ANTIBODIES TO REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES AS A POSSIBLE RISK FACTOR FOR POOR OUTCOME OF IN VITRO FERTILIZATION CYCLES

Objective. To estimate the production of autoantibodies to reproductive hormones in infertile women, their possible presence in follicular fluid (FF), and their association with treatment outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Subjects and methods. A study group comprised of 60 infertile women receiving IVF treatment; a control group included 56 fertile women. Enzyme immunoassay was used to determine antibodies (IgM, IgG) to gonadotropic and steroid hormones in the sera and FF. Results. In the study group, serum antibodies to chorionic gonadotropin and progesterone were detected statistically significantly more frequently (in 53.3 and 45%, respectively) than those in the control group (in 16.1 and 19.6%, respectively) (p<0.05). The levels of the antibodies in the FF were lower than those in the sera and correlated between them. IgG-class antibodies to gonadotropic and steroid hormones were found in the FF of 37 (60%) patients. There was a strong correlation between antibodies to follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones, estradiol and testosterone. The latter were more often detected in patients with previous IVF failures. The patients with hormone antibodies much more frequently showed a negative result of the current IVF cycle than those without antibodies: 16 (43.2%) and 4 (17.4%), respectively (p=0.0338). Conclusion. Autoantibodies to gonadotropic and steroid hormones may be considered as a possible risk factor for a poor outcome of IVF cycles.

autoantibodies to gonadotropic and steroid hormones, infertility, in vitro fertilization