Sperm DNA Damage

Sperms are cells found in men that are responsible for transferring male DNA to the female egg cell. Since the primary function of sperm is to transfer DNA, DNA damage in sperm can prevent pregnancy from occurring and continuing. In order for fertilization to occur, a large number of sperm cells that have the capacity to swim quickly and that can fertilize when they reach the egg cell are required. However, sperm cells are quite sensitive and can be negatively affected by many different reasons. DNA damage, which refers to breaks in the sperm DNA chain, reduces sperm quality.

What Causes Sperm DNA Damage?

Although many different factors play a role in sperm quality, one of the most decisive is lifestyle. Stress, unhealthy diet, and harmful substance use negatively affect sperm quality. Some publications also report that sperm DNA damage increases with age. The main reasons for sperm DNA fragmentation are;

• Past infections,
• High fever,
• High testicular temperature,
• Exposure to radiation,
• Unhealthy eating habits,
• Smoking and alcohol consumption,
• Excessive caffeine consumption,
• Varicocele occurs due to the expansion of the veins leading to the testicles.
• Some drugs used,
• It appears as toxic chemicals and pesticides.

Considering the existing reasons;

• In hot environment,
• Working with chemicals or
• Men who work in professions that require prolonged computer use appear to be at greater risk.

What is Sperm DNA Damage Testing?

Traditional tests used in sperm analysis subject the sperm to morphological evaluation for concentration, motility analysis and deformity detection. However, it is not possible to detect molecular level disorders in sperm with these tests. In cases of repeated failures in in vitro fertilization treatment and recurrent pregnancy losses, sperm DNA damage testing can be used.

In the sperm DNA damage test, sperm samples taken from the man are subjected to Sperm FISH and DNA Fragmentation tests, which analyze the DNA structure of the sperm.

For   sperm DNA damage test, you can contact our clinic and make an appointment with  .

How to Perform Sperm DNA Damage Test?

In order to perform a sperm DNA damage   test, a sperm sample is taken from the man. The sperm sample can be taken by masturbation after the patient is taken to the sperm collection room. In addition, in patients who cannot provide a sample by masturbation and in patients with very low sperm counts, a sperm sample can also be taken by surgery.

This sperm sample is stained with a fluorescent probe that has the ability to interact with DNA, thus detecting damaged sperm. A damaged sperm count of less than 15% is considered normal, while a count of more than 50% is considered severely damaged.

In Which Situations Is Sperm DNA Damage Testing Performed?

• In cases of infertility where the cause cannot be determined,
• In couples experiencing recurrent miscarriages,
• In case of repeated failure in IVF treatment,
• In couples with slow embryo development or abnormal embryo development,
• In case of severe morphological disorders in sperm,
• In men with varicocele disease,
• Sperm DNA damage testing may be necessary for patients who are in the risk group due to their lifestyle and occupation.

How to Treat Sperm DNA Damage?

Although there is no method to treat DNA damage in sperm, it is important to determine the root cause of the problem. Sperm DNA damage mostly occurs due to lifestyle reasons. Therefore, changes in lifestyle play an important role in improving sperm quality. Since sperm has the ability to renew itself every three months, such lifestyle changes can be very effective in improving sperm quality.

During the treatment process, depending on the determination of the cause of the damage;

• Treatment of diseases such as infections and varicocele that damage sperm DNA,
• Quitting the use of cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine and other harmful substances,
• Creating a healthy diet,
• It is recommended to consume foods containing antioxidants and vitamin C.

Following such lifestyle changes, the patient is tested again three months later to see if there is a decrease in sperm DNA damage.

  Sperm DNA Damage Test Prices

Sperm DNA damage test prices may vary from clinic to clinic. For sperm DNA damage test prices, you can contact our clinic and make an appointment