Author(s)

Mohamed Hussein Mostafa¹, Malames Mahmoud Faisal^2*, Noha Refaat Mohamed¹, Filsan Houssein Idle¹

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
²Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

Assessment of oocyte quality to avoid overproduction of embryos is now considered an important goal in ICSI cycles. Although in classic Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) cycles selection is mainly done for embryos and not for follicles. Follicular fluid and its contents representing the oocyte environment are now gaining more attention because not only of its crucial influence on oocyte developments but also due to easy isolation of follicular fluid with every case of ICSI. By its aspiration during ovum pick up (OPU). substances isolated from follicular fluid to assess oocyte quality were in the form of: hormones like, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Anti-mullerian Hormon (AMH), Growth Hormone (GH) etc., growth factors like Insulin Like Growth Factor (ILGF), proteins and amino acids like Lactoferrin (LF) which is an iron-binding glycoprotein that was detected in follicular fluid and was thought to be related to good oocyte quality when present in high concentration. Objectives: The aim of this study was to detect the possible effect of follicular fluid lactoferrin on oocyte quality and hence pregnancy rate in ICSI cycles. Methods: Follicular fluid was obtained from 64 patients undergoing Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure in Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital. Follicular fluid (FF) was collected at the time of oocyte harvesting. The lactoferrin concentration in FF was assayed by ELISA. Results: The mean LF concentration in follicular fluid of the positive biochemical pregnancy group (0.63 ± 0.17 ng/mL) was not significantly higher than that in the negative biochemical pregnancy (0.61 ± 0.16 ng/mL). A positive correlation between a number of mature oocytes and lactoferrin concentration was not found (r.101). Conclusion: Lactoferrin level in follicular fluid does not correlate with oocytes quality or pregnancy rate.

Lactoferrin, Infertility, Follicular Fluid, Oocyte Quality

Mostafa, M. , Faisal, M. , Mohamed, N. and Idle, F. (2019) Effect of Follicular Fluid Lactoferrin Level on Oocytes Quality and Pregnancy Rate in Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Cycles. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 9, 745-754. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2019.96074.