Follicular Fluid, Bioavailable Vitamin D and Embryo Quality Markers

Correlation Between Follicular Fluid Levels of Bioavailable Vitamin D and Embryo Quality Markers: Euploid Status, Morphokinetics and Mitochondrial DNA Content Among UAE Women Undergoing an IVF Cycle

To determine the correlation between bioavailable Vitamin D values and euploid status of the embryos in larger size follicles from UAE women undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures.

To study the possible correlation between bioavailable vitamin D values in follicular fluid and embryo quality markers.

To correlate bioavailable Vitamin D values in follicular fluid from large size follicles with embryo euploid status as our main objective. Secondly, looking at morphokinetics and mitochondrial content of these embryos.

Taking into account that most of UAE patients have deficiency or insufficiency of Vitamin D, if there is a correlation found we will understand better the underlying mechanism by which bioavailable Vitamin D levels may be affecting embryo quality, therefore IVF outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women´s Age >18 - ≤43 years.
• BMI 19-33
• Male partner will produce fresh sperm sample on the same day of the egg collection procedure.
• Women with more than 10 follicles at the time of the trigger
• At the time of egg retrieval, at least three follicles between 14-<17 mm and three follicles ≥17 mm.
• Women ≤35 years old stimulation with rFSH antagonist
• Women ≥36 years old stimulation with highly-purified human menopausal gonadotropins (hpHMG) specifically for the additional LH.
• Middle East population

Exclusion Criteria:

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (according to the Rotterdam Criteria).
• Patients at risk of OHSS, according to the criteria previously described by Papanikolau et al. (23).
• History of endometriosis, classified according to the American Fertility Society (AFS) as stage 3 or more.
• Severe male factor definition (<2 million of sperm per ml of ejaculate)
• Recurrent miscarriage (3 miscarriages)
• Smokers
• History of chemotherapy or radiotherapy