JBRA Assisted Reproduction 2025;29(Suppl.2 SBRA 2025):240
Poster Presentation
29^th Annual Congress of the SBRA. São Paulo/SP - Brazil, 2025
doi: 10.5935/1518-0557.20263841

P-228. The Impact of Using a Microfluidic Device on Fragmented Sperm DNA Samples and Embryonic Development

Darlete Lima Matos¹, Layana Freitas Souza¹, Karla Rejane Oliveira Cavalcanti¹, Fabricio Sousa Martins¹, Ilania Kaline Oliveira da Rocha¹, Daniel Paes Diogenes de Paula¹, Lilian Maria da Cunha Sério¹

¹ Fertibaby Ceará – Fortaleza - CE - Brasil

Objective: To analyze whether the use of a microfluidic sperm selection device can have a significant impact on embryonic development after Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using semen samples with a high sperm DNA fragmentation rate.
Methods: This was a prospective study using oocytes from 20 couples with a diagnosed male factor of high sperm DNA fragmentation. The couples were divided into two groups: Group A: Microfluidic sperm selection technique Group B: Swim-up technique without centrifugation For Group A, a "ZyMōt^Ⓡ Multi 850μL" microfluidic device was used, following the manufacturer's protocol. After liquefaction at room temperature, the semen sample was mixed with a wash solution and placed in the disposable microfluidic chip. The sample was incubated at 37°C for 30 minutes. The device works as a filter that selects sperm with higher developmental potential. The preparation is simple and takes around 30 minutes. The selected sperm were transferred to a tube and used for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). For Group B, sperm were processed using the standard swim-up protocol without centrifugation. The resulting samples from both groups were used for ICSI, and fertilization and blastocyst formation results were analyzed.
Results: The 2PN fertilization rate in the ZyMōt group was 84.5% (142/168), which was not significantly different from 82.9% (126/152) in Group B. The Day 5 blastocyst rate was 37.9% (47/124) in the ZyMōt group and 36.7% (40/109) in Group B. Although slightly higher, the difference was not statistically significant. Despite the lack of significant differences, the microfluidic technique showed a slight improvement in the analyzed outcomes and may be a promising method for sperm samples with high DNA fragmentation. These results also demonstrate that sperm processing using the microfluidic device can be used to select sperm in a simple procedure without reducing fertilization or embryo development rates.
Conclusion: This is a simple and natural technique for preparing human sperm samples without requiring centrifugation. It selects sperm with lower DNA fragmentation, higher motility, and better morphology. Microfluidic selection is a relatively new technique, so there is still limited evidence to confirm its impact on pregnancy outcomes. However, it is known that this method selects sperm with good morphology and lower DNA fragmentation, which may contribute to improved embryo quality and development rates.