The effect of oxidative stress on semen parameters of normal & infertile men in Tikrit city

Abstract

Infertility is one of commonest disorders that effect young men and women. It is defined as the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse. It affects 10–15 % of all couples. Apart from conventional causes for male infertility such as varicocele, cryptochildism, infection, obstructive lesion, trauma, tumors, and a new important cause was addressed and may be regarded as causative agents which are the oxidative stress and male infertility, oxidative stress a result of the imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant substance in body. Also, antioxidant capacities in spermatozoa and seminal plasma were lower in males who had infertility or sub fertility. Despite the common association between compromised sperm quality and oxidative damage, men are rarely screened for oxidative stress nor treated for this condition. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress and male infertility. The study conducted on 22 infertile men and 15 normal healthy fertile married subjects as control. All patients were married for at least two years and had no children. Study samples were obtained from infertile clinic in Tikrit teaching hospital from 1-11- 2009 to 1-9-2010. Semen specimens were collected from all patients and control subjects after at least 3 days of sexual abstains in sterile containers. Semen parameters were analyzed according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines (WHO Lab.). Zinc, Mg, MDA, and glutathione were determined in the blood serum & seminal fluid. There are a significant differences regarding ejaculate volume, sperm count, motility, normal & abnormal morphology between infertile men & control subjects. There is a significant different between infertile men & control subjects in regard to zinc concentration in semen. Also, there is a significant different between infertile men & control group in regard to Mg concentration in seminal fluid. Moreover, there is significant increase in semen glutathione in control fertile subjects as compare to infertile men.
There is significant reduction in semen MDA concentration of control subjects comparing with infertile men. There is significant reduction in serum glutathione in infertile men as compare control subjects. There is also, a significant increase in serum MDA in infertile men as compare to control subjects. There is no significant difference between infertile men & control subjects in regard to FSH concentrations in blood serum. There is no significant different between infertile men & control group in regard to LH concentrations in blood serum. The mean & SD values of serum testosterone in control subjects & infertile patients are 10.996±1.13 & 7.24±0.78. There are significant difference regarded serum testosterone between infertile men & control subjects.