Effect of Paternal Body Mass Index on In Vitro Fertilization and Neonatal Outcomes among Oligozoospermia and Asthenospermia Patients

Xudong Zhang; Shanshan Wu; Xiaohan Qi; Shan Gao; Jiarui Qi; Siwen Zhang; Jichun Tan

doi:10.5534/wjmh.220286

Effect of Paternal Body Mass Index on In Vitro Fertilization and Neonatal Outcomes among Oligozoospermia and Asthenospermia Patients

World J Mens Health. 2024 Jan;42(1):216-228. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.220286. Epub 2023 Jun 20.

Authors

Xudong Zhang^#^{1

2}, Shanshan Wu^#^{1

2}, Xiaohan Qi^{1

2}, Shan Gao^{1

2}, Jiarui Qi^{1

2}, Siwen Zhang^{1

2}, Jichun Tan^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Center of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
² Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Disease and Fertility Remodeling of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Reproductive Dysfunction Disease and Fertility Remodeling of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, China. tjczjh@163.com.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Purpose: Male overweight and obesity could affect sperm quality and reproductive health. However, the impact of body mass index (BMI) on assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes in oligospermia and/or asthenospermia patients is yet lacking. This study aims to assess the impact of paternal BMI on ART and neonatal outcomes among oligozoospermia and/or asthenospermia patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Materials and methods: In this study, 2,075 couples undergoing their first fresh embryo transfer between January 2015 and June 2022 were recruited. Following the World Health Organization's (WHO's) categories, couples were stratified into three cohorts based on paternal BMI: normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m²), overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m²), and obese (≥30.0 kg/m²). Modified Poisson regression models were used to assess the associations of paternal BMI with fertilization, in vitro embryonic development, and pregnancy outcomes. Logistic regression models were performed to investigate the associations of paternal BMI with pregnancy loss and neonatal outcomes. Furthermore, stratified analyses were performed based on fertilization methods, male infertility cause, and maternal BMI.

Results: Higher paternal BMI is associated with a lower likelihood of achieving normal fertilized (p-trend=0.002), Day 3 transferable (p-trend=0.007), and high-quality embryos (p-trend=0.046) in IVF cycles, rather than in ICSI cycles. Paternal BMI of oligospermia or asthenospermia was negatively correlated with day 3 transferable (p-trend=0.013 and 0.030) and high-quality embryos (p-trend=0.024 and 0.027). Moreover, for neonatal outcomes, paternal BMI was positively associated with macrosomia (p-trend=0.019), large for gestational age (LGA) (p-trend=0.031), and very LGA (p-trend=0.045).

Conclusions: Our data suggested that higher paternal BMI was associated with fetal overgrowth, reduced fertilization, and embryonic development potential. Among males with oligospermia and/or asthenospermia, the impact of overweight and obesity on the choice of fertilization method and the long-term effects on their offspring need to be further investigated.

Keywords: Asthenozoospermia; Body mass index; Fertilization in vitro; Fetal macrosomia; Obesity; Oligospermia.

Abstract

Grants and funding