Researchers at Wayne State University School of medicine have found that a unique method for measuring the age of male sperm may predict the success rate and duration of pregnancy Pregnancy, usually referred to as pregnancy, refers to the growth and development of the embryo and fetus in the mother. Multiple pregnancies produce more than one offspring, such as twins.
Pregnancy is usually caused by sexual intercourse, however, it can also be caused by assisted reproductive technology procedures. The result of pregnancy may be live birth, spontaneous abortion, induced abortion or stillbirth. Childbirth usually occurs about 40 weeks after the start of the last menstrual cycle.
According to a recent study by scientists at Wayne State University School of medicine, a new technique for measuring the age of male sperm may predict the success rate and duration of pregnancy.
This study was published in the journal Human Reproduction on may13,2022. It was found that the sperm epigenetic aging clock may be used as a potential biomarker to estimate the time of pregnancy. The results also highlight the importance of male partners in successful reproduction.
Dr. J. Richard Pilsner, the lead author of the study, said: "in couples trying to conceive, age is an important factor determining fertility and success, but age does not include cumulative genetic and external - environmental conditions - factors, so it is a proxy measurement of the 'real' biological age of cells." Dr. Pilsner is Robert J. Sokol, MD, chairman of the Endowment for molecular obstetrics and Gynecology, and director of molecular genetics and infertility at the C.S. Mott Center for human growth and development at Wayne State University.
"For decades, semen quality results using WHO guidelines have been used to assess male infertility, but their prediction of reproductive outcomes is still poor. Therefore, the ability to capture the biological age of sperm may provide a new platform to better assess the contribution of men to reproductive success, especially in infertile couples."
Sperm epigenetic aging refers to the biological aging of sperm, not the aging of time. The study found that compared with the young sperm epigenetic aging category, the cumulative probability of male partners becoming pregnant after 12 months was 17% lower. The study consisted of 379 male partners of couples who stopped using contraception in order to become pregnant. The study also found that men who smoked had a higher sperm epigenetic age.
Dr. Pilsner said that these results showed that the higher sperm epigenetic age was associated with a longer pregnancy time in couples who did not receive fertility treatment, while the shorter pregnancy time in couples who achieved pregnancy.
The close relationship between sperm epigenetic aging and pregnancy probability, as well as the alleviation or reversal of this situation through lifestyle selection or drug intervention, deserve further investigation. In addition, due to the increased risk of adverse neurological outcomes in children of older fathers, it is important to understand the potential relationship between sperm epigenetic aging and child health and development.
Dr. Pilsner said: "There is an urgent need for new male fertility measures to assess the overall fertility success rate of couples in the general population. These data show that our sperm epigenetic clock may meet this need as a new biomarker to predict the pregnancy success rate of husbands and women who do not seek fertility treatment. Although the age of both partners is still an important factor in predicting reproductive success, our clock may reproduce the driving force of spermatogenesis External and internal factors of physical aging. This summative measurement of sperm biological age is of clinical significance because it can make couples in the general population aware of their probability of pregnancy during natural intercourse, thus providing information and acceleration for potential infertility treatment decisions. "
Dr. Pilsner suggested that since the people studied were mainly white, more and more diverse cohorts were needed to confirm the relationship between sperm epigenetic aging and pregnancy success rates of couples of other races and ethnic groups.