Evaluation of trace metals in follicular fluid in ICSI-treated patients

This study investigated the influence of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and zinc (Zn) in follicular fluid on the effectiveness of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and the dynamics of embryo development. The study involved 221 women aged 25–35 years in whom intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was performed. Analysis of the effects of the average concentrations of Se, Zn, and Cu on the developmental dynamics of embryos showed that higher concentrations of these metals were accompanied by shorter lead times for each of the various stages of development, while the reverse was true in the case of cadmium and lead. No relationship was observed between the mean concentrations of Fe and the dynamics of the human embryo. In order to discover whether the fact of becoming pregnant is affected by the investigated variables, a logistic regression model was applied. The dependent variable was the fact of achieving pregnancy, and the independent variable tested was the level of trace metals. Ultimately, only one variable remained statistically significant in the model: the level of Se.