The Sperm DNA Fragmentation index (DFI) is a measure of the damage to the DNA, the genetic material of the sperm.
Thus, it is a crucial tool for detecting potential sperm damage and evaluating semen quality.
Presence of fragmented DNA in the sperm has been shown to affect male
fertility potential and development of the embryo.It can also be a
cause for IVF failure and recurrent miscarriages. High DFI is
generally seen in men with advanced age, inflammation of the
external genitals and varicocele, unhealthy lifestyle habits such as
smoking and alcohol consumption, and environmental radiation and
pollution.
Sperm DNA Fragmentation – Around 50% of most conditions of
infertility could be connected to a male element. A semen
evaluation that calculates sperm concentration,
motility as well as morphology is classically long been utilized
like the gold standard evaluation for deciding a man’s fertility. In
spite of this, this evaluation will not give any specific details
about the genetic structure of the sperm, which is important for
normal embryo growth. Hence a higher degree of DNA injury in
cellular sperm material might signify a reason for men’s infertility
that traditional assessments cannot identify ascertained by our IVF
specialist in Hyderabad Dr.
Swathi Mothe (Indira IVF clinic in Hyderabad).
Are you suffering from male infertility? Do you want to know more
about unexplained infertility? Then request a call back at
7412077801/02 and our IVF specialist in Hyderabad will do the
rest.
Benefits
This procedure helps us understand whether the semen sample from the
male partner can be used or not. In case the fragmentation is of a
higher degree, we suggest employing a sperm donor.
Risks
The risks that stem from sperm DNA fragmentation have no bearing on
the health of the male partner. There are, however, some perceived
limitations of the procedure.
This procedure helps us diagnose the male infertility especially in cases of:
• Unexplained infertility
• Couples with history of poor or arrested embryonic
development
• Multiple failed ART cycles
• Recurrent
miscarriage
• Advanced male age
• Varicocele
• Abnormal semen analysis
• Exposure to harmful substances, tobacco, alcohol, radiation
etc.
The DNA fragmentation index of sperm (DFI) is gauged through a straightforward test, akin to a regular semen evaluation.
Semen sample is obtained from the male for examination.
Our experts run multiple diagnostic tests to measure the degree of sperm DNA fragmentation.
This testing is not recommended as a systematic first-line treatment by most fertility experts; however they recognize its interest in the following cases:
After failures in Assisted Reproductive Treatments
(IUI, IVF or ICSI)
Presence of clinical varicocele
Smokers
Recurrent genital infections
Unexplained infertility
Age over 40
Repeated miscarriages (at least 2)
Human exposure to toxic chemical agents
History of exposure to radiotherapy or chemotherapy
Sperm DNA fragmentation refers to any damage or lesions that may occur in the genetic material of the sperm cell.
Sperm DNA can lose its integrity and fragment for several reasons that are classified into internal causes and external causes. Some internal causes may be due to abnormal packaging of genetic material during the sperm production cycle, cell death mechanism, high presence of free radicals, etc. External causes include a high fever, high testicular temperature, smoking, existence of varicoceles, a hormonal factor, advanced age, a disease linked to certain treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or environmental contamination. All these factors can alter the genetic material of spermatozoa, reducing their survival and their ability to fertilize after ejaculation.
Sperm DNA fragmentation is a possible cause of reproductive failure because the integrity of paternal genetic material is fundamental for the normal development of an embryo and foetus. Also, there are many studies that link high sperm DNA fragmentation to fertility problems or low pregnancy rates in ART treatments.
It is true that high sperm DNA fragmentation is often seen in men who have poor sperm quality. However, we also have cases of high fragmentation in patients who had a normal spermogram. To check if there are lesions from a genetic point of view, you have several evaluation techniques; the most used are the SCSA, the COMETA test, the SCD and the TUNEL.
At Indira IVF, we use the SCSA test (Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay).
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