Objective: To evaluate the effects of follicular fluid (FF) from women with endometriosis and tubal factor on sperm binding to zona pellucida under hemizona assay(HZA).
Methods: Follicular fluid was collected at IVF from patients with endometriosis and without endometriosis (tubal factor infertility). The HZA was used to study the effect of FF from patients with endometriosis and tubal factor on sperm binding to zona pellucida using media (EBSS/BSA) as control.
Results: The mean number of sperm binding to zona in endometriosis specimens and tubal factor infertility was significantly fewer than the number treated by culture medium (91 +/- 21 vs 239 +/- 35, P < 0.001; 109 +/- 22 vs 211 +/- 42, P < 0.005). The hemizona index was lower when the incubation was performed with FF from endometriosis patients compared with sperm incubated in FF from tubal factor patients (36 +/- 4 vs 54 +/- 4, P < 0.005).
Conclusions: The inhibiting effect of FF from endometriosis patients is stronger than those without endometriosis. The follicular fluid of patients with endometriosis could contribute to infertility through impairment of gamete interaction.