| Clinical Significance of Autoimmune Antibodies Measured in Repeated IVF-ET Failure Patients. |
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S H Kim, B C Jee, H S Lee, C S Suh, Y M Choi, J K Kim, S Y Moon, J Y Lee |
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| Abstract |
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of serum autoimmune antibodies in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET), and to clarify serum autoantibodies as a possible cause of repeated failure in IVF-ET. Sera from a total of 45 infertile patients, who have just enlisted and/or undergone IVF-ET previously, were assayed to identify autoantibodies as followings: lupus anti-coagulant (LAC), anti-double stranded DNA antibody (anti-dsDNA Ab), antinuclear antibody (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF), antithyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG Ab), and antimicrosomal antibody (anti-MS Ab). The overall prevalence rate of serum autoantibodies was 40.0% (18/45) in 45 IVF-ET patients with the highest rate of 22.2% (10/45) in ANA. The positive rate was similar without statistical significance in both tubal and unexplained infertility groups (32.0% vs. 57.1%). There was a tendency of decreasing prevalence rate with the increasing number of failed cycles in IVF-ET: Group of repeated IVF-ET failure (3 or more cycles) showed significantly lower prevalence rate than Group of 1~2 failed cycles (15.4% vs. 90.0%, p<0.01). There were no significant differences in age of patients, duration of infertility, number of previously failed cycles of IVF-ET, previous history of conception and viable pregnancy, infertility factor, and clinical pregnancy over 20 weeks between positive and negative serum autoantibodies groups. In conclusion, the presence of serum autoantibodies does not mean a poorer prognosis in IVF-ET, and the prevalence rate of serum autoantibodies in repeated IVF-ET failure patients may just reflect that in general infertile patients. |
| Key Words:
In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer ( IVF-ET ), Repeated failure, Autoimmunity, Serum autoimmune antibody, Prevalence rate, Pregnancy rate |
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