Correlation of Sperm DNA Fragmentation with Some Semen Parameters of Infertile Men in Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Semen analysis is the first step in evaluation of male infertility ,but it does not reflect the quality of sperm DNA therefore the evaluation of sperm DNA integrity could add further information on the quality of spermatozoa and fertility in males. Several tests developed to assess sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF), the most frequently used is the Sperm Chromatin Dispersion test (SCD). sperm DNA damage may be due to alterations in chromatin modelling during the process of spermiogenesis, or from abortive apoptosis or may be related to the action of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The current study investigated the importance of assessment sperm DNA integrity in Iraqi males undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in order to predict pregnancy outcomes because sperm DNA damage related to poor embryo development. Iraqi infertile males are shown to have significantly more sperm DNA fragmentation compared to fertile males (%28.368± 2.149 vs %16.85 ± 1.737) in males 35 ≥ years and (%31.09± 2.468 vs %15.88± 2.502)in males 35< years . there was a significant negative correlation between SDF and sperm motility at r = -.420 accompanied with negative correlation of SDF with sperm concentration at r = - .150, No correlation was observed between SDF and ages in infertile males . Sperm DNA fragmentation was within the limit of fragmentation which decreased but not prevent pregnancy rates in IVF program.