The impact of anthropogenic chemicals on the effectiveness of assisted reproductive technologies

Aim. To analyze the relationship between the level of anthropogenic chemicals in female patients and the results of infertility treatment using ART. Materials and methods. The study included 300 infertile women, who applied to the Center for infertility treatment using ART. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to detect heavy metals concentration (mercury, lead, cadmium) in the blood of patients, chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze the level of bisphenol A (BPA). A conventional scale was developed to estimate the total pollutant concentrations in patients. ROC analysis was used to estimate threshold value affecting the likelihood of pregnancy (a score = 5 points) Then the patients were stratified into groups depending on pollutant concentrations. Group 1 included 72 patients, who had high pollutant concentrations. Group 2 included 227patients, who had low pollutant concentrations. Results. The clinical and anamnestic characteristics did not differ in the comparison groups. Comparison of embryological parameters showed a significant blastulation rates decline in the group of patients with a high pollutant concedntrations. Absence of embryonic cleavage was in 17.8% of women in group 1 compared to 10.1% in group 2, p=0.0644. Assessment of clinical outcomes of ART cycles showed decreased rates of clinical pregnancy onset and births, increased incidence of early reproductive losses in the group of patients with high pollutant concentrations. Conclusion. High pollutant concentrations in the bodies of infertile patients is associated with poor embryo quality and decline in the effectiveness of ART programs.

pregnancy, assisted reproductive technologies, in vitro fertilization, pollutants, anthropogenic chemicals, embryo quality, mercury, lead, cadmium, bisphenol A