The impact of oxidation-reduction potential in follicular fluid on intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes.

Objective: Follicular fluid (FF) oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) has shown promise as a predictor for in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) outcomes has been demonstrated. This study aimed to determine the association between the ORP in FF and IVF/ICSI outcomes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved data collection from 341 couples undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment. The FF sample was taken from the first follicle to exceed 18 mm during oocyte retrieval and was analyzed for ORP using the MiOXSYS system (Caerus Biotechnologies).

Results: ORP in FF exhibited a statistically significant negative correlation with the fertilization rate (correlation coefficient, -0.126; p=0.019). The ORP levels in the FF from the group with a lower fertilization rate (<80%) were significantly higher than those in the group with a higher fertilization rate (≥80%) (89.90 mV vs. 78.98 mV, p=0.030). No significant correlations were found between ORP in FF and other outcomes.

Conclusion: Our findings suggested that the ORP in FF may be correlated with the fertilization rate and could be evaluated as a predictor of fertilization in ICSI.