Sperm DNA fragmentation decreases the pregnancy rate in an assisted reproductive technique.
BACKGROUND
Standard sperm characteristics are poor predictors of the outcome of IVF treatments. On the contrary, sperm genome quality has been emphasized for several years as playing a major role in early embryogenesis, thus in the success of IVF attempt.


METHODS
Sperm DNA fragmentation from a selected group of 104 couples undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ART) (IVF: n = 50; and ICSI: n = 54) was measured by TUNEL assay and correlated with semen and ART outcomes.


RESULTS
A negative correlation was found between sperm characteristics and the proportion of sperm showing DNA fragmentation. For fragmentation >10%, a significant decrease of the fertilization rate was observed. No correlation was found between sperm DNA fragmentation and embryo quality. A high proportion of sperm with fragmented DNA was a pejorative factor to obtain pregnancies when ICSI was performed, but there was no relationship when conventional IVF was performed.


CONCLUSIONS
The proportion of sperm with DNA fragmentation appears to be potentially useful as a predictor of ICSI outcome, whereas embryo quality based on morphological criteria, appeared unaffected by DNA fragmentation.
Benchaib
Mehdi
M
Département de Médecine de la Reproduction, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Place d'Arsonval, 69373 Lyon cedex 08, INSERM U418, Hôpital Debrousse, 29 Rue Soeur Bouvier, 69322 Lyon cedex 05, France. benchaib@rockefeller.univ-lyon1.fr
Braun
Valérie
V
Lornage
Jacqueline
J
Hadj
Samia
S
Salle
Bruno
B
Lejeune
Hervé
H
Guérin
Jean François
JF
D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*