Analysis of follicular fluid total phospholipids in women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation

Abstract

Follicular fluid (FF) samples were obtained from 100 patients referred to the University Hospital. A total of 79 subjects underwent IVF and the remaining 21 underwent ICSI. The levels of apoA-I and total phospholipid were measured using turbidometric and colorimetric phosphorus assays, respectively. Correlation analysis showed a significant inverse association of total phospholipid in FF with fertilisation ratio (r = –0.24, p = 0.04). Furthermore, the ratio of phospholipid/apoA-I in patients with a percentage of fertilised oocytes ≤ 50% was significantly higher (> 2.5%, p < 0.05) than in those with higher percentages of fertilised oocytes. The amounts of phospholipid and phospholipid/apoA-I ratio in FF were associated negatively to the percentage of oocyte fertilisation. Therefore, the change in the phospholipid and phospholipid/apoA-I ratio of FF might be regarded as indicators of female fertility.

Keywords::

• ART
• follicular fluid
• phospholipid

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

The research was partially supported by grants from the Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences and Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.