Relationship between the outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques and sperm DNA fragmentation as measured by the sperm chromatin structure assay.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate how moderate and/or high levels of DNA fragmentation (DFI), as measured by the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), affect either IVF or IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) fertilization, cleavage, blastulation, implantation, and pregnancy.


METHODS
Retrospective clinical study.


METHODS
Academic human reproduction laboratory.


METHODS
Eighty-nine couples undergoing IVF with conventional fertilization or ICSI.


METHODS
Sperm chromatin structure assay testing (SCSA) of semen aliquot taken from ejaculate used for assisted reproductive technology (ART).


METHODS
Related DFI to conventional semen parameters and cycle-specific outcomes after ART.


RESULTS
No patients achieved clinical pregnancy if SCSA values exceeded the DFI (27%, P<.01), moderate DFI (15%, P<.01), or high DFI (15%, P<.05) thresholds. Dividing the DFI sperm population into moderate-fragmentation and high-fragmentation categories did not improve the prognostic value of the SCSA. No coefficient of determination (r(2)) between SCSA parameters and conventional parameters exceeded 0.29.


CONCLUSIONS
Sperm chromatin structure assay identified thresholds for negative pregnancy outcome after ART not identified using conventional semen parameters. This is the first study analyzing the clinical value of sperm DFI to [1] include a large number of ART patients (n = 89), [2] perform SCSA analysis on a semen aliquot from the ejaculate used for ART, and [3] examine how the extent (moderate and high DFI) of DFI influenced ART outcomes.
Larson-Cook
Kjersten L
KL
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota 57007, USA.
Brannian
John D
JD
Hansen
Keith A
KA
Kasperson
Kay M
KM
Aamold
Edward T
ET
Evenson
Donald P
DP
D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*
D002843:Chromatin