A study conducted at Lund University in Sweden showed that a high percentage of the father’s sperm containing damaged DNA is associated with a doubling of the risk of preeclampsia in women who become pregnant through artificial insemination, and also increases the risk of the child being born prematurely.
It turns out that about 20-30% of children born through IVF have fathers with damaged DNA in their sperm, as evidenced by elevated levels of DNA fragmentation.
The DNA fragmentation index (DFI) is a measure of the amount of damage and is used to provide important new information about male fertility.
Sperm with damaged DNA may still be fertile, but the chances of fertilization are lower, and if the DNA fragmentation index exceeds 30%, the chances of a natural pregnancy are close to zero.
Alexander Gewerkman, professor of reproductive medicine at Lund University, led a research study that included 1,660 children conceived through artificial insemination and ICSI at the Center for Reproductive Medicine in Malmö, during the period from 2007 to 2018.
The results showed that in 841 couples who underwent IVF, a DFI increase of more than 20% doubled the woman’s risk of preeclampsia (10.5%) and also increased the risk of premature birth.
In the IVF group with a DFI of less than 20%, there was a 4.8% risk of preeclampsia, which is equivalent to naturally occurring pregnancies.
“Today, DFI analysis is only performed in some fertility clinics in Sweden, but we believe it should be offered as standard in all clinics,” says Gwerkman. This analysis can give couples answers about why pregnancy is not occurring, and can influence the assisted fertility method chosen. “Not only that, our recent results show that DFI analysis can be used to identify high-risk pregnancies.”
It is worth noting that most cases of DNA damage occur due to oxidative stress, which is an imbalance between harmful molecules and antioxidants that protect cells. Other factors that increase DNA fragmentation include a man’s age, smoking, obesity, and infections.
The study was published in the journal Fertility and Sterility.
Source: Medical Express
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