Assessment of autoantibodies to the zona pellucida in serum and follicular fluid in in-vitro fertilization patients.

Eighty two consecutive IVF patients enrolled in our In-Vitro Fertilization program were investigated on the presence of anti-zona pellucida antibodies in the peripheral blood and follicular fluid, using a haemaglutination test (ovarian zona pellucida HAT) and a zona pellucida slide test, respectively. Overall higher proportion of antibody activity was observed in pregnant patients in both compartments (60% and 53%) in serum and follicular fluid, respectively) than the activity observed in non-pregnant (25% and 48%, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences found for the mean number of oocytes retrieved and fertilized irrespective of the presence of antibodies in serum or in follicular fluid, each one being taken into account separately. However, higher fertilization rates were observed in serum or follicular fluid antibody negative patients (68.2% and 71.2%, respectively) than those who were tested positive (36.6% and 65.4%, respectively). The same was true for the presence of anti-zona pellucida antibodies in serum and in follicular fluid, taking into consideration their presence or absence in both compartments simultaneously.