EFFECTS OF ANTIOXIDATIVE TREATMENTS ON SPERM DNA FRAGMENTATION AND PREGNANCY RESULTS IN IUI

More than half of all infertility cases are contributed by males. One of the important causes of infertility is free radicals in seminal fluid which causes sperm DNA oxidation and alteration in organic bases in DNA structure that finally leads to sperm destruction and reduction of its movement and fertility ability Therefore, in addition to semen analysis, sperm function tests are recommended. One of these performance tests is the evaluation of sperm double-stranded DNA. So the effect of vitamins E, C, omega-3W supplementation)) and zinc (Zn) as a treatment of anti-oxidative stress on the level of DNA fragmentation of sperm as well as the outcome of pregnancy in IUI candidates couples will be examined. The aim of this study was the evaluation of effects of ant oxidative treatment on sperm DNA fragmentation and IUI pregnancy tests. In a randomized clinical trial study, 150 infertile IUI candidates who met our inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. A simple non-probability sampling was performed and 150 infertile couples (aged 25-40 years) attending were classified into five groups of 30 as follows: control group, the group receiving vitamin C, the group receiving vitamin E, the group receiving omega- 3, and the group receiving zinc (Zn); all groups were treated for 2 months. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS, and DNA fragmentation index results were compared between the groups. The mean DFI in group receiving Zn before and after the treatment was 33.6±2.14 and 21±2.9 respectively. The mean DFI in group receiving Vitamin C before and after the treatment was 38±5.36 and 26.9±5.4 respectively, and in the control group it was 34.7±3.66 in the first sampling and 35.3±5.4 in the second sampling. In the group receiving omega 3, it decreased from 37.2±4.72 before treatment to 22.6±3.5 after the treatment. In the group receiving vitamin E, it was 37.1±3.54 before the treatment that decreased to 21±3.09 after the treatment. The comparison of the changes in 5 groups shows that vit. E was effective in reducing the fragmentation rate significantly (P<0.001). The pregnancy rate was not significantly different in study groups based on the chi-square analysis. Accordingly, this study and better response to treatment in groups receiving antioxidants comparing to the control group, we can conclude that the antioxidant therapy can decrease the sperm DNA fragmentation. The difference between the control and case groups was significant; the most considerable decrease in defragmentation was in group receiving vit. E. There were no cases of pregnancy in groups receiving the antioxidants and no cases of pregnancy were seen.