Relationship between sperm aneuploidy, sperm DNA integrity, chromatin packaging, traditional semen parameters, and recurrent pregnancy loss

Objective: To study the possible relationship between sperm aneuploidy, sperm DNA integrity, chromatin packaging, traditional semen parameters, and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Design: Descriptive study. Setting: University-affiliated tertiary teaching. Patient(s): A total of 22 couples with history of RPL and 20 fertile men. Intervention(s): Semen samples from case and control men were examined for differences in semen parameters, DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and sperm aneuploidy. Main Outcome Measure(s): Sperm DNA and chromatin integrity and sperm aneuploidy. Result(s): Sperm progressive motility (30.2% vs. 51.5%) was significantly lower and abnormal morphology (74.8% vs. 54.2%) was significantly higher in the RPL group versus the control group, respectively. The percentage of fragmented DNA was significantly increased in the RPL group (17.1% vs. 10.2%) as well as the rate of spermatozoa with nuclear chromatin decondensation (23.6% vs. 11.8%). There was a significantly higher sperm aneuploidy rate among the RPL group as well. Conclusion(s): The increase in abnormal sperm parameters, sperm DNA fragmentation, nuclear chromatin decondensation, and sperm aneuploidy suggest possible causes of unexplained RPL. (C) 2016 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.