Sperm Donor Selection Research Articles

Sperm DNA Fragmentation after Cryopreservation and Sperm Selection Has No Implications for Clinical Pregnancies and Live Births after Intrauterine Insemination with Donor Sperm.

Intrauterine insemination with donor sperm (IUI-D) requires multiple in vitro manipulations such as sperm selection and cryopreservation during which spermatozoa may be exposed to oxidative stress (OS) and other insults that may produce potential damage including sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF). High levels of SDF, referring to damage or breaks in the genetic material of sperm cells, are linked to an increased risk of reproductive failure. This retrospective, observational study set out to evaluate whether SDF assessment could predict clinical outcome in an IUI-D program, where sperm donors are selected on strict conventional semen parameters. A total of 18 donors and 106 recipients were matched for IUI-D. Out of 429 cycles, 100 (23.3%) resulted in clinical pregnancy. We counted 78 live births (18.2% of cycles), while 20 pregnancies ended in miscarriage (4.7% of cycles), 1 in extra-uterine pregnancy and 1 in stillbirth. Female age significantly influenced clinical pregnancy and miscarriage rates. SDF increased after cryopreservation (26.3 ± 14.5%; p < 0.001) and more so after post-thaw density gradient (34.9 ± 22.1%; p = 0.04) without affecting clinical pregnancy (OR [95% CI] 1.01 [0.99; 1.02]; p = 0.27), live birth (1.00 [0.99; 1.02]; p = 0.72) and miscarriage rates (1.02 [1.00; 1.05]; p = 0.08). The implications of our findings extend to a better selection of sperm donors and a better sperm preparation technique tailored to the donor semen's properties in order to maximize the chances of a favorable treatment outcome.

Maintaining an adequate sperm donor pool: modifying the medical criteria for sperm donor selection.

The shortage of donor sperm will increase due to greater access by lesbian couples and single women and due to extra rules imposed on sperm donation. Two steps should be distinguished in donor recruitment: an ethical phase where candidates are self-selecting on the basis of ethical rules, and a medical phase where criteria related to quality and safety of the sperm are imposed. The first phase functions as a bottle neck. Candidate donors who reject the ethical rules will not present themselves for donation in clinics and sperm banks. If the ethical rules remain unchanged, the medical rules that apply after the bottle neck should become less stringent if a sufficient number of donors are to be maintained. Lowering the sperm quality standards will lead to more IVF. Although this is regrettable, it will become unavoidable if the scarcity of donors increases.

Mixing and Matching: Sperm Donor Selection for Interracial Lesbian Couples

ABSTRACTThe widespread use of assisted reproductive technologies, coupled with processes of demographic and social change, are contributing to the normalization of new family configurations that extend beyond biological kinship. Non-traditional families, increasingly prevalent due to interracial and same-sex marriages, challenge normative expectations of family resemblance between siblings, parents and children. Interviews with interracial lesbian couples about their selection of a sperm donor reveal that despite the new forms of relatedness that non-traditional families enable, within the use of reproductive technologies, biological framings of race and sibling kinship continue to structure decisions about family formation.

Rethinking reproductive selection: traveling transnationally for sperm

Denmark has become a destination for fertility travelers in need of sperm. Through a careful ethnographic reading of how fertility travelers account for their journey to Denmark and their selection of sperm donors, I explore what comprises donor selection and ask: How can we understand accountability for inclusion and exclusion in the phenomena of donor selection that emerges when women and couples travel to Denmark for sperm? While the recently coined term ‘selective reproductive technology’ (Gammeltoft and Wahlberg in Annu Rev Anthropol 43:201–216, 2014) creates a framework for productive discussions on reproductive selection, this paper points out that the ontological premises of the notion of selection have political consequences and thus demand careful methodological examination. Based on ethnographic work on sperm selection in fertility travels to Denmark, this paper contributes a reconceptualization of the notion of the phenomena of selection. This reconceptualization reflects on and disrupts the ways in which inclusion and exclusion take place as selection emerges through both material and discursive elements, particularly national regulations, perceptions of race, the freezing ability of sperm, and the financial situations of those seeking treatment. To encompass such varying elements, the concept is analyzed by drawing on a relational ontology informed by the notion of the phenomenon, the basic analytical unit in agential realism (Barad in Meeting the universe halfway. Quantum physics and the entanglement of matter and meaning, Duke University Press, Durham, NC, 2007). This chosen reconceptualization may grant us the imaginative space to consider how the process of selection might be otherwise conducted.

Improving preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) reliability by selection of sperm donor with the most informative haplotype

BackgroundThe study is aimed to describe a novel strategy that increases the accuracy and reliability of PGD in patients using sperm donation by pre-selecting the donor whose haplotype does not overlap the carrier’s one.MethodsA panel of 4–9 informative polymorphic markers, flanking the mutation in carriers of autosomal dominant/X-linked disorders, was tested in DNA of sperm donors before PGD. Whenever the lengths of donors’ repeats overlapped those of the women, additional donors’ DNA samples were analyzed. The donor that demonstrated the minimal overlapping with the patient was selected for IVF.ResultsIn 8 out of 17 carriers the markers of the initially chosen donors overlapped the patients’ alleles and 2–8 additional sperm donors for each patient were haplotyped. The selection of additional sperm donors increased the number of informative markers and reduced misdiagnosis risk from 6.00% ± 7.48 to 0.48% ±0.68. The PGD results were confirmed and no misdiagnosis was detected.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates that pre-selecting a sperm donor whose haplotype has minimal overlapping with the female’s haplotype, is critical for reducing the misdiagnosis risk and ensuring a reliable PGD. This strategy may contribute to prevent the transmission of affected IVF-PGD embryos using a simple and economical procedure.Trial registrationAll procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. DNA testing of donors was approved by the institutional Helsinki committee (registration number 319-08TLV, 2008). The present study was approved by the institutional Helsinki committee (registration number 0385-13TLV, 2013).

HBA score in relation to donor semen profiles and live birth rates: a preliminary study

We sought to determine whether sperm donor selection could be improved by using the hyaluronan binding assay (HBA) score to predict live birth rates (LBRs) in donor insemination treatments. Thirty donor samples were included: five fresh samples to assess whether HBA score is affected by cryopreservation and 25 frozen samples from donors whose sperm gave rise to known live births, divided into three groups, with success rates ≥50%, <50–33% and <33%, to examine whether HBA score correlates with LBRs. Correlations with semen analysis parameters, as well as donor demographic factors, known causes of patient subfertility and/or the type of treatment provided were also assessed. There was no significant difference in the mean HBA score pre- and post-cryopreservation (p = 0.998) nor in the HBA score of the three different outcome groups (p = 0.89). HBA score was not significantly affected by other semen analysis parameters (r2=0.394, p = 0.127) or any of the other examined factors. This was the first study to investigate HBA score for cryopreserved donor samples with known LBRs. HBA score was not correlated with LBRs in this small pilot study. Larger studies are required to validate HBA score as a tool for sperm donor selection and predictor of LBRs.

Sperm Donor Selection using Nominal and Binary Variable Methods

advances in medical sciences are motivating researchers across the world to contribute to the field of assisted reproductive techniques, commonly referred as ART. During ART treatment, in case of male infertility, couples are often advised conceiving through donor sperms. Such couples have a common fear that the offspring may not resemble them in physical appearance. Any notable deviation in the offspring's physical appearance from his or her parents may seriously affect the couple both socially and psychologically. It is often expected that the selected sperm donor profile for a couple should have physical characteristics similar to either of the partners, most preferably the male. The ART specialist and sperm banks find difficulties in selecting donor profile that suitably matches with the requirements of the recipient couple. In this paper, nominal and binary variable methods are applied to identify the donor profiles that match with the requirements of recipient couple. The results are analytically presented and tested under the supervision of experts. It is found that the outcomes are satisfactory compared to manual selection and as a result these techniques can be integrated in designing an expert tool to assist the ART specialist and sperm banks in selecting the best matching donor profiles for recipient couples.

Maternal KIR haplotype influences live birth rate after double embryo transfer in IVF cycles in patients with recurrent miscarriages and implantation failure.

In patients with recurrent miscarriages (RM) or recurrent implantation failure (RIF), does the maternal killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) haplotype have an impact on live birth rates per cycle after embryo transfer with the patient's own or donated oocytes? After double embryo transfer (DET) in patients with the maternal KIR AA haplotype, a significantly increased early miscarriage rate was observed when the patient's own oocytes were used, and a significantly decreased live birth rate per cycle after embryo transfer was observed when donated oocytes were used. Interactions between fetal HLA-C and maternal KIR influence placentation during human pregnancy. There is an increased risk of RM, pre-eclampsia or fetal growth restriction in mothers with the KIR AA haplotype when the fetus has more HLA-C2 genes than the mother. Between 2010 and 2014, we performed a retrospective study that included 291 women, with RM or RIF, who had a total of 1304 assisted reproductive cycles. Pregnancy, miscarriage and live birth rates per cycle after single or DET, categorized by the origin of the oocytes and the presence of maternal KIR haplotypes, were studied. KIR haplotype regions were defined by the presence of the following KIR genes: Cen-A/2DL3; Tel-A/3DL1 and 2DS4; Cen-B/2DL2 and 2DS2; as well as Tel-B/2DS1 and 3DS1. Higher rates of early miscarriage per cycle after DET with the patient's own oocytes in mothers with the KIR AA haplotype (22.8%) followed by those with the KIR AB haplotype (16.7%) compared with mothers with the KIR BB haplotype (11.1%) were observed (P = 0.03). Significantly decreased live birth rates per cycle were observed after DET of donated oocytes in mothers with the KIR AA haplotype (7.5%) compared with those with the KIR AB (26.4%) and KIR BB (21.5%) haplotypes (P = 0.006). No statistically significant differences were observed for pregnancy, miscarriage and live birth rates per cycle among those with maternal KIR AA, AB and BB haplotypes after single embryo transfer (SET) with the patient's own or donated oocytes. The large number of cases studied strengthens the results and provides sufficient power to the statistical analysis. During the IVF procedure, DET induces the expression of more than one paternal HLA-C and the oocyte-derived maternal HLA-C in the oocyte-donation cycles probably behaves like paternal HLA-C. Because this was a retrospective study, we did not have data about the HLA-C of the parent, donor, chorionic villi, or infant, which is a limitation because we cannot show differences according to paternal or oocyte donor HLA-C1 and HLA-C2. These new insights could have an impact on the selection of SET in patients with RM or RIF, and a KIR AA haplotype. Also, it may help in oocyte and/or sperm donor selection by HLA-C in patients with RM or RIF and a KIR AA haplotype. No funding was received for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Genetic testing of sperm donors for cystic fibrosis and spinal muscular atrophy: evaluation of clinical utility

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical utility of genetic testing for cystic fibrosis (CF) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in sperm donors. Study designWe studied the results of the genetic tests for CF and SMA applied to 372 sperm donor candidates. The CF carrier screening test analysed 32 mutations on the CFTR gene. Regarding SMA, the carrier test studied possible deletions of SMN1/2 by Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) methodology. ResultsThe carrier frequency obtained was greater for SMA than for CF. After adjusting the results obtained for the sensitivity of the tests, and taking into account the prevalence of female carriers in our population, the probability of transmission of the disease to the child from a donor with a negative genetic test was about five times lower in the case of SMA than in CF, although this difference was not statistically significant. The number of donors needed to screen (NNS) to avoid the occurrence of a child being affected by CF and SMA in our population was similar in both cases (1591 vs. 1536). ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the need to include SMA among the diseases for which genetic screening is performed in the process of sperm donor selection. We believe that testing donors for SMA is as important and as useful as doing so for CF.

PP-14 HOW DOES THE SEMEN CRYOPRESERVATION AND MALE AGE EFFECT ON SEMEN QUALITY AND DNA INTEGRITY?

Background and Aim: Genetic analysis is an essential part of the sperm donor selection process. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most prevalent genetic disorder within the Caucasian population and therefore has a prominent role: most sperm banks only test for CF and ignore other genetic disorders, such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The aim of this study is to determine the clinical utility of the genetic testing of sperm donors for SMA and CF.

Mating by proxy: a novel perspective to donor conception

How single, partnered lesbian, and partnered heterosexual women undertaking donor insemination rate the importance of donor characteristics is explored in the context of Trivers's parental investment theory. Consistent with this theory, single women placed higher value on biographical traits reflective of the donor's level of potential resources (occupation, hobbies, age) and good character compared with either partnered lesbian or heterosexual women.

Possible people, complaints, and the distinction between genetic planning and genetic engineering

Advances in the understanding of genetics have led to the belief that it may become possible to use genetic engineering to manipulate the DNA of humans at the embryonic stage...

Sperm variables as predictors of fertility in Black Castellana roosters: use in the selection of sperm donors for genome resource banking purposes

Semen was collected from 10 Black Castellana roosters and the classic sperm variables (ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and sperm motility) examined. In addition, the hypo-osmotic swelling test was used to investigate sperm cell membrane integrity, and acidic aniline blue staining used to screen for morphological abnormalities (including acrosome integrity) and to examine the condensation status of the chromatin. The latter was also examined by Gram staining. Large and small semen volumes were associated high and low sperm concentrations respectively (R2=0.04, P

Sperm mediated gene transfer in pig: Selection of donor boars and optimization of DNA uptake.

Transgenic animals are produced primarily by microinjecting exogenous DNA into the male pronuclei of a zygote. Microinjection is successful in mice but not efficient in farm animals, limiting its general utility. We have pursued an alternative technology for producing transgenic animals: Sperm Mediated Gene Transfer (SMGT). Based on our finding that sperm cells bind and internalize exogenous DNA, we used sperm as a vector for transmitting, not only their own DNA, but also, the exogenously-introduced gene of interest to the zygote. SMGT is highly efficient (up to greater than 80%) and relatively inexpensive; it can be used in species refractory to microinjection, whenever reproduction is mediated by gametes. In this report, we describe the procedure for selection of sperm donors and optimization of DNA uptake that are the key steps for the successful outcome of SMGT. We found that the nominal parameters that boar sperm should possess to serve as a good vector for exogenous DNA are the quality of semen based on standard parameters used in conventional animal breeding programs (volume, concentration, presence of abnormal sperm cells, motility at time of collection, and high progressive motility after 2 hr) and the ability of the sperm cells to take up and internalize exogenous DNA. The results described provide significant advances in SMGT technology applied to pigs, so that transgenic pigs can be efficiently obtained. Mol.

A Norwegian note on “sperm donor selection and the psychology of female mate choice”

O ne way to investigate the evolved psychology of female mate choice is to compare women's criteria for a long-term mate to those for a sperm donor (Scheib 1994). Assisted reproduction via donor insemination is an evolutionarily novel but related context to that of mate choice, in that the function of both contexts is offspring production. Women 's choice criteria for a donor might be similar to those for a mate because, throughout our evolutionary history, reproduction and mate choice were inseparable. That is, it is plausible that the attributes a woman would find attractive in someone whose offspring she would carry would be related to her mate-choice criteria. Choice of a long-term mate and choice of a sperm donor will also have similar impacts on offspring condition and a woman's future reproductive options. Given this, one might expect similar responses to those aspects of the sperm donor context that are shared with mate choice. These responses may reveal some of the cues that women pay attention to in mate selection while the actual choices are made in the more controlled setting of selection of sperm donor.

Genome Resource Banking for Species Conservation: Selection of Sperm Donors

The systematic banking of genome resources using cryopreserved germ plasm offers the opportunity to further conservation strategies of endangered species by assisting in the effective genetic management of captive populations. Cryopreserved germ plasm will allow indefinite preservation of the presently available gene diversity represented in either captive or wild populations. If properly utilized, genome resource banks have the potential to decelerate the loss of gene and allelic diversity in captive populations through reintroducing "original" genetic material through time to counter genetic drift. However, in order for any genome resource bank to be effective, strategies need to be developed to identify genetically valuable individuals to bank which will represent optimal gene diversity of the specific population. Four selection strategies were evaluated to identify individual donors from four North American captive populations representing differently structured pedigrees. The strategies consisted of selecting: (1) all males in the population ("All Male Bank"); (2) only living founders and early generation descendents ("Founder Method Bank." FMB); (3) males remaining after culling to minimize mean kinship ("Culled Male Bank 1"); and (4) males remaining after culling to minimize mean kinship with the males reduced to the number in the FMB ("Culled Male Bauk 2"). The effectiveness of each strategy was based on the comparison of genetic variation metrics in each bank with the genetic variation in the present living managed population. Althougb maximal retention of allelic diversity was achieved by banking genes from all living animals, nearly optimal retention of allelic and gene diversity was obtained by utilizing the selection strategy based on minimizing mean kinships. As a consequence, properly designed and utilized, genome resouce banks cnn become effective tools for preserving gene diversity in future generations of living populations.

Sperm donor selection and the psychology of female mate choice

Women's preferences for hypothetical sperm donors were compared to preferences for long-term mates (Experiment 1) and to those for long-term mates and extra-pair copulatory (EPC) partners (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, attributes believed likely to affect a resultant child were significantly more important in a donor than in a long-term mate. “Character,” which was the most important factor in a mate, was the second most important factor after “health” in a donor, despite the belief that character had little likelihood of affecting a resultant child. These results suggest that women were partly relying on the psychology used to choose a long-term mate when they assessed attributes in a sperm donor. An additional construct (“resource potential”) was introduced in Experiment 2, as well as an additional test condition (EPC). As with character, resource potential was believed to have little likelihood of affecting a resultant child, yet it was rated as moderately important to have in a donor, further supporting the hypothesis that women were partly relying on a mate choice psychology. Results did not provide support for the existence of an EPC psychology distinct from that used to select a long-term mate.