The use of mitochondrial nutrients to improve the outcome of infertility treatment in older patients

The effect of age on in vitro fertilization outcome: is too young possible?

“…Some explanations for this include diminished ovarian reserve, increased rate of aneuploidy, decreased frequency of sexual intercourse, diminished desire for childbearing, and increased rate of spontaneous abortion. Among infertile women undergoing IVF treatment, advanced maternal age is also associated with lower fertilization rates and higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities [1] Despite our knowledge of the impact of advanced maternal age on fertility, the quality of oocytes produced by very young patients or by young donors following IVF cycles has not been carefully investigated. It is generally assumed that young women are fundamentally the best category of patients for infertility treatment or for oocyte donation and should produce normal healthy eggs with low rates of chromosomal abnormalities.…”

“…It is generally assumed that young women are fundamentally the best category of patients for infertility treatment or for oocyte donation and should produce normal healthy eggs with low rates of chromosomal abnormalities. Recently, a number of reports have shown a wide range of chromosome abnormalities in the embryos created from the oocytes of young egg donors [1][2][3]. Moreover, the frequency of vanishing embryos in patients with multiple pregnancies from oocyte donation is relatively high.…”

Difference in mitochondrial gene expression in granulosa cells between recombinant FSH and hMG cycles under in vitro fertilization and transfer

“…Human mtDNA is a circular, histone-free molecule composed of 16.6 kb of DNA, and exists in one or more copies in every mitochondrion and encodes 37 genes in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway [2]. In humans, abnormally fertilized oocytes, as well as embryos arrested to grow in culture, demonstrate a high rate of mtDNA deletions, indicating the crucial role that mitochondria play in oocyte function and early embryo development [1,21]. Recent studies have shown a relationship between GC apoptosis and ART outcomes, but the data are still controversial [22].…”

“…The mechanism by which apoptosis occurs in granulosa cells is still unknown [1,21]; however, mtDNA deletions and low expressions might cause a decline of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation [6]. Fewer granulosa-lutein cells are apoptotic in women who have an ongoing pregnancy after IVF treatment than in women who do not conceive [23,24].…”

Cytoplasmic Inheritance Redux

“…mtDNA copy number expands during oocyte maturation (Bentov et al, 2010) and the normality of preovulatory meiotic maturation of the oocyte has been linked to mtDNA copy number. The number of mitochondria and mtDNA in the oocyte at the time of ovulation is critical for both fertilization and ensuing embryo development.…”