Relationship between Follicular Fluid Oxidative Stress and the Outcome of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

The most common reason for using assisted reproductive technology is infertility. IVF is used to treat a number of causes of infertility, such as ovulatory dysfunction, reduced ovarian reserve, male factor infertility, and infertility that cannot be explained. One type of IVF is called ICSI. When the body is exposed to different detrimental stimuli, it produces too many highly oxidative molecules, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Overabundance of ROS causes tissue damage by destroying DNA, proteins, and lipids and interfering with redox signaling. Impaired embryonic development has oxidative stress as a cause. ROS can come from the metabolism of the embryo or its environment. ICSI clinical pregnancy rates range from 30% to 40%, depending on the reason for the low success rate and the diagnosis. The majority of spermatozoa chosen for assisted reproductive technologies (ART) come from environments under oxidative stress, and a significant portion of these sperm may contain damaged DNA. Specific ROS concentrations might be necessary for the spermatozoa and oocytes to interact. The follicular fluid environment around the oocytes may be crucial for fertilization and the development of the developing embryo. The environment in which the oocyte lives is metabolically active and made up of leukocytes, granulosa cells, growth factors, cytokines, and steroid hormones. It is unclear how oxidative stress in follicular fluid affects oocyte maturation, fertilization, and pregnancy. It has been observed that the generation of ROS in bovine oocytes enhances their capacity for development during in vitro maturation, leading to the production of embryos.