Total antioxidant status of peritoneal fluid in infertile women.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether impairment of the antioxidant systems of peritoneal fluid might be a factor responsible for infertility.

STUDY

DESIGN

Total antioxidant status was measured in peritoneal fluid obtained from 18 infertile women suffering from minimal or mild endometriosis, 23 patients with unexplained infertility, 12 women with tubal infertility and 13 fertile women.

RESULTS

Total antioxidant status was significantly lower in peritoneal fluid from women with unexplained infertility (0.49+/-0.21 mmol/l) compared to both fertile patients (0.67+/-0.24 mmol/l, P=0.02) and women with tubal infertility (0.76+/-0.26 mmol/l, P=0.001). Peritoneal fluid total antioxidant status did not differ significantly between patients with endometriosis (0.61+/-0.2 mmol/l), tubal infertility and the fertile group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that low antioxidant status in peritoneal fluid may play a role in the pathogenesis of infertility.