Correlation between sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) with demographic characteristics, sexual history, social habits, chronic illness, BMI: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

: During an evaluation of infertile men when all standard semen parameters are normal, a significant proportion of infertile men are found to have increased levels of DNA damage that may adversely affect fertility. To evaluate the correlation between sperm DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI) with demographic characteristics, sexual history, social habits, chronic illness, BMI, physical characteristics, and abstinence period. The current study was carried out among male patients visiting an infertility clinic at SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad.The present has shownno statistically significant association between DFI and socio-demographic characteristics like age, married life, contraceptive usage, sexual factors, personal habits, chronic illness, BMI, and physical characteristics of semen analysis like liquefaction and viscosity of the study participants. DFI categories and semen traits including normal forms, head defects, tail defects, amorphous forms, droplet forms, and viable sperms had different means, however these differences (p=0.4378) were not statistically significant.