Analysis of follicular fluid total phospholipids in women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation

Follicular fluid (FF) samples were obtained from 100 patients referred to the University Hospital. A total of 79 subjects underwent IVF and the remaining 21 underwent ICSI. The levels of apoA-I and total phospholipid were measured using turbidometric and colorimetric phosphorus assays, respectively. Correlation analysis showed a significant inverse association of total phospholipid in FF with fertilisation ratio (r = -0.24, p = 0.04). Furthermore, the ratio of phospholipid/apoA-I in patients with a percentage of fertilised oocytes ≤ 50% was significantly higher (> 2.5%, p < 0.05) than in those with higher percentages of fertilised oocytes. The amounts of phospholipid and phospholipid/apoA-I ratio in FF were associated negatively to the percentage of oocyte fertilisation. Therefore, the change in the phospholipid and phospholipid/apoA-I ratio of FF might be regarded as indicators of female fertility.