Background: Progressive sperm motility was found to be predictive for in vitro and in vivo fertilization.
There has been an increase in the literature of studies investigating whether DNA fragmentation could
be associated with other semen parameters; however, few reports focused on the relationship between
sperm DNA fragmentation and progressive sperm motility.
Purpose: We purposed here to determine the relationship between DNA fragmentation level and progressive
sperm motility in different groups of infertile asthenozoospermic patients as well as in healthy men
of proven fertility.
Study design: Retrospective study.
Setting: Andrology Laboratory of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) department of Elite fertility
and gynecology center, Cairo, Egypt.
Patients and methods: Semen samples were collected and examined after liquefaction for 20 min at 37 C
from 182 patients. Patient were then classified as asthenozoospermic [(Mild asthenozoospermia; PR
(progressive sperm motility) = 30–20%, n = 58), (Moderate asthenozoospermia; PR = 20–10%, n = 68)
and (Severe asthenozoospermia; PR < 10%, n = 56)] and 32 fertile healthy men as a control.
Outcome results: Fertile healthy men showed lower sperm DNA fragmentation levels as compared with
asthenozoospermic infertile men. There was a significant negative correlation of sperm DNA fragmentation
using the modified sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test with motility (r = 0.319; P < .001) and
progressive motility (r = 0.474; P < .001).
Conclusion: Overall, our data suggest that sperm DNA damage is strongly associated with both type and
percentage of motility. |
