FOLLICULAR-FLUID CONTENTS OF HYALURONIC-ACID, FOLLICLE-STIMULATING-HORMONE AND STEROIDS RELATIVE TO THE SUCCESS OF IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION OF HUMAN OOCYTES
E. Suchanek et al., FOLLICULAR-FLUID CONTENTS OF HYALURONIC-ACID, FOLLICLE-STIMULATING-HORMONE AND STEROIDS RELATIVE TO THE SUCCESS OF IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION OF HUMAN OOCYTES, Fertility and sterility, 62(2), 1994, pp. 347-352
Objectives: To determine the concentrations of hyaluronic acid, FSH, P
, and E(2) in the follicular fluid (FF) obtained from IVF-ET patients
and to assess the value of these measurements in predicting the outcom
e of fertilization. Design: One hundred eleven samples were retrospect
ively analyzed for the hyaluronic acid and hormone contents. Setting:
University-based tertiary care center. Patients: Preovulatory FF sampl
es were collected from 67 women undergoing IVF-ET treatment because of
tubal absence or obstruction. Main Outcome Measures: The FF hyaluroni
c acid and hormone concentrations were compared according to the type
of ovulation induction, follicular development, and IVF outcome. Resul
ts: According to the type of ovulation induction, a significantly lowe
r hyaluronic acid concentration was found in FF harvested from the pat
ients treated with GnRH agonist-hMG. No significant correlation was fo
und between FF hyaluronic acid and either morphological maturity of th
e oocyte-cumulus complex or fertilizability of oocytes. The level of F
SH was significantly higher in FF, yielding a mature oocyte-cumulus co
mplex and from which the oocyte obtained successfully fertilized and c
leaved. A significant increase in the E(2) concentration was found in
FF in which mature cumuli oophori were present. The levels of hyaluron
ic acid significantly correlated with FSH in FF. Conclusions: Expansio
n of the human oocyte-cumulus cell complex is an FSH-dependent phenome
non. The data are in agreement with the hypothesis that intrafollicula
r FSH plays an important role in the secretion of hyaluronic acid by g
ranulosa cells and may act synergistically with E(2) to enhance cytopl
asmic maturation, resulting in successful fertilization.