Received November 17, 2013
Accepted November 17, 2013

OBJECTIVE: The high sperm DnA fragmentation is a male factor associated with recurrent miscarriages, unexplained infertility and failed in vitro fertilization (IVF). Thus the objective of the study was to explore potential relationships between sperm DNA integrity and sperm motility. METHODS: Our sample consisted of 81 men with an average of 38.24 ± 6.63 years old (26-56), and had performed the analysis of sperm DNA fragmentation between the years 2011 and 2012, for different causes of infertility. After examining sperm motility and concentration, sperm DNA damage was evaluated by the terminal dUTP nick-end labeling (TUnEL) assay. The results were divided according to the percentage of DnA fragmentation index (DFI): greater versus lower than 20% fragmentation and motility greater versus lower than 40%. Analyses of the average of these parameters were compared by T Test (p<0.05). RESULTS: Fifty four samples were classified as normal fragmentation, from these, only 10 (18.5%) had motility level less than 40%. Likewise, from the 27 samples classified as abnormal fragmentation, 11 (40.7%) showed motility lower than 40%. A significant statistical difference was observed between high sperm DnA fragmentation and low sperm motility (p<0.0001). However, the same association was not observed between sperm DnA fragmentation and sperm concentration. CONCLUSION: Others studies under experimental conditions observed extremely negative tight correlation between DNA damage and quality of sperm motility, according with our findings. Thus the sperm motility could suggest the integrity of sperm DnA.