The effect of follicular fluid reactive oxygen species on the outcome of in vitro fertilization.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the follicular fluid of women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and identify its role in pregnancy outcome.


METHODS
In this prospective study, ROS and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels were measured by the chemiluminescence method in the follicular fluid of 53 women. Age, number of oocytes recovered, percentage of oocytes fertilized, ROS and TAC levels were compared in women who did and did not become pregnant.


RESULTS
Patients who become pregnant had significantly higher log-transformed ROS levels (1.01 +/- 0.14, P = 0.031 than those who did not (0.69 +/- 0.08). Women with endometriosis or male factor infertility who became pregnant had significantly higher ROS levels (1.44 +/- 0.23 and 1.31 +/- 0.19) than those who did not (0.60 +/- 0.17 and 0.67 +/- 0.16; P < .006 and P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Follicular fluid ROS, at low concentrations, may be a potential marker for predicting success in IVF patients.
Attaran
M
M
Center for Advanced Research in Human Reproduction and Infertility, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195, USA.
Pasqualotto
E
E
Falcone
T
T
Goldberg
J M
JM
Miller
K F
KF
Agarwal
A
A
Sharma
R K
RK
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species