Relation between semen oxidative reduction potential in initial semen examination and IVF outcomes

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Semen Analysis
• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Background:

• Oxidative stress significantly impacts male fertility and IVF success.
• Semen oxidative reduction potential (ORP) is a potential biomarker for sperm DNA integrity.
• The clinical utility of ORP in predicting IVF outcomes remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between semen ORP values and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes.
• To determine if ORP can classify sperm DNA integrity and influence IVF results.
• To analyze the relationship between ORP and key IVF metrics.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of semen ORP in 430 male partners undergoing IVF.
• Grouping participants based on semen ORP values (high vs. low).
• Comparison of fertilization rates, cleavage rates, embryo quality, and clinical pregnancy outcomes between groups.

Main Results:

• Semen ORP values exhibited correlations with conventional semen parameters.
• No significant differences in fertilization or cleavage rates were observed between high and low ORP groups.
• A higher rate of transferable embryos was noted in the high ORP group, but with a trend towards lower clinical pregnancy and abortion rates.

Conclusions:

• The clinical significance of measuring semen ORP for predicting IVF success remains controversial.
• While high ORP may correlate with certain embryo development indicators, its overall predictive value for pregnancy outcomes is uncertain.
• Further research is needed to clarify the role of ORP in male infertility and assisted reproductive technologies.