Beneficial Effect of an Oral Antioxidant Supplementation (Fertimax2) on IVF-ICSI Outcomes: A Preliminary Clinical Study

摘要

Background: Considerable evidence points towards a significant role of oxidative stress (OS) in the pathogenesis of sperm dysfunction. OS as a result of an inappropriate balance between oxidants and antioxidants in the semen can cause DNA damage and lipid peroxidation leading to failure of conception, miscarriage or potentially even childhood cancer. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a male antioxidant therapy can improve semen parameters and the results of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Methods: A total of forty eight infertile couples were considered. Male participants were administrated Fertimax2 antioxidant treatment for at least two months prior to their partner’s IVF-ICSI cycle. Sperm parameters (volume, concentration, progressive motility) and the IVF-ICSI outcomes were compared before and after the antioxidant treatment. The primary outcome measures were oocyte fertilization, cleavage and good embryo quality rates; the secondary outcomes were biochemical pregnancies, clinical pregnancies and implantation rates. Results: The principal finding that emerged from this study was that antioxidant therapy resulted in significant improvements in fertilization (p = 00.2), cleavage (p = 0.004) and good-embryo quality (p = 0.002) rates accompanied by a marked increase in clinical pregnancy (18.7% versus 2.5%) and implantation (11.8% versus 1.02%) rates. No significant changes in routine sperm parameters were observed. Conclusion: The Fertimax2 antioxidant therapy appears to influence favorably chances of conception in couples undergoing assisted reproduction treatment (ART).