Antiovarian antibodies and their effect on the outcome of assisted reproduction.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the presence in levels of antiovarian antibodies (AOAb) in the pre- and postovulatory stage from serum of infertile patients undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) with outcome of the procedures.


RESULTS
Serum from 36 women undergoing IUI, 36 women undergoing IVF and 25 fertile, healthy controls were assayed for the presence of AOAb by a commercially available ELISA kit. AOAb was positive in 59.7% of infertile women, while none of the fertile controls were positive for AOAb. The levels of these antibodies increased as the patient age and the number of treatment attempts increased. Though the presence of AOAb did not affect oocyte recovery rate, it resulted in decreased fertilization rate, cleavage rate, and pregnancy rate in infertile women.


CONCLUSIONS
Our studies suggest that AOAb may be a cause of infertility and presence of these antibodies could have adverse effects on the outcome of assisted reproductive techniques.
Narayanan
M
M
I.V.F. and Infertility Unit, Almana General Hospital, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Murthy
P S
PS
Munaf
S A
SA
Shah
L C
LC
Kini
M D
MD
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000276:immunology; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D008596:Menotropins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate
D001323:Autoantibodies; D008596:Menotropins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone