SPERMATIC DNA FRAGMENTATION INDEX OF INFERTILE MEN: INTEREST IN THE CHOICE OF PMA TECHNIQUE PRELIMINARY STUDY

Introduction: Infertility constitutes a real public health problem. In men, the examinations involved in the choice of the PMA technique are sometimes insufficient in relation to the real procreation potential of the spermatozoa which could be detected by the sperm DNA fragmentation test. This preliminary study aimed to highlight the benefit of taking into account the sperm DNA fragmentation test in the choice of the proposed PMA technique. Material and Methods: This was a preliminary descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in a private spermiology laboratory in Abidjan. It included 52 patients who came for consultation for infertility and who gave their written consent to participate in the study. Spermogram, spermocytogram, migration survival (TMS) test and DNA fragmentation index were studied. The DNA fragmentation index (DFI) was determined by the Sperm Chromatin Dispersion (SCD) technique. Results: The majority of patients were aged between 35 and 45 years (47%) with an average age of 45 years (+/-8). The most common spermogram abnormalities were mobility abnormalities. 52% of patients had a high fragmentation index. A high fragmentation index was found in a patient with normal sperm standard parameters. Likewise, 8 patients for whom intrauterine insemination had been recommended according to the TMS result had a fragmentation index greater than 30%. Conclusion: The first-line request for the fragmentation index in the exploration of male infertility must be studied since it could take into account the integrity of the genetic material, a limiting factor in the current tests used for the choice of the PMA technique.