Replete vitamin D stores predict reproductive success following IVF

Objective—Hypothesizing that levels of 25OH-D in body fluids are reflective of vitamin repletion status, we aimed to determine if 25OH-D levels in the follicular fluid (FF) of infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) demonstrate a relationship with IVF cycle parameters and outcome. Design—Prospective Cohort study Setting—Academic tertiary care center Patients—84 infertile women undergoing IVF Interventions—FF from follicles 14mm; serum (n=10) and FF levels of 25OH-D Main outcome measures—Clinical pregnancy (CP) (defined as evidence of intrauterine gestation sac on ultrasound) following IVF; IVF cycle parameters. Results—Serum and FF levels of 25OH-D were highly correlated (r=0.94, p<0.001). In a predominantly Caucasian population (66%), significantly lower FF 25OH-D levels were noted in Black versus non-Black patients (p=0.001). Significant inverse correlations were seen between FF 25OH-D levels and BMI (r 0.25, p=0.035). Significantly higher CP and implantation rates were observed across tertiles of FF25OH-D (p=0.029 and p=0.041 respectively); patients achieving CP following IVF (n=26) exhibited significantly higher FF levels of 25OH-D (p=0.005). Multivariable logistic regression analysis confirmed FF 25OH-D levels as an independent predictor to success of an IVF cycle; adjusting for age, BMI, ethnicity and number of embryos transferred (ET) each ng/ml increase in FF 25OH-D increased the likelihood for achieving CP by 6% (p=0.030). © 2009 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Corresponding Author: Lubna Pal, MBBS, MRCOG, MSc., Assistant Professor, Department Of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Yale University School of Medicine. 333 Cedar Street, P.O.Box 208063, New Haven, CT 06520. Tel: 203 785 4016; Fax: 203 785 7134. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access Author Manuscript Fertil Steril. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 September 1. Published in final edited form as: Fertil Steril. 2010 September ; 94(4): 1314–1319. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.05.019. N IH -P A A uhor M anscript N IH -P A A uhor M anscript N IH -P A A uhor M anscript Conclusion—Our findings that women with higher vitamin D level in their serum and FF are significantly more likely to achieve CP following IVF-ET are novel. A potential for benefit of vitamin D supplementation on treatment success in infertile patients undergoing IVF is suggested that merits further investigation.