Higher Concentrations of Essential Trace Elements in Women Undergoing IVF May Be Associated with Poor Reproductive Outcomes Following Single Euploid Embryo Transfer.

Fecha de publicación: 15/05/2024

Autores de IIS La Fe

• Roberto González Martín

  Autor

• Andrea Palomar Rios

  Autor

• Stefania Salsano

  Autor

• Alicia Quiñonero Villora

  Autor

• Juan Manuel Gilés Jiménez

  Autor

• María Del Carmen Vidal Martínez

  Autor

• José Bellver Pradas

  Autor

• Francisco Domínguez Hernández

  Autor

Participantes ajenos a IIS La Fe

• Perez-Deben, Silvia
• Caracena, Laura
• Fernandez-Saavedra, Rocio
• Fernandez-Martinez, Rodolfo
• Conde-Vilda, Estefania
• Quejido, Alberto J

Grupos

• Biología Reproductiva y Bioingeniería en Reproducción Humana

  

  Leader

  Nicolás Garrido Puchalt

• Endocrinología Reproductiva e Infertilidad

  Leader

  José Remohí Giménez

Abstract

Essential trace elements are micronutrients whose deficiency has been associated with altered fertility and/or adverse pregnancy outcomes, while surplus may be toxic. The concentrations of eight essential trace elements were measured using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and assessed with respect to clinical in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in a population of 51 women undergoing IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), pre-implantation genetic screening for aneuploidy (PGT-A), and single frozen euploid embryo transfer (SET/FET). Specifically, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), molybdenum, selenium, lithium, iron, chromium, and manganese were quantified in follicular fluid and whole blood collected the day of vaginal oocyte retrieval (VOR) and in urine collected the day of VOR and embryo transfer. We found that the whole blood Cu/Zn ratio was significantly associated with superior responses to ovarian stimulation. Conversely, the whole blood zinc and selenium concentrations were significantly associated with poor ovarian response outcomes. Higher levels of whole blood zinc and selenium, urinary selenium, lithium, and iron had significant negative associations with embryologic outcomes following IVF. Regarding clinical IVF outcomes, higher urinary molybdenum concentrations the day of VOR were associated with significantly lower odds of implantation and live birth, while higher urinary Cu/Mo ratios on the day of VOR were associated with significantly higher odds of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth. Our results suggest that essential trace element levels may directly influence the IVF outcomes of Spanish patients, with selenium and molybdenum exerting negative effects and copper-related ratios exerting positive effects. Additional studies are warranted to confirm these relationships in other human populations.

Keywords

• essential trace elements; biofluids; ovarian response; IVF outcomes; ICP-MS