Associations between IVF outcomes and essential trace elements measured in follicular fluid and urine: a pilot study

Abstract

Purpose A hypothesis-generating pilot study exploring associations between essential trace elements measured in follicular fluid (FF) and urine and in vitro fertilization (IVF) endpoints. Methods We recruited 58 women undergoing IVF between 2007 and 2008, and measured cobalt, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc in FF (n = 46) and urine (n = 45) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We used multivariable regression models to assess the impact of FF and urine trace elements on IVF outcomes, adjusted for age, body mass index, race, and cigarette smoking.Results Trace elements were mostly present at lower concentrations in FF than in urine. The average number of oocytes retrieved was positively associated with higher urine cobalt, chromium, copper, and molybdenum concentrations. FF chromium and manganese were negatively associated with the proportion of mature oocytes, yet urine manganese had a positive association. FF zinc was inversely associated with average oocyte fertilization. Urine trace elements were significant positive predictors for the total number of embryos generated. FF copper predicted lower embryo fragmentation while urine copper was associated with higher embryo cell number and urine manganese with higher embryo fragmentation. No associations were detected for implantation, pregnancy, or live birth. Conclusions Our results suggest the importance of trace elements in both FF and urine for intermediate, although not necessarily clinical, IVF endpoints. The results differed using FF or urine biomarkers of exposure, which may have implications for the design of clinical and epidemiologic investigations. These initial findings will form the basis of a more definitive future study.

The Impact of Preconceptional Multiple-Micronutrient Supplementation on Female Fertility

“…40 Thus, MMN supplementation in women with fertility problems can help normalize trace element levels, which may have a positive impact on the quality of the microfollicular environment, and thus on oocyte and embryo quality, implantation, and live birth. 41…”

Exploring reproductive associations of serum polybrominated diphenyl ether and hydroxylated brominated diphenyl ether concentrations among women undergoing in vitro fertilization

“…Infertility treatment (including diagnosis and sequelae) in the USA is suspected to cost $5 billion annually, which is easy to conceptualize as 1 cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) has an average cost of $12, 400. Environmental exposures including particulate matter, heavy metals, pesticides and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with infertility (Buck Choe et al, 2017;Ingle et al, 2017).…”

Maternal Selenium, Copper and Zinc Concentrations in Early Pregnancy, and the Association with Fertility

“…In a sample of 80 pregnancy planners, no association was found between plasma zinc and the likelihood for a positive pregnancy test [12]. In contrast, in 45 women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF), higher urinary copper (≥35.7 μg/L) was associated with higher total number of oocytes retrieved and better embryo quality, and higher urinary copper and zinc (≥1808 μg/L) was associated with total number of embryos generated [13]. Further, women who had unexplained infertility had lower selenium in their follicular fluid, the microenvironment which nourishes and surrounds the oocyte, compared to women with tubal infertility and male factor infertility [14].…”