Abstract: Background: Despite the fact that physiological amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential for oocyte maturation, physiological follicular atresia, ovulation, and fertilization, excessive ROS affects normal reproductive function. Thiols are antioxidants that contain sulfhydryl groups and act as electron acceptors for ROS. Thiols neutralize oxidants, converting them into less harmful compounds and forming disulfide molecules. Thiol/disulfide pools play an important role in intracellular redox equilibrium, which is required for antioxidant defense.
Objective: Assess serum and follicular fluid thiol/disulfide homeostasis in patients with normal, hyper-, and poor responses to intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
Study design: A retrospective cohort study.
Setting: Fertility Center of Al-Sadder Teaching Hospital Al_Najaf Governorate & High Institute for Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Al Nahrein University, Al Kadumiayh, Baghdad, Iraq. The study run from the first of January 2024 until the end of October 2024.
Patients and Methods: Following a complete history, examination, investigation, and ovarian response, 50 infertile patients with a history of primary and secondary infertility were divided into three groups: normal responders, hyper responders, and poor responders. Serum and follicular fluid was collected on the day of oocyte pick-up, and measurements were done for the total thiol, native thiol, and disulfide levels. The quality of the oocytes and embryos as well as the results of the intracytoplasmic sperm injection were monitored for each patient.
Results: There is no significant association between serum and follicular fluid thiol/disulfide homeostasis in normal, hyper and poor responders.
Conclusion: In this study, none significant difference was found in the antioxidant thiol/disulfide homeostasis in normal responders, hyperresponders, and poor responders. Therefore, further studies are needed for larger sample sizes, using different criteria and protocols.
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