Association of basic fibroblast growth factor and body mass index with oocyte quality and quantity in infertile women with PCOS and diminished ovarian reserve undergoing ICSI.

OBJECTIVE: Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) regulates granulosa cell proliferation and follicular development, supporting folliculogenesis and oocyte maturation. Serum and follicular fluid bFGF have been linked to ovarian function and oocyte competence. Body mass index (BMI) also influences reproductive function, particularly in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). This study investigated relationships among serum and follicular fluid bFGF concentrations, BMI, and oocyte competence in women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 44 infertile women undergoing ICSI (PCOS, n=27; DOR, n=17). All participants received controlled ovarian hyperstimulation using a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol. On the day of oocyte retrieval, blood and follicular fluid were collected. bFGF concentrations in serum and follicular fluid were measured using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Oocyte quality was assessed by the number of mature metaphase II oocytes obtained.

RESULTS: Compared with PCOS patients, DOR patients were older and had significantly lower anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and estradiol levels (p<0.05). In both groups, bFGF levels did not differ significantly across BMI categories. Across all BMI categories, PCOS patients had higher oocyte yields than DOR patients (p<0.05), whereas oocyte maturity rates were comparable. Serum bFGF positively correlated with AMH in the PCOS group (p=0.027). However, follicular fluid bFGF negatively correlated with the number of oocytes retrieved in the DOR group (p=0.036).

CONCLUSION: Follicular fluid bFGF levels were associated with ovarian reserve markers and oocyte yield in women undergoing ICSI, supporting a potential role for bFGF in follicular activity.