Available online 6 August 2022

Our study is the first that evaluates all the components of the Activin-Follistatin-Inhibin (AFI) axis in both serum and follicular fluid at the same time, and one of the few studies that investigate the axis in healthy oocyte donors that underwent assisted reproductive technology (ART), instead of women with fertility disorders.

Among the molecules of the AFI axis only serum inhibin B levels were weakly associated with good quality embryo rates.

There was no difference in any of the molecules of the AFI axis measured in follicular fluid.

We investigated potential associations of embryo quality with serum and/or follicular fluid (FF) concentrations of molecules of the Activin-Follistatin-Inhibin (AFI) axis, and antimullerian hormone (AMH) aiming to identify molecules that could predict positive assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcome.

In this cross-sectional study, we measured AFI hormones and AMH in serum and FF of follicles (n=101) obtained from healthy oocyte donors who underwent an ART course (n=32). Following egg retrieval, embryos were characterized as of good or bad quality according to the ESHRE criteria. Women were divided into three groups (<50%; 50-66.7%; >66.7%) according to the percentage of good quality embryos obtained.

There was no difference between good and bad quality embryos in any of the molecules measured in FF. There was no difference in the parameters measured in serum among women according to the percentage of good quality embryos (i.e. suitable for transfer or freezing) except for inhibin B, which tended to increase along with good quality embryo rate (55.6±7.9 vs. 95.3±14.3 vs. 113.9±36.9, p=0.045).

Among the molecules of the AFI axis, only serum but not FF inhibin B levels were marginally associated with good quality embryo rates.

Reproduction

embryo quality

pregnancy

activin-follistatin-inhibin axis

AMH

© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the AACE.