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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects
Published on: April 21, 2022
Sperm DNA fragmentation negatively correlates with velocity and fertilization rates but might not affect pregnancy
Chun-Chia Huang1, David Pei-Cheng Lin, Hui-Mei Tsao
1Division of Infertility Clinic, Lee Womens' Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Objective:
To evaluate sperm DNA fragmentation in correlation with sperm parameters and IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes.
Design:
Retrospective review.
Setting:
A tertiary infertility referral clinic.
Patient(S):
We collected 303 semen samples from patients undergoing IVF with or without ICSI.
Intervention(S):
Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, measurement of fertilization rates, good embryo rates, and pregnancy rates for the IVF/ICSI program.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
The percentage of sperm with DNA fragmentation, correlated with semen analysis parameters and IVF/ICSI outcomes.
Result(S):
Sperm DNA fragmentation rates were significantly higher in patients with abnormal sperm parameters than in those with normal sperm parameters. When sperm DNA fragmentation was >10%, fertilization rates were affected. Sperm DNA fragmentation rates were negatively correlated with sperm velocity parameters but did not affect pregnancy outcomes.
Conclusion(S):
The results indicated that sperm DNA fragmentation affects fertilization rates and sperm motility but might not affect pregnancy rates.
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