Ejaculate oxidative stress is related with sperm DNA fragmentation and round cells.

Oxidative stress (OS) plays an essential role in male infertility aetiology by affecting sperm quality, function, and also the integrity of sperm DNA. The assessment of oxidative stress in semen may be an important tool to improve the evaluation of sperm reproductive capacity. The purpose of this study was the evaluation of any possible relation between the unbalance of oxidative stress caused by superoxide anion in the ejaculate with the presence of sperm DNA fragmentation and high concentration of round cells. 56 semen samples from males from couples suffering from infertility were evaluated according to World Health Organisation (WHO) 2010 guidelines. Oxidative stress levels from N1 (low) to N4 (high) were assessed in ejaculates using oxiSperm; DFI (sperm DNA fragmentation index) as assessed by the SCSA (Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay) was used for evaluation of sperm chromatin integrity. Our data show that high oxidative stress (N3-N4 levels) correlated positively with a DFI ≥ 30% (P = 0.0379) and round cells ≥1.500.000/mL (P = 0.0084). In conclusion, OS increases sperm DNA damage. Thus evaluation of semen OS extent of sperm DNA damage in infertile man could be useful to develop new therapeutic strategies and improve success of assisted reproduction techniques (ART).

Comparative analysis of fetal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies from fresh and cryopreserved/thawed oocytes in the same group of patients.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the fetal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies achieved with fresh and/or frozen oocytes in the same group of patients. DESIGN: Observational study and comparative analysis. SETTING: Research unit of an academic medical center. PATIENT(S): A group of 855 women with cryopreserved oocytes and their resulting 954 assisted reproductive technology clinical pregnancies were enrolled and followed up during the same time period and in the same clinical setting; the outcomes of 197 pregnancies from frozen/thawed oocytes were compared with 757 obtained from fresh sibling oocyte cycles. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Pregnancies were followed until delivery, and neonatal data (up to 28 days after delivery) were collected. RESULT(S): No significant differences were found between the use of fresh and frozen oocytes in the rates of therapeutic abortions for fetal anomaly (1.5% vs. 0.8%) and ectopic pregnancies (3.6% vs. 2.9%), but a significantly higher rate of spontaneous abortions at ≤ 12 weeks (17.6% vs. 26.9%) was observed in the frozen/thawed oocytes group. No statistical differences were found in major anomalies at birth (2.8% vs. 4.6%). Despite no difference in gestational age at delivery, the mean birth weights were significantly lower with fresh oocyte pregnancies, both in singleton (2,725 ± 727 g) and twins (2,128 ± 555 g), than with frozen-thawed oocytes (3,231 ± 615 g and 2,418 ± 492 g, respectively). However, the analysis of the 63 patients who obtained pregnancies both in fresh and thawed cycles (138 pregnancies) showed no differences in the abortion rate and in the mean birth weight. CONCLUSION(S): These results provide strong support to the notion that fetal and perinatal complications and congenital anomalies do not differ between pregnancies from frozen-thawed and fresh oocytes. The significantly lower mean birth weight observed with pregnancies from fresh oocytes supports similar observations reported for pregnancies from embryo cryopreservation and requires further prospective studies.

Experimental contamination assessment of a novel closed ultravitrification device.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of a new ultravitrification closed device. DESIGN: Ultravitrification research. SETTING: Private assisted reproduction center. ANIMAL(S): Microorganisms (bacteria). INTERVENTION(S): A styrofoam container holding 1,000 mL of liquid nitrogen (LN2) was contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Forty closed devices (Ultravit) and 20 open devices (Cryotop) loading approximately 0.5 µL of antibiotic-free medium were plunged into this contaminated LN2 for 5-10 seconds and then inoculated into selective culture dishes. Colony-forming units were analyzed and counted after an overnight incubation at 37°C. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Detection of micro-organisms in different devices after incubation. RESULT(S): There was no contamination in any of the closed devices, whereas in 45% of open devices these bacteria were present. CONCLUSION(S): With this study we demonstrated, in an experimental model using contaminated LN2, that this new closed device is a safe system that does not allow cell contact with LN2, avoiding cell contamination.