The Seminal Plasma MDA Level as Bio-Marker for Oxidative Stress and Their Impact on Seminogram in Primary Infertile Males, Erbil-Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Abstract

Male infertility is an important medical and psychosocial problem worldwide. Therefore, it is important to identify new and non-conventional factors that may play significant role in male infertility. Current study focused on detecting more risk factors and markers for primary infertility in order to develop interventions for investigation and prevent their progressions. Oxidative stress has recently been identified as an underlying mechanism of numerous sources. The aim of the present study was therefore to evaluate whether there is an association between oxidative stress and male infertility in Erbil city subjects. The present prospective case control study was carried out between March to May 2013, in Maternity Teaching Hospital/in-vitro fertilization center and private clinical laboratory. 75 infertile males represent patients group were enrolled in this study. Apparently 40 healthy individuals who have no history of clinical evidence of any disease were also joined to this study as control group. Malondialdehyde (MDA), the marker of lipid peroxidation was measured in the seminal fluid of fertile and infertile male subjects. The sperm count, sperm morphology and motility, as well as semen volume were all found significantly lower in infertile subjects compared with fertile subjects (p<0.01). In seminal plasma, the MDA level was found significantly higher in infertile group (p<0.05). Lifestyle behaviours such as varicocele repair, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, all enhance the generation of ROS level in the seminal plasma, such elevation associated with decreased sperm quality particularly in term of sperm count and sperm motility that leading to increase male infertility.