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Research Article
Sperm DNA fragmentation increased and motility declined significantly with prolonged semen exposure after ejaculation. In 14 normal samples, DNA fragmentation increased by 5.5%, 11.5%, and 16.1% at 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h, respectively, while motility decreased. These findings support minimizing delays for off-site semen collection and processing.
Sperm DNA fragmentation is known to be detrimental to sperm quality, which can negatively impact assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles. Examining sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) in seminal fluid over time can provide insight into the effects of prolonged semen exposure on sperm DNA integrity. In this preliminary study, an SDF assay was performed at various time points to simulate off-site semen collection conditions using the sperm chromatin dispersion assay on 14 normal semen samples. Statistical analysis of DNA fragmentation percentages over the duration of the assay showed that prolonged stagnation of seminal fluid from ejaculation to semen analysis significantly increased DNA fragmentation. Average sperm motility was significantly reduced by 7.4% at 1 h, 14.5% at 2 h, and 18.7% at 4 h, and average SDF was significantly increased by 5.5% at 1 h, 11.5% at 2 h, and 16.1% at 4 h after semen collection. This decrease in sperm quality over time may inform fertility clinics’ protocols when considering sperm preparation for ART cycles, especially when semen collection occurs off-site from the andrology lab. Laboratories may consider establishing an acceptable time threshold for receiving semen from off-site collection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies one in six people or 17.5% of the world population as experiencing infertility at some point in their lifetime1. Approximately 20% of infertility cases have a sole diagnosis of male factor infertility, with an additional 30–40% of cases having male factor as a secondary diagnosis2. Even in healthy men, seminal parameters can vary greatly from individual to individual, including fluctuations in concentration, motility, morphology, and vitality3. Thus, it is important to understand the specific factors that compromise male fertility to provide pro....
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The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board of University Hospitals (STUDY20201371). Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study. Fourteen semen samples were selected from patients in a single academic fertility center in Northeast Ohio. All samples analyzed in this experiment were collected on-site at our facility. Sperm chromatin dispersion testing was performed on semen samples by a fully trained andrologist, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, to minimize interpersonal variation. With this kit, intact, unfixed, fresh sperm were immersed in an i....
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To assess the impact of prolonged semen exposure on sperm motility and DNA fragmentation, a total of 14 normozoospermic patient samples were analyzed at four time points from collection. The samples analyzed were considered “normal” in the semen analysis parameters according to WHO 5th edition14. All samples were collected on-site at our Fertility Center to optimize the accuracy of the analysis parameters at each time point. The average age of patients was 35.4 years (24–45 years). Init.......
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In the samples included in this experiment, SDF increased over time, while motility decreased over the same period. This suggests that sperm DNA integrity may decrease when seminal fluid remains stagnant for longer durations between ejaculation and analysis or processing. Increasing the time that samples remained stagnant before analysis may have increased exposure to conditions associated with oxidative stress. As previously discussed, oxidative stress can be detrimental to sperm DNA quality, leading to high levels of D.......
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The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANOVA Calculator | Statistics Kingdom | Statistical analysis https://www.statskingdom.com/anova_manova.html | |
| Halosperm G2 | Halotech | HT-HSG2 | In vitro diagnostic kit for measuring sperm DNA fragmentation https://halotechdna.com/en/producto/halosperm-g2/ |
| Microcell | Vitrolife | 15423 | Disposable counting chamber for semen analysis https://www.vitrolife.com/products/sperm-processing/microcell--accessories/ |
| Quality Control for WBC/pH Test Strips | Medical Electronic Systems | A-CA-01752-00 | Positive and negative control for QwikCheck WBC test strips https://mes-global.com/products/semen-analysis-validation-kits/qwikcheck-test-kits/qwikcheck-wbc-ph-test-strips-quality-control/ |
| QwikCheck WBC/pH Test Reagent Strips | Medical Electronic Systems | 0700 | Determine leukocytes (WBCs) in semen https://mes-global.com/products/semen-analysis-validation-kits/qwikcheck-test-kits/ |
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