Relationship Between Follicular Fluid and Serum Levels of Vitamin C and Oocyte Morphology and Embryo Quality in Patients Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization

This study aimed to determine the relationship between follicular fluid (FF) and serum level of vitamin C and oocytes morphology and embryo quality in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
This is a cross-sectional study which was conducted on 50 women undergoing IVF in Al-Zahra hospital in Rasht, Iran during 2014. Vitamin C level in FF and serum were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Retrieval oocyte morphology and obtained embryo quality were evaluated using inverted optical microscope.
In our study 434 oocytes and 199 embryos were assessed. Frequencies of metaphase II (MII) oocytes were significantly higher at 1-1.5 mg/dL level of vitamin C in FF (86.4%) and 0.5-1 mg/dL serum level of vitamin C (83.2%). Odds of having MII oocytes at the 1-1.5 mg/dL level of vitamin C in FF (odds ratio [OR] = 15.02, 95% CI = 2.77-81.54) was 15 times greater than the level of 1.5-2.3 mg/dL. The most frequency of embryo with Z1 or Z2 quality were observed at 0.1-0.5 mg/dL level of vitamin C in FF (69.3%) and 0.5-1 mg/dL level of vitamin C in serum (84.3%). odds of having embryo with Z1 or Z2 quality, at the 0.1-0.5 mg/dL level of vitamin C in FF (OR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.21-7.83), was 3 times greater compared to the 1-2.3 mg/dL level.
At the certain level of vitamin C in FF, clinicians may have oocytes with higher maturity and embryos with better quality.