Increased levels of metal ions in human seminal fluid have a significant correlation with male fertility. Few publications explain the effect of metals in semen and their influence on assisted reproductive treatments. Semen parameters and the levels of twenty-two metals were measured in the seminal fluid of 102 men attended in a Reproductive Unit. Metals were determined by optical emission spectrophotometry. A statistical relationship was found between spermiogram and iron, which was lower than expected in pathological spermiograms (p = 0.032); zinc (p = 0.066), calcium (p = 0.047), and magnesium (p = 0.048) mean levels were higher in normozoospermics. More days of sexual abstinence correlates with higher seminal zinc (p = 0.001) and magnesium levels (p = 0.002). Lower vanadium values were found to be associated with higher fertilization rates (p = 0.039). Higher values of lead (p = 0.052) and vanadium (p = 0.032) were obtained in patients who did not reach 100% embryo cleavage rate. Aluminium (p = 0.042) and sodium (p = 0.002) were found in lower amounts associated with better blastocyst rates. The implantation rate shows an inverse association with women’s age and iron and calcium content, compared to magnesium and sodium which presented a significant direct association with this percentage. A significant direct relationship was found between the positive evolution of pregnancy and the values of zinc (p = 0.004), calcium (p = 0.013), potassium (p = 0.002), and magnesium (p = 0.009). The study confirms that zinc, iron, calcium, sodium, aluminium, magnesium, vanadium, and lead have positive–negative effects on reproduction and support the analysis of metals in semen as a new line of study on male fertility with implications for reproductive outcomes.

Patients with chromosomal translocation have been reported to have high risk of reproductive failure, lower ovarian response, recurrent pregnancy loss and implantation failure. The literature is not conclusive, and our objective is to study if female balanced translocation (BT) does affect the controlled ovarian stimulation (COS). We carried out a retrospective analysis of 3249 karyotypes between 2008 and 2016, including 2276 females and 973 males. 12 women (0.5%) with BT were compared with 93 control normal karyotype group (CN) in both female and male partner. An equivalent control group (EQc) of 12 patients was additionally selected to be accurate with the BT statistical contrast. Cycle, oocyte and embryo outcomes were analysed. We concluded that female BT carriers have no diminished response to COS than infertile females with normal karyotype. This is an important information for counselling couples previous to COS and preimplantational genetic testing (PGT). Keywords: Chromosomal translocation, reciprocal, Robertsonian, controlled ovarian stimulation.

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