Dietary fish oil can change sperm parameters and fatty acid profiles of ram sperm during oil consumption period and after removal of oil source

The effects of dietary fish oil on semen quality and sperm fatty acid profiles during consumption of n-3 fatty acids as well as the persistency of fatty acids in ram's sperm after removing dietary oil from the diet were investigated. In this experimental study, we randomly assigned 9 Zandi rams to two groups [isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets]: control [CTR; n=5] and fish oil [FO; n=4] for 70 days with a constant level of vitamin E in both groups. Semen was collected at the first week and at the last week of the feeding period [phase 1]. After the feeding period, all rams were fed a conventional diet and semen samples were collected one and two months after removal of FO [phase 2]. The sperm parameters and fatty acid profiles were measured by computer assisted semen analyzer [CASA] and gas chromatography [GC], respectively. The completely randomized design was used and data were analyzed with SPSS version 16. Dietary FO had significant positive effects on all sperm quality and quantity parameters compared with the CTR during the feeding period [p<0.05]. The positive effects of FO on sperm concentration and total sperm output were observed at one and two months after removal of FO [p<0.05], whereas other sperm parameters were unaffected. Before feeding, C14 [myristic acid], C16 [palmitic acid], C18 [stearic acid], C18:1 [oleic acid] and C22:6 [docosahexaenoic acid: DHA] were the primary sperm FA. FO in the diet increased sperm DHA, C14:0 and C18:0 during the feeding period [p<0.05]. The present study showed not only manipulation of ram sperm fatty acid profiles by dietary FO and sperm parameters during the feeding period, but also the persistency of unique effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acids up to two months following its removal from the diet. Also, we recommend that sperm fatty acid profiles should be comprehensively analyzed and monitored

Fatty acid profiles of ram's sperm after removing some fatty acid sources from the diets and persistency of fatty acids in sperm

Background: Mammalian spermatozoa are characterized by a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFAs], but reliable data concerning dietary effects on fatty acid [FA] profile in ram's sperm and the persistency of FA in the ration to the FA in sperm has not been reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the stability of saturated and unsaturated FAs in ram's sperm despite removing FA sources from their diet

Materials and Methods: Nine Kalkoohi rams were used in a completely randomized design and they were assigned to 3 groups. The treatments were diet supplemented [35 g/d/ram] by C16:0 [RP-10[registered]], C18: 2 [Sunflower oil; SO] and n-3 [Fish oil; FO] with Vitamin E. Fifteen weeks after the start of the supplemented diet, rams were offered a basal diet without any supplementary FA source for 35 days when the sperm's FA ratio was determined. The data were analyzed by ANOVA [Analysis of variance] using the General Linear Model [GLM] procedure of SAS Institute

Results: Thirty five days after removing the fat supplement from the diet, major FA in sperm consisted of: C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, C18:1 cis, C18:2 cis and C22:6 n-3 docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]. The percentage of C14:0 [p=0.8] and C18:1 cis [P=0.4] were similar among all the treatments. Interestingly, 35 days after the removal of fatty acid source, the percentage of C22:6 was highest in the FO treated group

Conclusion: The different sperm FA profile among various groups suggests that dietary FA had significant direct or indirect impacts on sperm FA profile after 35 days which might lead to physical and chemical changes in sperm characteristics

Anti-coagulation during pregnancy in women with mechanical heart valves: a prospective study

Pregnancy is associated with a hypercoagulable state, therefore the optimal anticoagulants for potential use in pregnant women with prosthetic heart valves are controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of anticoagulants on pregnancy outcomes and their potential risks in pregnant women with mechanical heart valves. In this prospective cohort study, we followed 44 women with 49 pregnancies who had mechanical heart valves from September 2002 to September 2007. A total of 38 patients took warfarin throughout their pregnancies [group A]. In 11 patients, warfarin was changed to heparin during the first trimester and then again to warfarin during 12[th] to 36[th] weeks of gestational age [group B]. All women took warfarin from 36[th] weeks of gestational age until deliver. In group A, there were 22 live births [57.9%], 15 abortions [39.5%] and 1 maternal death [2.6%]. In group B, there were seven live births [63.6%], three spontaneous abortions [27.3%] and one intra-uterine fetal death [9.1%]. There was no significant difference in live birth rate between the two groups [p=0.24]. Thirty-three pregnancies [86.8%] in group A and five pregnancies [45.4%] in group B had no maternal complications [p=0.004]. The difference in pregnancy complications between both groups was significant [p<0.001]. The present study shows that low dose warfarin [5 mg/day or less] may be safe during the first trimester of pregnancy. Maternal adverse events are low when pregnant women with mechanical heart valves remain on a warfarin regimen. The risk of embryopathy doe not necessarily increase