Case: Mr. Liu’s wife miscarried when she was two months pregnant, and the couple came to the fertility center. When the doctor asked Mr. Liu to check his semen, Mr. Liu was reluctant, thinking that miscarriage is a woman’s problem and has nothing to do with men. The results of the semen test revealed that Mr. Liu’s sperm DNA fragmentation rate was as high as 60%. Mr. Liu was confused: can bad sperm cause miscarriage? A high sperm DNA fragmentation rate could be the culprit that caused his wife’s miscarriage. A high sperm DNA fragmentation rate is like the yolk of an egg falling apart. Sperm that looks good but has problems with its internal quality will lead to poor embryo quality and easy miscarriage. So, miscarriage is not just a woman’s thing, bad sperm in men can also lead to miscarriage. Even if fertilization is possible, it is still easy to cause miscarriage The integrity of sperm DNA has a significant correlation with sperm function and can affect the division of the fertilized egg as well as the development of the embryo DNA is located in the nucleus of the sperm cell, which is the carrier of genetic information, and its position is similar to that of the yolk of an egg. When sperm DNA is damaged, it looks “good” but its function deteriorates, and although it does not affect the fertilization of the egg, it can lead to poor embryo development and miscarriage. In patients with severe sperm DNA damage, even if the egg can be fertilized and divided normally, it can still lead to miscarriage. Three types of men, should be tested for sperm DNA fragmentation rate The traditional routine semen examination can reflect the quality of semen in terms of sperm concentration and sperm vitality, but its value in evaluating the function of sperm is limited, and it cannot directly reflect the sperm’s ability to fertilize and its impact on embryo development. Studies have shown that the rate of sperm DNA fragmentation in infertility patients, is significantly higher than that of normal people. Even if other indicators of semen are normal, it does not mean that the sperm DNA fragmentation rate is normal. There are many patients with normal results of routine semen analysis who were previously diagnosed with unexplained infertility, but now the examination reveals that their sperm DNA fragmentation rate is high, and after targeted treatment, they are given the opportunity to have children. Therefore, testing for sperm DNA fragmentation rate is very important for infertile patients. Especially for infertile patients who are ready to use the expensive IVF technique, the test for sperm DNA fragmentation rate is particularly important as studies have proven its strong correlation with the success rate of IVF. First-generation IVF (in vitro fertilization) requires fully functioning sperm for successful fertilization, and a high sperm DNA fragmentation rate may result in decreased sperm fertilization, causing failure to fertilize the egg. Second generation IVF can inject sperm directly into the egg, and it is possible for DNA damaged sperm to fertilize the egg and develop into an embryo. However, DNA-damaged sperm can lead to poor quality embryos after fertilization, which can result in severe disruption of embryo development, leading to failure of implantation in the uterus and defective embryo development, and ultimately miscarriage. Therefore, male patients whose spouses have a history of spontaneous abortion, patients with unexplained infertility, and patients who are planning to undergo in vitro fertilization, all three types of men are recommended to test the sperm DNA fragmentation rate. Men who want to undergo eugenic screening before pregnancy can also have their sperm DNA fragmentation rate tested for early detection of problems and early treatment. Fragmentation rate can be lowered Bad lifestyle habits such as smoking, drug abuse, alcoholism and staying up late, long-term exposure to polluted air, high heat, toxins and radiation in the work environment, infections and inflammation of the reproductive glands (epididymitis, orchitis, prostatitis or seminal vesiculitis, etc.), increased leukocytosis in the semen, varicocele, and other disorders, are harmful factors that lead to higher sperm DNA fragmentation rate. First of all, one should correct bad life habits (smoking, drug abuse, alcoholism and staying up late, etc.), regulate work pressure and improve sleep quality; avoid long-term exposure to harmful environments such as high temperatures, polluted air, toxins and radiation exposure. Then, under the guidance of a professional male doctor, treatment of related physical illnesses, such as the use of antibiotics to treat infections and inflammation of the reproductive glands, surgical treatment of varicocele, Chinese herbs or proprietary Chinese medicines, medications such as Vitamin E and Vitamin C, and some micronutrient supplementation treatments can also help to reduce the rate of DNA fragmentation of the spermatozoa. These treatments help patients to successfully have healthy babies.