Relationship of sperm DNA fragments index to semen routine parameters and lifestyle and its effect on the pregnancy outcome of artificial insemination

Abstract

Objective To explore the effect of sperm DNA fragments index (DFI) on artificial insemination by husband-intrauterine injection (AIH-IUI) pregnancy outcomes, and explore the relationship between sperm DFI and male semen parameters and its influencing factors. Methods The relationship between DFI and 1185 cycles pregnancy outcomes of AIH-IUI in Reproductive Medical Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from September 2017 to December 2018 was retrospectively analyzed, and the pregnancy rate and early abortion rate in low-DFI group (DFI<15%) and high-DFI group (DFI≥15%) were compared. At the same time, the relationship between sperm DFI and male age, body mass index (BMI), smoking, drinking and semen routine parameters was analyzed in combination with male lifestyle and semen analysis parameters. Results IUI clinical pregnancy rate in low-DFI group [16.0% (122/761)] was higher than that in high-DFI group [13.89% (59/424)], but there was no statistical difference (P=0.33). The early abortion rate of low-DFI group [4.1% (5/122)] was significantly lower than that of high-DFI group [15.3% (9/59), P=0.02]. Correlation analysis showed that sperm DFI was negatively correlated with sperm concentration, motility and normal sperm morphology rate, while positively correlated with male partner’s age, abstinence time and poor lifestyle (smoking and drinking). Conclusion Sperm DFI is closely related to semen parameters, smoking, drinking and other adverse lifestyle can affect sperm DFI. Although high sperm DFI does not affect the pregnancy rate of IUI, it was associated with the risk of early abortion of IUI.