My Clinic is in the United States
My Clinic is in CanadaAndrology Products and Resources
Give sperm cells a head start with our products and optimal processes.
Increasing your focus on andrology could help couples realize their dream of becoming parents.
Watch our most recent webinars on choosing the highest quality sperm
Improving outcomes by targeting the male factor
Author: David Morroll, PhD, Director of Clinical Support, CooperSurgical
HABSelect Study
Journal Club
Author: David Miller, Reader in Molecular Andrology, University of Leeds
The Importance of Male Factor in Fertility
of all infertility cases is due to male factor
Since the advent of assisted reproduction the scientific focus on infertility has mainly concentrated on female issues. This point of view, however, is now shifting as more and more evidence accumulates on the importance of the male factor.
Evaluating the fertility of men can be very challenging, as this can only be proven based on the outcomes of their female partners. It is nevertheless estimated that male factor is involved in 40-50% of all infertility cases.
We believe that by increasing the focus on andrology, we can help couples realize their ultimate dream – parenthood.
Practical Aspects of Sperm Preparation/Selection
David Morroll PhD, our Director of Clinical Support, discusses andrology in this engaging talk. He covers ways of identifying good quality sperm for selection and how to avoid DNA damage by considering the many aspects of good sperm preparation.
We offer state-of-the-art andrology products because visual assessment alone should never be the only factor involved when selecting a sperm for ICSI.
Minimizing DNA fragmentation in the andrology process
Sperm DNA damage may result in lower fertilization rates, impaired implantation and an increase in pregnancy loss rates.
Sperm DNA fragmentation can occur due to extrinsic factors, such as storage temperatures, media used, handling conditions, time after ejaculation, and several others. Minimizing any risk of DNA fragmentation is critical throughout each step of your sperm processing and assessment.
We provide high-quality sperm products and through our expert knowledge we can offer advice on how you can optimize every step in the andrology process. This helps to minimize DNA fragmentation build-up and ultimately provides the best quality sperm sample for fertilization.
We have a team of experts ready to assist with any question you might have.
Hyaluronan – a natural biomarker for sperm quality
The ability of sperm to bind to Hyaluronan correlates to:
-
Lower rates of chromosomal aneuploidy1
-
Lower rates of DNA fragmentation1,2
-
Decreased miscarriage rates3
Picking the right sperm is essential for enhancing your chances of achieving a successful ICSI outcome. Unfit sperm may lead to a compromised embryo and increase the risk of pregnancy loss.
Hyaluronan (HA), a high molecular weight glycosaminoglycan, is a major component of the cumulus oophorus matrix surrounding the human oocyte. Within the female reproductive tract, hyaluronan is believed to play a critical role in the selection of functionally competent sperm during fertilization. In fact only mature spermatozoa that have completed the plasma membrane remodelling, cytoplasmic extrusion and nuclear maturation have developed specific receptors for Hyaluronan. Only these mature sperm with receptors can bind to the cumulus complex, digest HA and reach the oocyte and fertilize it.
The in vitro binding of sperm to hyaluronan is a selective process and research has demonstrated that not all motile sperm bind to hyaluronan. HA-bound spermatozoa show lower rates chromosomal aneuploidies and DNA fragmentation, and good nuclear morphology. Since the selection of sperm for ICSI is critical and directly influences the paternal contribution to the preimplantation embryogenesis it is important to select sperm based on more that morphology. HA-sperm selection prior to ICSI insures the selection of a competent sperm and helps to optimize the outcome of the treatment.
