Abstract
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in identifying subcellular causes
of male infertility, and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) research has been at the forefront
of this focus. DNA damage can occur during spermatogenesis due to faulty chromatin
compaction or excessive abortive apoptosis. It can also happen as sperm transit through
the genital tract, often induced by oxidative stress. There are several methods for
SDF testing, with the sperm chromatin structure assay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase
d-UTI nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, comet assay, and sperm chromatin dispersion
test being the most commonly used. Numerous studies strongly support the negative
impact of SDF on male fertility potential. DNA damage has been linked to various morphological
and functional sperm abnormalities, ultimately affecting natural conception and assisted
reproductive technology outcomes. This evidence-based review aims to explore how SDF
influences male reproduction and provide insights into available therapeutic options
to minimize its detrimental impact.
Keywords
sperm DNA fragmentation - male infertility - assisted reproduction - natural conception
- recurrent pregnancy loss
