Some biochemical components of follicular fluid and its relation to ovum fertilization in IVF program

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to determine the importance of follicular fluid micro-environment for growth and maturation of oocytes and their relation to ovum fertilization in IVF program. The study was done in the Egyptian IVF and ET Center in Maadi. Twenty seven infertile females underwent an IVF program from the period of November 1992 to April 1993, patients were stimulated by [GnRh-HMG- HCG]. The follicular fluids for all patients were biochemically assayed for inorganic pyrophosphatase, alkaline phosphatase activity, cholesterol, high and low density lipoproteins [HDL and LDL], total and ionized calcium in ions, sodium, potassium and chlorides. The mean F.F. concentration of total calcium was 69.5 +/- 19.9 mg/ml, ionized calcium was 1.03 +/- 0.17 mmol/L, while alkaline phosphatase was 0.074 +/- 0.036 U/L and phosphatase was 0.347 +/- 0.393 U/ml. The correlation between the number of fertilized ova and the contents of all aspirated follicles studied, was highly significant with cholesterol [p < 0.005], HDL [p < 0.025], LDL [p < 0.05], ionized calcium [p < 0.025] and total calcium [p < 0.05] while the correlation was poor with alkaline phosphatase, pyrophosphatase, sodium, potassium and chloride. It was concluded that, F.F. Lipids have a direct correlation, although it is variable to fertilization rate in humans. Alkaline phosphatase, pyrophosphatase, sodium, potassium and chloride have no correlation to fertilization rate Document 11