Positive Association of Sperm Dysfunction in the Pathogenesis of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Abstract

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is one of the most frustrating and difficult areas in reproductive medicine, because the aetiology is often unknown and there are few evidence-based diagnostic and treatment strategies. RPL diagnosis is mainly focused on the female partner. The male factor contributing in evaluation of RPL has been less investigated, it is restricted to karyotype and basic semen analysis, assessment of functionality of sperm is largely ignored. Aim and Objective: To investigate the role of sperm factors in RPL through regular semen analysis preceded with sperm function tests. Materials and Methods: We performed a case control study of 95 males whose partner has experienced two or more pregnancy loss as case and 37 volunteers who had fathered child/children without the history of RPL as control group. Basic semen analysis and sperm function test (Nuclear chromatin decondensation {NCD}, Hypo osmotic swelling {HOS} and Acrosome intactness test {AIT} was performed. The results were analysed by performing Independent-sample t-test using SPSS (version 14.0). Results: One individual had anatomical abnormality which was confirmed through trans-rectal ultrasound scanning and RPL group showed statistically significant (p<0.05) value for NCD, HOS and AIT and 36.8% of RPL individuals had reduced score for sperm count and motility. Less than 4% normal morphology was recorded in 16.8% individuals of RPL group. Conclusion: Our study revealed that the positive association of sperm dysfunction in RPL cases, hence male may be considered for a routine part of the evaluation along with his partner in the near future in order to achieve desirable outcome.

Keywords

• spermatozoa
• semen parameters
• sperm function tests