Elevated ovarian follicular fluid stem cell factor concentrations are associated with improved pregnancy rates in in-vitro fertilization cycles.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether ovarian follicular fluid (FF) stem cell factor concentrations are associated with successful IVF pregnancies.

DESIGN

Nested case-control design evaluation of stem cell factor levels from the FF of oocytes fertilized and transferred after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.

SETTING

University-based ART program.

PATIENT(S): Infertile women undergoing IVF in a university-based ART program.

INTERVENTION(S): Fifty-seven FF samples from a cohort of patients (n = 13) with tubal factor and unexplained infertility were stored at -80 degrees C and subsequently evaluated for stem cell factor concentration. Patients with endometriosis, polycystic ovary disease, and male factor infertility were excluded. Stem cell factor concentrations were measured using a commercially available ELISA kit according to the manufacturer's specifications. The groups were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance, and significance was determined using the chi2 analysis of contingency table, the unpaired t-test, or the Mann-Whitney rank-sum test.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): FF stem cell factor concentration, pregnancy.

RESULT(S): Stem cell factor concentrations were significantly higher in the FF of the patients who achieved successful pregnancies than in those who did not (641.7+/-75.2 pg/mL versus 475.5+/-50.58 pg/mL).

CONCLUSION(S): Elevated FF stem cell factor concentrations are associated with an increased likelihood of IVF success. Therefore, stem cell factor may play a role in human follicular and oocyte development, and increasing infrafollicular stem cell factor concentrations may improve pregnancy rates after oocyte retrieval, fertilization, and ET.