Could damaged sperm be causing miscarriages?

受损的精子是否会导致流产?

Science Quickly

2026-08-26

12 分钟
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单集简介 ...

Miscarriage is often treated as a problem rooted in the pregnant partner, but emerging research suggests sperm may play a bigger role than many people realize. Science journalist Sarah Elizabeth Richards joins Science Quickly to discuss how growing evidence links sperm DNA damage to recurrent pregnancy loss, why decades-old tests for such damage are only now gaining wider recognition and how lifestyle changes may help improve sperm health and pregnancy outcomes. Recommended Reading: Damaged sperm might be the true cause of repeated miscarriages E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  • When heterosexual couples struggling to conceive seek medical assistance,

  • sperm often don't get as much attention as they should.

  • Standard tests measure sperm count and motility,

  • but this ultimately just shows how likely a sperm is to make it to the egg.

  • And that moment of conception is just the first of many steps to the implantation of a growing embryo,

  • let alone the gestation of a healthy fetus.