Evaluating a novel panel of sperm function tests for utility in predicting intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcome

Abstract

Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate a panel of three sperm function tests; tests known to assess different aspects of sperm functionality and genomic integrity, the: 1) Sperm DNA Accelerated Decondensation (SDAD TM ) Test, 2) Sperm DNA Decondensation (SDD TM ) Test, and 3) Sperm Penetration Assay (SPA), determining if positive and negative test scores correlated with failed and successful ICSI outcomes, respectfully. Methods A prospective, double blinded, cohort study was performed. One study sample (ejaculated semen) was collected by each of the 60 male partners of the 60 couples enrolled in the study; males whose female partners were found to have no major female factor issues. The sperm from each male was analyzed in the SPA, and SDAD and SDD Tests, and used for ICSI (1 ICSI cycle per couple). Results The ICSI cycle pregnancy rate for this study was 50 %, with a delivery rate040 % (n060 ICSI cycles). The SPA and SDD Test scores did not significantly predict ICSI outcome when used as stand-alone tests (p>>0.05). However, when the SPA and SDD Test scores were used together, ICSI outcomes for a subgroup of 10 (16.7 %) males, were significantly predicted (p00.03), with 1 live birth, and 9 negatives where the transferred embryos did not implant. In total, 38.4 % of the couples in this study were found to have a very poor chance for a successful ICSI cycle. Conclusion SDAD Test scores alone, and SPA and SDD Test scores used together, significantly predicted failed ICSI outcomes. This indicates that the scores obtained when analyzing patients' sperm using a panel of sperm function tests; specifically, the SPA, and SDAD and SDD Tests, can be used to identify infertile couples who should not be directed to ICSI.

Selection of Functional Human Sperm with Higher DNA Integrity and Fewer Reactive Oxygen Species

“…Isolation of the motile and morphologically normal viable sperm is an integral process to commonly used IVF/ICSI/IUI procedures . Although current IVF/ICSI procedures result in successful pregnancy ≈50% of the time, the output can be greatly compromised if the sperm being selected are abnormal . There is a concern about the reported increased risk of birth defects in the offsprings from couples undergoing ART procedures .…”

Effects of Hydro-Alcoholic Extract ofRhus coriaria(Sumac) Seeds on Reproductive Complications of Nicotinamide-Streptozotocin Induced Type-2 Diabetes in Male Mice

“…Further, male reproductive dysfunction is an important fertility disorder in human society. Couple infertility is estimated to be about one in seven couples worldwide, and approximately 50% of these cases have been attributed to the male [ 2 ]. Sexual and sperm quality dysfunction is an established complication of diabetes [ 3 ].…”

Emerging technologies for home‐based semen analysis

“…Around 40–50% of the 70 million cases of infertility worldwide are caused by male factors (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Infertility FastStats, ; Knowlton et al ., ; Garolla et al ., ; Ghaleno et al ., ; Huang et al ., ; Nosrati et al ., ; Tung et al ., ). Male infertility is caused by abnormal characteristics in several parameters, including sperm motility, morphology, velocity, semen volume, sperm concentration, and sperm count (Hammoud et al ., ; Safaee et al ., 2012; Aitken et al ., ,; Brown et al ., ; Chen et al ., ; Lewis et al ., ; Worrilow et al ., ; Zahedi et al ., ; Nosrati et al ., ). To determine male fertility potential, sperm analysis of these main parameters is necessary.…”