Does centrifugation and semen processing with swim up at 37°C yield sperm with better DNA integrity compared to centrifugation and processing at room temperature?

• Main Authors: Deepthi Repalle, Priya Bhave Chittawar, Shilpa Bhandari, Geetanjali Joshi, Mansi Paranjape, Charudutta Joshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2013-01-01
• Series: Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences
• Subjects: Acridine orange; semen preparation; sperm DNA integrity; temperature
• Online Access: http://www.jhrsonline.org/article.asp?issn=0974-1208;year=2013;volume=6;issue=1;spage=23;epage=26;aulast=Repalle

Aim: To evaluate whether semen processing at 37°C yield sperm with better DNA integrity compared to centrifugation and processing at room temperature (RT) by swim-up method. Settings: This study was done at tertiary care center attached to Reproductive Medicine Unit and Medical College. Design: Prospective pilot study. Patients: Normozoospermic men (n = 50) undergoing diagnostic semen analysis. Materials and Methods: Normozoospermic samples (World Health Organization, 2010 criteria) after analysis was divided into two aliquots (0.5 mL each); one was processed at 37°C and the other at RT by swim-up method. DNA fragmentation of both samples post wash was calculated by acridine orange method. Statistical Analysis Used: The values of sperm DNA fragmentation were represented as mean and standard error (mean ± SEM) of the mean. Paired t-test was used for calculating the sperm DNA integrity difference between post wash at RT and 37°C. Results: Statistically significant difference was not observed in post wash sperm DNA fragmentation values at 37°C compared to RT. Conclusion: Our data represents that there was no significant difference in sperm DNA fragmentation values of samples processed at 37°C and at RT. Hence, sperm processing at 37°C does not yield sperm with better DNA integrity compared to centrifugation and processing at RT.