Press Release

Sperm DNA damage may contribute to repeat miscarriages

New Orleans, LA March 23, 2019

Some cases of recurrent pregnancy loss may be caused by sperm DNA damage in the male partner, rather than by a problem in affected women, according to research to be presented Sunday, March 24 at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in New Orleans, La.

Between 1 and 2 percent of couples have recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), defined as the consecutive loss of three or more pregnancies before 20 weeks gestation. “Affected women undergo many tests to determine the cause, but many cases have no identified cause,” said lead researcher Channa Jayasena, M.D., Ph.D., of Imperial College London in London, U.K. Male partners of women with RPL do not routinely undergo assessment to see if they play a role. “However, we know that sperm play an important role in the formation of the placenta, which is critical for survival of an unborn baby,” Jayasena said.

The study was designed to assess whether male partners of women with RPL may have an increased risk of sperm DNA damage, which is known to impair fertility. The researchers compared 50 healthy men whose partners had not experienced miscarriages with 63 men whose partners were affected by RPL. They measured levels of sex hormones such as testosterone, the number and behavior of sperm using a microscope, and further molecular tests. They also measured the level of damage to sperm DNA, and level of a chemical entity called reactive oxygen species, which can damage cells such as sperm in the semen of men.

They found that men affected by RPL had twice as much sperm DNA damage compared with the unaffected men. Men whose partners had suffered miscarriage also had a four-fold increase in the amount of reactive oxygen species compared with unaffected men.

“Our study suggests that it may be useful to investigate if male partners of women with RPL have abnormalities in their reproductive function,” Jayasena said. “It also opens up a new potential ‘drug target’; it may be possible to design future drugs to stop sperm DNA damage to treat couples with RPL and reduce the risk of miscarriage.”

About Endocrine Society

Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses, and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.

Media Contacts

Colleen Williams Senior Communications Manager, Public Relations Phone: (202)-971-3611 [email protected]

Jenni Glenn Gingery Director, Communications and Media Relations Phone: (202)-971-3655 [email protected]

All News & Advocacy

Hill Event
Podcast

Endocrine News Podcast

EndocrineNewsPodcast
The Endocrine News podcast brings you the latest research and clinical advances from experts in the field, whether you are in your car, office, or out for a run.

The Endocrine News podcast brings you the latest research and clinical advances from experts in the field, whether you are in your car, office, or out for a run.

Bench to Bedside

Endocrine Society Journals

Research
Our top-ranked peer-reviewed journals are among the first to publish major developments and discovery milestones.

Our top-ranked peer-reviewed journals are among the first to publish major developments and discovery milestones.

Back to top

Who We Are

For 100 years, the Endocrine Society has been at the forefront of hormone science and public health. Read about our history and how we continue to serve the endocrine community.