title: Male factors in ART outcome prediction.
abstract: Paternal influences on reproduction are significant causing about half of the infertile couples to turn to assisted reproductive techniques. Due to the increasing proportion of infertile couples adopting to conceive by in vitro fertilisation (IVF), predicting outcomes is of ever increasing importance. Since pregnancy rates following IVF are still quite low, prognostic information is very helpful in clinical decisions. Although significant research has been done on the maternal influence, male factor infertility is relatively understudied. To date, potential predictors include: method of fertilisation, age, reactive oxygen species, sperm quality parameters and DNA fragmentation. Predictors under investigation which show promising signs, even though there is no clear cut consensus on the predictive value to date include: folate and homocysteine, anti müllerian hormone measurement, environmental factors, body mass index, smoking, male age, stress, some subsets of antisperm antibodies and epigenetic features.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Anatomy, Biomedical Building (on Campus), University of Malta , Msida , Malta.
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brincat
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catania
authors.forename: Pierre Schembri
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Wismayer
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calleja-Agius
mesh_terms: D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011379:Prognosis; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D006710:Homocysteine; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone; D005492:Folic Acid
keywords: Assisted reproductive technology; biomarkers; male infertility; predictors