Semen oxidative stress in male infertility: A case–control study

Abstract

Background: Though a certain level of free radicals is required for the proper maturation of a sperm, excessive level of free radicals is believed to be a major factor contributing to male infertility. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to identify the level of oxidative stress (OS) among infertile males. Materials and Methods: In the present study, semen Malondialdehyde (MDA) level, as an OS marker was studied in 96 normozoospermics who were taken as controls, and the values were compared separately to semen MDA levels of 75 oligozoospermics, 36 azoospermics and 19 necrozoospermics using unpaired t-test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study showed significantly higher semen MDA levels in oligozoospermics and necrozoospermics compared to normozoospermics, but azoospermics did not show a statistically significant difference. Conclusion: We concluded that excessive OS can be one of the major contributing factors for male infertility.