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Serum and follicular fluid fetuin-B levels are correlated with fertilization rates in conventional IVF cycles

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between serum/follicular fluid fetuin-B levels and fertilization outcomes in conventional IVF cycles.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of conventional IVF treatments including 78 cycles with low fertilization rates (two pronuclei [2PN] rate < 30%; LF group) and 104 cycles performed during the same period with 2PN rate > 70% (high fertilization group, HF). To calculate the required sample size, a two-sample t test power analysis was applied to data from our pilot study, using PASS 11.0 software. Fetuin-B was measured using a commercial sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Serum fetuin-B and follicular fluid fetuin-B were positively correlated (r = 0.703, P < 0.001). Compared to the HF group, the LF group had significantly lower levels of fetuin-B, both in serum (5.81 ± 1.53 vs. 7.19 ± 1.42, P < 0.001) and follicular fluid (5.06 ± 1.29 vs. 6.16 ± 1.52, P < 0.001). The serum fetuin-B level from cycles with polypronuclear (PPN) zygotes was significantly lower when compared to cycles without PPN zygotes (6.82 ± 1.65 vs. 6.10 ± 1.43, P = 0.006). However, serum fetuin-B level was not correlated with preimplantation embryo development or clinical pregnancy.

Conclusion

Serum fetuin-B level is correlated with fertilization rate in conventional IVF and it may be used as a predictive marker of fertilization in IVF treatment.

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Funding

This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 81771585 and 81370761) and Department of Health of Zhejiang Province (CN) (Grant No. 2017198128).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 1 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, 31006, China

    Li Fang, Xiaorui Hu, Long Cui, Pingping Lv, Xueqian Ma & Yinghui Ye

Authors
  1. Li Fang
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  2. Xiaorui Hu
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  3. Long Cui
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  4. Pingping Lv
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  5. Xueqian Ma
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  6. Yinghui Ye
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Correspondence to Yinghui Ye.

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Fang, L., Hu, X., Cui, L. et al. Serum and follicular fluid fetuin-B levels are correlated with fertilization rates in conventional IVF cycles. J Assist Reprod Genet 36, 1101–1107 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-019-01454-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-019-01454-5

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