In a nutshell
This study investigated the effect of treatment with CoQ10 in younger women with poor ovarian response before undergoing IVF. They found that women treated with CoQ10 had significantly more high-quality embryos and were more likely to have a live birth.
Some background
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an infertility treatment in which eggs are removed from a woman and fertilized. Then, the embryo is introduced to the woman's uterus. Collecting eggs requires stimulating the ovaries using hormones. Women who do not produce many eggs when treated with ovary-stimulating hormones (gonadotrophins) are said to have a poor ovarian response (POR).
It is unclear why some women younger than 35 have POR. One possibility is DNA damage due to oxidation. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant, which can prevent oxidative damage. Previous studies show that CoQ10 improves ovary stimulation in women between ages 35 and 43. The effects of CoQ10 are unclear in younger women with POR.
Methods & findings
This study had 186 young women with POR. 76 women were treated with CoQ10. 93 women did not receive CoQ10 (control group). Then, after 60 days, all patients underwent a cycle of IVF. Patients whose partners had low sperm count received intracytoplasmic sperm injection, a variation of IVF.
There were no side effects due to CoQ10. For women in the CoQ10 group, significantly less gonadotrophin hormone was needed to stimulate the ovaries. Fewer women in the CoQ10 group needed to stop the cycle of IVF because they did not respond to the hormones. For women treated with CoQ10, the average number of eggs retrieved was significantly higher, and the fertilization rate was also significantly higher. The average number of high quality embryos was significantly higher for women in the CoQ10 group. Also, the miscarriage rate was lower for women treated with CoQ10.
The bottom line
The authors found that treatment with CoQ10 significantly improved IVF outcomes for women with poor ovarian response. Significantly more eggs were collected and more high-quality embryos formed.
The fine print
17% (16/93) of women in the CoQ10 group stopped treatment. Also, this study had a small number of patients. Larger studies are needed to confirm these results.
What’s next?
If you plan to use IVF, talk to your doctor about the potential benefits of antioxidants before treatment.
Published By :
Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E
Date :
Mar 27, 2018
