Objective: To study the presence of homocysteine, methionine and the vitamins folate, B12, and B6 in human ovarian follicular fluid (FF).
Design: Measurement of homocysteine, methionine, folate, and vitamins B12 and B6 in ovarian FF and blood.
Setting: Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Radboud Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Participants: Fourteen healthy women undergoing an IVF program.
Results: Detectable amounts of homocysteine and methionine were found in FF. Homocysteine concentrations were similar to those in serum. Methionine concentrations proved to be slightly but significantly lower than in corresponding serum samples. Concentrations of vitamins B12 and B6 were significantly lower in FF than in serum, whereas folate concentrations were not significantly different. A statistically significant correlation between corresponding serum and FF concentrations of homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 could be established.
Conclusions: These data support the hypothesis that the ovum might be exposed to high homocysteine or low methionine concentrations, or both, and a lack of vitamins, which might be important in fertilization and early embryogenesis.