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Infertility affects approximately a quarter of all couples. Of these cases, roughly half are due to male factors. However, more than 50% of the causes of male factor infertility are still obscure. Contemporary Andrology includes a thorough analysis of the sperm looking at the cellular and subcellular imperfections which may have an adverse effect on fertility. Defects in DNA and chromatin structure are examples of such analysis. The structure of spermatozoa DNA is very unique, highly specialized in order to control time-appropriate maturation of the zygote. Damage to sperm DNA may occur as a result of intrinsic factors such as limited defenses against oxidative stress, ageing and varicocele, or as a result of extrinsic determinants such as medications and environmental factors. This damage thereby may have negative effects on ART procedures, and could lead to failure of fertilization. Sperm DNA damage significantly contributes to the growing number of infertility cases, and should be a part of a modern andrology lab.

The physician and andrologist must turn to semen characteristics to decipher what are the causative agents behind male infertility. WHO standard protocol requires analysis of sperm concentration, motility, and morphology. However, recent evidence implies that such parameters are not enough to fully depict the basis for male infertility and suggests that the effects of sperm DNA damage on infertility be considered. With the increasing ease of artificial reproduction, factors effecting embryo viability and offspring health related to the quality of sperm used and associated integrity of DNA must be strictly analyzed. Male gametes with damaged DNA can transmit genetic defects, lead to pregnancy loss, infant mortality, birth defects, and genetic diseases in the offspring. Furthermore, studies report that more than 80% of the structural de novo chromosome aberrations are of paternal origin. This chapter will begin by reviewing the process of spermatozoal chromatin organization and DNA packaging. Next, DNA damage and the factors causing this damage shall be considered. Subsequently, recognition and detection of this DNA damage will be reviewed followed finally by the effects of this damage and clinical applications encompassing treatment options involving antioxidants.

Cell phones have become a vital part of everyday life. However, the health risks associated with their usage are often overlooked. Recently, evidence from several studies supports a growing claim that cell phone usage may have a detrimental effect on sperm parameters leading to decreased male fertility. Nonetheless, other studies showed no conclusive link between male infertility and cell phone usage. The ambiguity of such results is attributed to the lack of a centralized assay for measuring inflicted damage caused by cell phones. Study design, ethics, and reproducibility are all aspects which must be standardized before any conclusions can be made.