Experiencing a miscarriage can be both emotionally and physically debilitating. Experiencing recurrent miscarriages can not only add to the already traumatic situation, but it can also leave patients feeling frustrated and searching for answers.
There have been previous studies that have identified a link between DNA damage in a man’s sperm and recurrent miscarriage, and the most recent study coming out of the UK at the Imperial College London adds to it.
So, is there a link between miscarriage and DNA fragmentation?
The researchers analysed the sperm quality of over 50 men whose partners had suffered from recurrent miscarriages and compared the results with men whose partners had not experienced miscarriages. The sperm from the recurrent miscarriage group was found to have significantly higher levels of DNA damage compared to the other group- in fact almost twice the amount!
It has been thought that the DNA damage in sperm may be caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are created by semen cells to protect the sperm from infections and bacteria, however high concentrations they have been shown to have a negative effect in sperm cell DNA. When the researchers looked at levels of ROS in the semen samples from the recurrent miscarriage group, it was found that the levels had a four-fold increase compared to that of the other group of men.
Fertility First has recognised the importance of sperm health when it comes to fertility and healthy pregnancies and has been testing for sperm DNA damage in patients for over 13 years.
Our clinic will perform routine testing on all our male patients, including potential donors before fertility treatment commences to give you the best chance of being able to achieve a healthy pregnancy.
For more information on DNA fragmentation testing or our donor sperm program, please contact our clinic on (02) 9586 3311 and speak to one of our friendly staff members.
