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Elevated sperm chromosome aneuploidy and apoptosis in patients with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss
Douglas T Carrell1, Aaron L Wilcox, Leasa Lowy
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132, USA. dcarrell@mmsscc.utah.edu
Objective:
To evaluate sperm chromosome aneuploidy and semen quality in 24 partners of women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss and to analyze the data in relation to sperm apoptosis data.
Methods:
Semen quality parameters and sperm chromosome aneuploidy for chromosomes X, Y, 13, 18, and 21 were evaluated in the recurrent pregnancy loss patients, fertile controls, and a control group of men from the general population.
Results:
The mean aneuploidy rate in the recurrent pregnancy loss group was 2.77 +/- 0.22, significantly higher (P <.005) than in either the general population (1.48 +/- 0.12) or in fertile (1.19 +/- 0.11) control groups. In the recurrent pregnancy loss patients, the percentage of aneuploid sperm was correlated to the percentage of apoptotic sperm (r =.62, P <.001). Normal morphology was diminished in the patient group, compared with the general population group (P <.01) and the donor group (P <.001).
Conclusions:
These data indicate that some recurrent pregnancy loss patients have a significant increase of sperm chromosome aneuploidy, apoptosis, and abnormal sperm morphology. This study demonstrates a new possible cause of recurrent pregnancy loss.