Why is this test done?
- This test reliably analyzes sperm DNA integrity and helps to identify men who are at risk of subfertility
- Provides information which helps in the clinical diagnosis, management and treatment in the male fertility
- It has prognostic value where you can predict the success of treatment
- High sperm DNA fragmentation affects advanced embryo culture or blastocyst development
- Failure of assisted conception treatment and miscarriage are common with these abnormal sperms
- Sperm DNA fragmentation is higher if basic semen analysis is abnormal
- Men with normal sperm parameters can have abnormal sperm DNA fragmentation test reports.
Can you get pregnant with high sperm DNA fragmentation?
Spermatozoa cannot repair its damaged DNA. But egg cells and embryos have the potential to repair after the fertilization process.
- Normal, healthy pregnancies can occur with a high percentage of sperm with fragmented DNA. Although the chances are significantly reduced in these men, sperm bearing high DNA fragmentation can also fertilize an egg.
- Embryos from sperm with highly fragmented DNA may not implant and give pregnancy.
- DNA fragmentation can result in initiation of natural cellular death. Hence these embryos can show arrest of growth, miscarriage and abnormalities in the baby.
- Sperm with high DNA fragmentation fertilizing younger eggs have better chances. These cells are much more efficient at DNA repair of defective sperms.