Effects of high-altitude hypoxia on embryonic developmental potential in women undergoing IVF/ICSI procedures

Abstract

Purpose: In this study we examined the effects of long-term adaptation to hypoxia on embryonic developmental potential of oocytes collected from women who underwent IVF/ICSI procedures.

Methods: We selected young infertile women who lived in a low-altitude normoxic environment (n = 80, altitude < 500 m) or high-altitude hypoxic environment (n = 100, altitude > 2500 m) for a lengthy period of time and who planned to undergo IVF/ICSI procedures. We then determined the baseline reproductive hormone levels, gonadotropin (Gn) dose and Gn treatment duration during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), number of oocytes retrieved, number of mature oocytes, oocyte maturation rate, fertilization rate, normal fertilization rate, day (D3) embryo-formation rate, blastocyst formation rate, good-quality formation rate, D5 blastocyst formation rate, and D6 blastocyst formation rate between the two groups.

Results: Compared with the low-altitude normoxic group, the various reproductive hormone markers of women in the high-altitude hypoxia group were lower, with LH and T levels significantly reduced (P < 0.05) at 72.29 and 72.44% of the normoxic group, respectively (normoxic group vs. hypoxic group, 5.24 ± 1.61 vs. 3.79 ± 1.21; 0.61 ± 0.18 vs. 0.42 ± 0.15; P < 0.05). During ovarian hyperstimulation, a greater Gn dose and longer Gn treatment duration were required for the hypoxic group to complete COH (normoxic group vs. hypoxic group, 2152.08 IU ± 52.76 vs. 2622.09 IU ± 123.28; 9.96 days ± 1.27 vs. 11.54 days ± 1.34, respectively; P < 0.05). The fertilization, cleavage, and D3 embryo-formation rates tended to be higher in the normoxic group than in the hypoxic group (P > 0.05); while the normal fertilization rate tended to lower than in the hypoxic group (P > 0.05). When we conducted an analysis of blastocyst formation rates at different timepoints, we ascertained that the blastocyst formation rate, usable blastocyst rate, and good-quality blastocyst rate of the hypoxic group were all lower than in the normoxic group, with the difference in usable blastocyst rate the most highly significant (normoxic group vs. hypoxic group, 75.31 ± 5.53 vs. 56.04 ± 6.10%, respectively; P < 0.05). In addition, the D5 and D6 blastocyst-formation rates in the normoxic group were slightly higher than in the hypoxic group, revealing that not only were fewer blastocysts formed in the hypoxic group but that there was also a delay in blastocyst formation.

Conclusion: In young women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment, long-term hypoxic adaptation required augmented Gn dose and Gn treatment duration during COH, and blastocyst developmental potential was also attenuated.

Keywords: Developmental potential; Embryonic; High-altitude hypoxia; Women.