# Effect of Adding Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells–Derived Secretome on Sperm Quality Improvement by Swim‐Up Method

## TL;DR

This study explores how adding secretome from human umbilical cord stem cells improves sperm quality during a common lab procedure.

## Contribution

The novel use of stem cell-derived secretome to enhance sperm motility and reduce DNA fragmentation is demonstrated.

## Key findings

- Secretome addition significantly improved rapid progressive sperm motility.
- Secretome reduced sperm DNA fragmentation without affecting concentration.
- No significant differences in sperm concentration were observed between groups.

## Abstract

Suboptimal sperm quality often poses a challenge to successful fertilization. This study hypothesizes that secretome could enhance sperm quality and increase the likelihood of successful pregnancy. This research aims to assess the impact of secretome on various sperm quality parameters, including concentration, motility, and DNA fragmentation, while considering patient‐related factors such as age, duration of abstinence, and body mass index (BMI).

An analysis involving 45 patients enrolled in the pregnancy program at Halim Fertility Center, Stella Maris Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Indonesia, from April to September 2023 was conducted. Semen samples from these patients were subjected to the swim‐up method and divided into two groups: Group A, which underwent swim‐up without secretome, and Group B, which underwent swim‐up with the addition of secretome. DNA fragmentation analysis was performed on the sperm swim‐up results from both groups. The sperm analysis data obtained before swim‐up (pretreatment) with those of Group A and Group B were compared.

The demographic data revealed an average age of 37.67 ± 5.36 years, abstinence duration of 4.00 ± 1.15 days, and BMI of 28.20 ± 3.49 kg/m2 among the patients. No significant difference was observed in sperm concentration between pretreatment, Group A, and Group B (mil/mL) (36.2 ± 18.5; 36.3 ± 18.4; 36.6 ± 19.3). However, a significant difference was found in the rapid progressive motility of sperm across pretreatment, Group A, and Group B (%) (0.48 ± 1.32; 13.7 ± 8.3; 17 ± 8.3), as well as a significant reduction in DNA fragmentation in Group B compared to Group A (%) (3.48 vs. 4.39).

The findings suggest that secretome enhances rapid progressive motility and reduces DNA fragmentation rates without affecting sperm concentration.