DNA Fragmentation’s Impact on Male Infertility: Advanced molecular approaches in male infertility diagnosis

Yu-Sheng ChengTaiwan Speaker DNA Fragmentation’s Impact on Male Infertility: Advanced molecular approaches in male infertility diagnosis Semen analysis remains the cornerstone to accessing male fertility potential despite many drawbacks and fails to predict the male fertility potential with high sensitivity and specificity. The integrity of sperm DNA is crucial for successful fertilization, embryo growth, and the precise transmission of genetic information to progeny. Increasing research suggests that higher sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) may correlate with clinical varicocele, unexplained infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and offspring health. Currently, several tests are available to assess sperm DNA fragmentation in clinical settings. The degree of sperm DNA damage can be measured using the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), which provides more insight into the quality of sperm. Recently, several laboratories have integrated SDF testing into routine semen analysis for the assessment of male infertility. Nonetheless, several aspects of SDF remain unresolved. This presentation will provide an introduction to existing SDF assays, including recent innovative tests for double-strand breaks (DSBs) in human ejaculated sperm, as well as a discussion on the clinical indications for SDF testing based on recent scientific findings.