Sperm chromosomal abnormalities in infertile men with failed intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

BackgroundMale infertility is a major health problem with multi-factorial etiology. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has revolutionized the treatment of men with severely compromised semen parameters and improved their chances of achieving pregnancy. However, many concerns have been raised about ICSI safety; in part owing to utilizing aneuploid sperms from infertile men, which may be associated with an increased incidence of chromosomal aneuploidies in ICSI pregnancies. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of sperm aneuploidies for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y in semen of infertile males with failed ICSI. This will assist infertile couples and enable them to make informed decisions. For this purpose, sperm aneuploidy frequency for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y was evaluated by multicolor fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) in 35 patients with abnormal semen parameters, and 10 normozoospermic healthy men who served as controls.ResultsSperm aneuploidies for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y in semen from infertile men with failed ICSI were detected at higher frequencies than controls. Patients had significantly higher disomy, nullisomy, diploidy, and polyploidy frequencies compared to controls.ConclusionsInfertile men with failed ICSI have a significantly increased frequency of sperm chromosome abnormalities compared to controls. Fluorescence in situ hybridization facilitated the study of numerical chromosomal abnormalities in human sperm nuclei (sperm FISH). Sperm FISH, prior to the application of assisted reproductive techniques, saves a considerable amount of time and resources.