Summary Cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) is defined as DNA fragments that are released into the body fluids from apoptosis or necrosis cells, including follicular fluid (FF), which can affect the microenvironment of the oocyte associated with infertility. We aimed to investigate a relationship between apoptosis of cumulus cells (CCs) and cf-DNA levels in FF and clinical outcomes of women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Therefore, 82 FF samples were collected, and the corresponding CCs were isolated for ICSI procedures. FF cf-DNA concentration was quantified using ALU-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and CCs DNA fragmentation index (DFI) was evaluated by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) method. We found that cf-DNA and DFI levels were significantly higher in FF and CCs samples related to the age of women ≥37 years compared with the age of women < 37 years. Moreover, in older and younger women, FF cf-DNA and CCs DFI levels were significantly lower when the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level was > 1.1 ng/ml compared with when AMH ≤ 1.1 ng/ml. In addition, patients with a low number of retrieved oocytes ≤ 6 had significantly higher levels of CCs DFI and FF cf-DNA than women with a higher number of retrieved oocytes > 6. Additionally, we observed that higher levels of cf-DNA and DFI were associated with poor oocyte maturity and poor embryo quality. Finally, cf-DNA and DFI levels were significantly lower in pregnant women than in non-pregnant ones. We conclude that DFI and cf-DNA levels in the oocyte microenvironment could have potential use in evaluating oocyte and embryo developmental competence.

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Objective: Male infertility is a scourge of the 21st century. Its management remains a real headache. The objective of this study is to describe the general profile of male infertility at the IRIFIV In Vitro Fertilization Center, Casablanca, Morocco. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective and descriptive study of 295 patient files seen in consultation for conjugal infertility of the couple between 2017 and 2018. The parameters studied were clinical elements and paraclinical explorations. Results: The average age of the patients was 37.5 years. The average duration of evolution of infertility was 5.5 years. Infertility was primary in 70.9% of cases and secondary in 29.1% of cases. Clinically, varicocele was the most common abnormality in 65.9% of patients. The seminogram was disrupted in 72% of cases. The main disturbances were oligozoospermia in 40.20% of cases and asthenozoospermia in 37% of cases. Conclusion: The general profile of infertility is polymorphic. The causes of male infertility noted are multifactorial. Male infertility usually results in a quantitative and/or qualitative abnormality of the sperm. The improvement of the management of infertility must go through new ways of research including genetic and immunological for a good identification of usually hidden causes of infertility.