Follicular fluid thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) levels and ICSI outcomes

Abstract

Background: Whether through spontaneous conception or through the use of assisted reproductive technologies, thyroid dysfunction is prevalent in women of childbearing age and may negatively impact fertility and pregnancy. As follicular fluid (FF) more accurately depicts the milieu surrounding the developing oocyte, it most likely offers a better assessment of exposures that might have an impact on reproductive outcomes. Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the correlation of FF thyroid hormone (TH) (T4 and T3) levels with the intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. Materials and Methods: The study was designed as an analytic cross-sectional study. Fifty subfertile couples from the in-vitro fertilization center attenders were involved in the study in whom ICSI was done for them and then compared between outcomes in relation to FF-T4 and FF-T3. Results: FF-T4 correlates positively with metaphase II (MII) and 2-PN with a P-value=0.04 and 0.03, respectively, in a statistically significant way, whereas FF-T3 correlates positively with oocyte number: MII in a statistically significant way (P-value=0.01) for both and with 2-PN in a statistically significant way (P-value=0.0). Additionally, there was a significant positive association between FF-T4 and anti-mullerian hormone and follicle stimulating hormone with a P-value of 0.05 and between FF-T3 and E2 with a P-value of 0.02. Conclusion: Folliculogenesis and oogenesis may be significantly influenced by THs. The FF also contains T3 and T4, which could have an immediate impact on the oocyte.