caused by oxidative stress, and age, smoking, obesity, and infection also increase DNA fragmentation.
The team next plans to identify which men respond best to methods for preventing and treating sperm DNA damage and to test whether these approaches reduce pregnancy complications.
News | Sperm DNA Damage May Increase the Risk of IVF Pregnancy Complications
News | Sperm DNA Damage May Increase the Risk of IVF Pregnancy Complications
A Lund University study in Sweden has identified an association between specific sperm defects and risks to pregnancy and fetal health. A higher proportion of DNA strand breaks in the father's sperm was associated with twice the risk of preeclampsia among women who conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF), as well as a greater likelihood of preterm birth.
Infertility is increasing, and IVF use is expanding rapidly. Pregnancies achieved through assisted reproductive technology are already known to carry higher risks of preeclampsia, recurrent miscarriage, preterm birth, and low birth weight. The reasons for these risks remain incompletely understood.
"Before IVF, a man's semen sample is generally analyzed for sperm count, motility, and morphology. Yet some men still have impaired fertility even when these measures are normal," said Dr. Amelie Stenqvist, a Lund University lecturer and specialist in obstetrics and gynecology.
About 20% to 30% of babies born through IVF have fathers whose sperm shows DNA damage, measured by the DNA fragmentation index (DFI). DFI measures the number of breaks in sperm DNA strands. Men with a DFI above 30% have almost no chance of conceiving naturally. Modern assisted reproductive technology allows these men to become fathers, but little was previously known about how the damage affects pregnancy or infant health.
The study included 1,660 babies conceived through IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) at the Reproductive Medicine Centre in Malmö from 2007 to 2018. Among 841 IVF couples, women whose partners had a DFI above 20% had a 10.5% risk of preeclampsia, twice the risk among women whose partners had a DFI below 20%. Higher sperm DFI was also associated with preterm birth. No significant association between DFI and preeclampsia was found in the ICSI group.
The researchers recommended routine DFI analysis at fertility clinics to help couples understand possible causes of infertility and select an appropriate assisted reproduction method. DFI may also help identify high-risk pregnancies for earlier intervention.
Sperm DNA damage is related not only to fertility but also to the father's overall health. Most damage is caused by oxidative stress, and age, smoking, obesity, and infection also increase DNA fragmentation.
The team next plans to identify which men respond best to methods for preventing and treating sperm DNA damage and to test whether these approaches reduce pregnancy complications.
Source:
Collected online