By Sam Blanchard Health Reporter For Mailonline
Published: 12:48 GMT, 4 January 2019 | Updated: 17:16 GMT, 4 January 2019
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Poor sperm could be to blame for women who experience recurrent miscarriages, a study has suggested.
Doctors generally look to the mother for the cause of a miscarriage, but scientists believe the father's health also plays an important role.
The sperm of men whose partners have three or more miscarriages tend to have more DNA damage, researchers have found.
Experts say this could trigger the failed pregnancies and further trials are needed to confirm the findings, in hoping of paving the way for new fertility treatments.
The researchers now say working out why men's sperm are becoming damaged is also important.
They suggest past infections or STIs, obesity, or being older could trigger higher levels of DNA-damaging molecules.
Imperial College London scientists say their research could provide evidence fathers and the health of their sperm have an important role in women having successful pregnancies
Research by Imperial College London found the partners of women who suffered recurrent miscarriages have twice as much DNA damage as the average man.
And they have four times higher levels of oxygen reactive species, common but potentially damaging molecules which the scientists suggest could corrupt DNA.
'Traditionally doctors have focused attention on women when looking for the causes of recurrent miscarriage,' said lead researcher Dr Channa Jayasena.
'The men’s health – and the health of their sperm, wasn’t analysed.
'However, this research adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests sperm health dictates the health of a pregnancy.
'For instance, previous research suggests sperm has an important role in the formation of the placenta, which is crucial for oxygen and nutrient supply to the foetus.'
Recurrent miscarriages – the loss of three or more pregnancies before 20 weeks – affect
