%0 Journal Article
%T Metabolite Profiling in the Pursuit of Biomarkers for IVF Outcome: The Case for Metabolomics Studies
%A C. McRae
%A V. Sharma
%A J. Fisher
%J International Journal of Reproductive Medicine
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/603167
%X Background. This paper presents the literature on biomarkers of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) outcome, demonstrating the progression of these studies towards metabolite profiling, specifically metabolomics. The need for more, and improved, metabolomics studies in the field of assisted conception is discussed. Methods. Searches were performed on ISI Web of Knowledge SM for literature associated with biomarkers of oocyte and embryo quality, and biomarkers of IVF outcome in embryo culture medium, follicular fluid (FF), and blood plasma in female mammals. Results. Metabolomics in the field of female reproduction is still in its infancy. Metabolomics investigations of embryo culture medium for embryo selection have been the most common, but only within the last five years. Only in 2012 has the first metabolomics investigation of FF for biomarkers of oocyte quality been reported. The only metabolomics studies of human blood plasma in this context have been aimed at identifying women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Conclusions. Metabolomics is becoming more established in the field of assisted conception, but the studies performed so far have been preliminary and not all potential applications have yet been explored. With further improved metabolomics studies, the possibility of identifying a method for predicting IVF outcome may become a reality. 1. Introduction Infertility is an extremely prevalent problem, affecting one in every seven couples [1, 2], and as result in vitro fertilisation (IVF) has become increasingly popular since it was pioneered in 1978. In 2010, 45£¿264 women were treated by IVF in the UK [3], whereas in 1992, 14£¿057 women were treated [4]. As understanding of fertility and embryology has developed, the procedures and techniques in assisted conception have been ever improving, and as a result, the number of live births resulting from IVF or ICSI has increased since the early 90s [3]. The UK live birth rate per IVF cycle in 1991 was 14.0% and this increased to 24.1% by 2009 [3]. In 2009 the live birth rate per ART treatment in Canada was higher, at 27.4% [5] and higher still in the USA at 31% [6] but lower in Australia and New Zealand at 17.2% [7]. While improved, these success rates are still unsatisfactorily low. The development of controlled ovarian stimulation in the 1980s [8] enabled the production of multiple mature oocytes and hence multiple embryo transfer, improving the chances of pregnancy in an IVF cycle. Today, gonadotrophins are routinely administered to women undergoing IVF in an attempt to improve the chances of
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijrmed/2013/603167/