Sperm DNA fragmentation can cause infertility and miscarriage. It can occur in men of all ages, but the risk increases with age. Male fertility problems can be caused by high rates of sperm DNA fragmentation, which can be caused by exposure to toxins, infections, and smoking.
Sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation is damage to the DNA, or critical hereditary material, of sperm. Since a sperm provides half of the chromosomes that will eventually become a human if it fertilizes an egg, this can have a dramatic effect on a couple’s ability to conceive. Unfortunately, sperm DNA fragmentation can cause infertility, or the reduced ability to achieve pregnancy, and miscarriage. Damaged sperm DNA can occur in men of all ages, but the risk generally increases with age: The sperm DNA fragmentation rate is often significantly higher in a 55-year-old man than in a 20-year-old man.
Often, problems with a couple’s ability to conceive and carry a child are associated with female problems. For example, if a woman has a miscarriage, stillbirth, or fails to get pregnant, doctors often suspect that there is something wrong with her eggs, hormone levels, uterus, cervix, ovaries or the fallopian tubes. Sometimes, however, the male partner has fertility problems, such as blocked ducts in his penis, low sperm count, or reduced sperm motility, which are present. In some cases, however, a man may have a normal sperm count and no motility problems but have a high rate of sperm DNA fragmentation.
Sperm DNA fragmentation basically just means that the sperm DNA is damaged. The DNA in sperm is packed into a very small space and the protein is wrapped around the DNA to provide protection as the sperm travels out of the male body and through the female reproductive system. Unfortunately, this does not provide total protection for the DNA, and even with this protein present, it is still possible for the DNA to be damaged.
It is important to note that even men with good sperm counts and otherwise healthy sperm counts may have some amount of sperm DNA fragmentation. Fragmentation does not depend on the number of sperm at all. In fact, most men have the problem to some extent. It is when the percentage of damaged sperm becomes too high, however, that fertility problems are more likely to occur.
There are many things that have the potential to cause increased sperm DNA fragmentation. Among these are increasing age, exposure to toxins, infections and smoking. Cancer and radiation exposure can also cause this problem.
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