Sperm oxidative status: methods of analysis, relation with semen parameters and ART outcomes

Infertility is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. It is considered that oxidative stress (OS), defined as an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the antioxidant defences, may be a contributing factor in the aetiology of idiopathic infertility. The principal aim of my doctoral research was to evaluate the oxidative status of semen samples of male partners of infertile couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures and its correlation with ART outcomes.