Higher Concentrations of Essential Trace Elements in Women Undergoing IVF May Be Associated with Poor Reproductive Outcomes Following Single Euploid Embryo Transfer
Roberto Gonzalez-Martin,
Andrea Palomar,
Silvia Perez-Deben,
Stefania Salsano,
Alicia Quiñonero,
Laura Caracena,
Rocio Fernandez-Saavedra,
Rodolfo Fernandez-Martinez,
Estefania Conde-Vilda,
Alberto J. Quejido,
Juan Giles,
Carmen Vidal,
Jose Bellver,
Francisco Dominguez
Affiliations
Roberto Gonzalez-Martin
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Andrea Palomar
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Silvia Perez-Deben
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Stefania Salsano
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Alicia Quiñonero
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Laura Caracena
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Rocio Fernandez-Saavedra
Unit of Mass Spectrometry and Geochemical Applications, Chemistry Division, Department of Technology, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), 28040 Madrid, Spain
Rodolfo Fernandez-Martinez
Unit of Mass Spectrometry and Geochemical Applications, Chemistry Division, Department of Technology, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), 28040 Madrid, Spain
Estefania Conde-Vilda
Unit of Mass Spectrometry and Geochemical Applications, Chemistry Division, Department of Technology, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), 28040 Madrid, Spain
Alberto J. Quejido
Unit of Mass Spectrometry and Geochemical Applications, Chemistry Division, Department of Technology, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), 28040 Madrid, Spain
Juan Giles
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Carmen Vidal
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Jose Bellver
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Francisco Dominguez
IVI-RMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), 46026 Valencia, Spain
Essential trace elements are micronutrients whose deficiency has been associated with altered fertility and/or adverse pregnancy outcomes, while surplus may be toxic. The concentrations of eight essential trace elements were measured using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and assessed with respect to clinical in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in a population of 51 women undergoing IVF with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), pre-implantation genetic screening for aneuploidy (PGT-A), and single frozen euploid embryo transfer (SET/FET). Specifically, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), molybdenum, selenium, lithium, iron, chromium, and manganese were quantified in follicular fluid and whole blood collected the day of vaginal oocyte retrieval (VOR) and in urine collected the day of VOR and embryo transfer. We found that the whole blood Cu/Zn ratio was significantly associated with superior responses to ovarian stimulation. Conversely, the whole blood zinc and selenium concentrations were significantly associated with poor ovarian response outcomes. Higher levels of whole blood zinc and selenium, urinary selenium, lithium, and iron had significant negative associations with embryologic outcomes following IVF. Regarding clinical IVF outcomes, higher urinary molybdenum concentrations the day of VOR were associated with significantly lower odds of implantation and live birth, while higher urinary Cu/Mo ratios on the day of VOR were associated with significantly higher odds of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth. Our results suggest that essential trace element levels may directly influence the IVF outcomes of Spanish patients, with selenium and molybdenum exerting negative effects and copper-related ratios exerting positive effects. Additional studies are warranted to confirm these relationships in other human populations.
