Global Research Trends in Sperm Quality and DNA Fragmentation Biomarkers: A Bibliometric Analysis

A BSTRACT Introduction: Male infertility is a multifactorial pathological condition in which standard semen analysis does not always adequately predict reproductive outcomes. In recent years, particular attention has been paid to molecular markers of sperm quality, particularly sperm DNA fragmentation, which is considered one of the most promising biomarkers of reproductive potential. Study Objective: To conduct a bibliometric analysis of global research trends in sperm quality and sperm DNA fragmentation biomarkers in order to identify development trends, key research areas, and the structure of scientific collaborations. Materials and Methods: The study included 125 original research articles published between 2021 and 2026. The search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection database. Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny software tools, along with additional Python-based visualization methods, were used for bibliometric analysis. The analysis included an assessment of publication activity, citation impact, co-authorship networks, and topic modeling. Results: It was found that scientific productivity in this area demonstrates an overall upward trend, peaking in publication activity in 2025. However, the average citation rate tends to decrease, indicating a disconnect between the number of publications and their scientific impact. China, Italy, and Iran, characterized by high publication activity and a well-developed system of international collaboration, made the greatest contributions to the development of this field. An analysis of co-authorship revealed a fragmented structure of the research community. Key thematic areas identified include oxidative stress, sperm DNA fragmentation, apoptosis, and sperm quality. Thematic analysis revealed a shift in interest toward the mechanistic and translational aspects of male infertility. Conclusion: This study allows us to characterize the intellectual structure and evolution of research in the field of sperm biomarkers. The findings highlight the need to improve the scientific quality of research, strengthen international collaboration, and focus on clinically relevant areas to improve the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.