Obesity and follicular fluid oxidative stress: Relationship to ICSI outcome

Abstract

Abstract Objective To study the influence of female obesity on follicular fluid oxidative stress and to correlate it to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcome. Study design Seventy-four normal females below the age of 40 undergoing ICSI for reason of male factor infertility were enrolled in the study. They were divided into 2 groups according to body mass index (BMI); Group I (non-obese) ( n = 24, BMI 2 ) and Group II (obese) ( n = 50, BMI ⩾ 25 Kg/m 2 ). Oxidative stress markers (MDA (malonaldehyde), NO 2 /NO 3 (Nitrite/Nitrate) ratio, GSH (reduced glutathione) and GSH/GSSG (reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione) ratio) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results Obese women had significantly higher mean follicular fluid MDA ( P = 0.006) as well as NO 2 /NO 3 ratio ( P = 0.004). BMI strongly correlated to follicular fluid MDA ( P = 2 /NO 3 ratio ( P = 0.02). GSH and GSH/GSSG ratio showed a non-significant difference between the two groups ( P = 0.14 and 0.67, respectively). Clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the non-obese group (87%) compared to the obese (43%) ( P = P = Conclusion Obesity aggravates follicular fluid oxidative stress with a negative impact on pregnancy outcome of ICSI cycles.