By Christi Han

I recently supported a friend through her second miscarriage. Diagnostic tests pinpointed a tough truth: her partner’s sperm had high levels of Sperm DNA Fragmentation (SDF), known to disrupt embryo growth, affect implantation, and raise miscarriage risks.  The recommended solution was a daunting path of IVF, possibly requiring multiple cycles to screen for DNA integrity. Their first IVF attempt resulted in 20 eggs which fertilized into 10 embryos, but resulted in only a single viable embryo. Just heartbreaking.

It made me think, what’s tougher? The struggle of not having enough eggs to even attempt retrieval (my case), or the crushing discovery that among many, only a few embryos are healthy (my friends’ case)? Neither scenario is anything but brutal. The first one’s a lonely, uphill battle from the get-go. The second? It’s like being given a treasure that turns to dust.

But then, I had to wonder, shouldn’t there be a way to sort through the sperm better before using them? Beyond just looking at how fast they swim or their shape, can’t we pick out the ones with the best DNA? It seems like this isn’t a thing everywhere yet.

Here’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, though. I came across some research that might be a game-changer. It’s about this technique called Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting (MACS). Basically, it’s a way to sift through the sperm and only pick the ones with the best DNA for IVF.

This study I read compared 724 IVF cycles, half using MACS and the other half sticking to the usual ways. The MACS group had fewer miscarriages and more pregnancies and live births, whether using their own or donor eggs. It means this MACS thing could really change the game for couples dealing with SDF. This could be a big deal for folks struggling because of sperm quality issues.  In plain language, MACS could be the breakthrough we need, choosing the strongest swimmers for IVF and boosting chances of success, especially when the issue’s on the guy’s side. This could be the light at the end of the tunnel.

And there you have it, the solution to my musings is out  Having more to start with is better because now we’ve got ways to sort out the best of the bunch!  With technologies like MACS showing promising results, it’s a reminder that sometimes, science and perseverance can lead us to miracles we hardly dared to hope for. And for those of us holding out for advancements in other challenging areas, like diminished ovarian reserve, it’s a beacon of hope that breakthroughs are on the horizon.