At an infertility consultation event on August 2, N.V.H., a 39-year-old man from Hanoi, shared his difficult 12-year journey to fatherhood. Despite normal semen analysis results and undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) multiple times, all four initial attempts failed. It wasn’t until his fifth cycle that doctors conducted a Halosperm test and discovered 40% of his sperm had fragmented DNA - an unexpected cause of his previous IVF failures.
Doctors at the Reproductive Support Center of Hanoi’s Post and Telecommunications Hospital carried out testicular microsurgery to collect sperm with lower levels of oxidation and greater structural integrity. The fresh sample exhibited only 10 percent DNA fragmentation, paving the way for a successful in vitro fertilization procedure. His wife is now 12 weeks pregnant.
Dr. Bach Huy Anh, PhD, Deputy Director of the center, identified five primary contributors to sperm DNA fragmentation:
- Oxidative stress from smoking, environmental pollution, aging, obesity, and lack of exercise
- Chronic infections of the reproductive tract, such as epididymitis and prostatitis
- Exposure to high temperatures, including from saunas, tight clothing, or prolonged sitting
- Hormonal imbalances that disrupt normal spermatogenesis
- Genetic abnormalities, including chromosomal defects and gene mutations
Dr. Huy Anh warns that male infertility in Vietnam has reached alarming levels. A 2010 survey spanning seven ecological regions recorded an infertility rate of 7.7 percent, which climbed to 17.8 percent by 2023. Each year, roughly one million Vietnamese couples of reproductive age encounter infertility issues, and over half of those affected are younger than 30.
Recent semen analyses often reveal a decline in sperm quality compared to 2010, characterized by lower sperm counts, reduced motility, and abnormal shapes. Factors such as worsening environmental pollution, substandard nutrition, tobacco and alcohol use, sedentary habits, and chronic stress are all undermining male reproductive health.
Historically, fertility treatments have concentrated on women, but Dr. Huy Anh emphasizes that many cases could be more effectively addressed if male factors were routinely evaluated. He asserts that andrology has evolved from a marginal specialty into a vital pillar of contemporary reproductive medicine.
He urges men—particularly younger generations—to make reproductive health a priority as infertility continues to rise./.
Binh Nguyen