Evaluation of follicular fluid’s Beta-Human chorionic gonadotropin in the follicles of patient undergoing Intracytoplasmic sperm injection: A cross-sectional study

Background: The failure to retrieve oocytes from mature ovarian follicles is referred to as empty follicle syndrome. There is no exact explanation to this problem and it cannot be predicted using ultrasound or serum hormonal levels. The underlying mechanism of Empty follicle syndrome remains obscure. Objective: In this study, the authors have investigated the relationship between the Beta-Human chorionic gonadotropin (βHCG) levels in the follicular fluid with or without the oocyte in the follicles of patients undergoing Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection. Materials and Methods: Seventy-three infertile couples underwent standard long protocol induction ovulation for Intracytoplasmic sperm injection. On the day of oocyte retrieval, each patient had two samples; follicular fluid including 2–3 follicles with oocyte and follicular fluid including of 2–3 follicles without oocyte were collected in separate tubes. These follicles had similar shape and size. The Samples were transferred to a laboratory for measuring the βHCG level, after which the βHCG levels were compared to the follicles with and without the oocyte in each patient. Results: In this study, the βHCG level of follicular fluid in the follicles containing oocyte was 18.20 (8.35–42.92) IU/L and in the follicles without the oocyte was 13.50 (5.45– 25.81) IU/L. Levels of βHCG in the follicular fluids containing the oocyte were higher than without oocytes, This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.16). Conclusion: It seems that the follicular fluid βHCG isn’t caused by empty follicle syndrome, and that dysfunctional folliculogenesis may be the cause of this syndrome. Key words: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, Empty follicle syndrome, HCG

Correlation between Sperm Quality Parameters and Seminal Plasma Antioxidants Status

Background: There is growing evidence that damage to spermatozoa by reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in male infertility. Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the antioxidant status of seminal plasma by measuring total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in men with asthenozoospermia, asthenoteratozoospermia and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia compared to normozoospermic males, and their correlations with seminal parameters. Materials and Methods: 46 men with seminal parameters abnormalities divided in three categories: asthenozoospermic (n=15), asthenoteratozoospermic (n=16) and oligoasthenoteratozoospermic (n=15), according WHO criteria, participated in the study. The control group consisted of 25 males with normozoospermia. Catalase activity was measured by Aebi spectrophotometeric method. Commercially available colorimetric assays were used for measuring SOD activity and TAC. Results: TAC evaluation showed significantly lower values in the total case group (n=46) versus control group (1.05±0.04 mmmol/ml vs. 1.51±0.07 mmol/ml, p<0.05). Catalase activity also showed significantly lower values in the total case group (n=46) versus control group (14.40± 0.93 U/ml vs. 21.33±1.50 U/ml). But this difference was not significant for SOD activity (5.31±0.56 U/ml vs. 6.19±0.83 U/ml). Both catalase activity and TAC in asthenozoospermic, asthenoteratozoospermic, oligoasthenoteratozoospermic subjects were significantly lower than normozoospermic males, but SOD activity did not show a significant difference between these groups. Both catalase activity and TAC showed a positively significant correlation with progressively motile sperms and normal sperm morphology, but these correlations with SOD activity were not significant. Conclusion: Decreasing seminal plasma antioxidant status especially catalase activity and TAC may have significant role in etiology of sperm abnormality