Iron status may influence the outcome of infertile women under the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) technique of in vitro fertilization (IVF). The aim of this study is to evaluate iron status and ceruloplasmin ferroxidase activity in the follicular fluid (FF) and their association with IVF outcomes. The study enrolled fertile women with male cause infertility (n=25), infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS; n=21), infertile women with low AMH level (n=26), and women with unexplained infertility (UI; n=27), all undergoing IVF/ICSI. On the day of oocyte suction, the selection of FF samples was accomplished. Iron, ferritin, and transferrin levels, as well as ceruloplasmin (CP) ferroxidase activity, were measured

Background: Oocytes are susceptible to alterations in the various fatty acid contents of follicular fluid (FF), which may influence maturation and embryogenesis. Different fatty acids exert various effects on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which needs further studies to uncover the involved mechanisms. Objectives: To assess FF fatty acids in women undergoing ICSI and to correlate them with ICSI parameters, namely the total count of aspirated oocytes, oocyte maturation rate, fertilization rate and percentage of good-quality embryos. Methods: Fifty women undergoing ICSI were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. FF samples were collected during oocyte retrieval and were analyzed for fatty acids using gas chromatography. Fa

Background: Oocytes are susceptible to alterations in the various fatty acid contents of follicular fluid (FF), which may influence maturation and embryogenesis. Different fatty acids exert various effects on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which needs further studies to uncover the involved mechanisms. Objectives: To assess FF fatty acids in women undergoing ICSI and to correlate them with ICSI parameters, namely the total count of aspirated oocytes, oocyte maturation rate, fertilization rate and percentage of good-quality embryos. Methods: Fifty women undergoing ICSI were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. FF samples were collected during oocyte retrieval and were analyzed for fatty acids using gas chromatography. Fa

The most common cause of acquired thyroid dysfunction is autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), which most commonly manifests as Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) or Graves' disease (GD). The importance of vitamin D (vit D) as an immune modulator has recently been emphasized in several types of disorders. However, its significance in thyroid illnesses is not fully understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate how vitamin D affects the pathophysiology of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism in Iraqi women. One hundred Iraqi women with age ranged from 18 to 60 years participate in this research, 50 of them were hypothyroidism patients, 30 were hyperthyroidism patients and the other 20 were euthyroidism served as controls. Blood samples

     Oxidative stress (OS) may affect in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI). The aim of this study is to explore the possible relationships between OS parameters in serum and follicular fluid (FF) from infertile women with male cause infertility (n=40), women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (n=40), and women with unexplained infertility (UI)(n=45) undergoing IVF/ICSI. The collection of blood and FF samples was done at the day of oocyte aspiration. Total peroxide (TPX) level, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were measured in serum and FF; whereas, glutathione-s-transf

Clinical index is needed to predict the outcome of pregnancy after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) for infertile patients. Growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8), also known as myostatin, is one of transforming growth factor-â superfamily localized in antral follicles in normal and PCOS ovaries but its function in female reproductive system is still unknown. Aim of the study is to assess the correlation between levels of GDF8 in follicular fluid (FF) with outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF/ICSI) in women with and without PCOS. A prospective case control study was performed enrolling (40) patients with PCOS and (40) non-PCOS women (male infertility) undergoing IVF/ICSI. The collect

Background: Vitamin D deficiency/ insufficiency is common in different age groups in both genders especially among pregnant women and neonates where it is associated with several adverse outcomes including preeclampsia and preterm delivery.  

Objectives: To assess the extent of vitamin D deficiency/ insufficiency among mothers and their neonates and some factors related to it and identify some adverse outcomes of the deficiency/ insufficiency on neonates (preterm birth and low birth weight).

Subject and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 88 Iraqi pregnant women and neonates admitted to “Al-Elwiya teaching hospital for maternity” in Baghdad- Al

Objective: Detection the level of YKL-40 biochemical marker and vitamin D level in sera of Iraqi uterine cancer
females' patients.
Methodology: This study included 90 female volunteers, 30 of them were healthy volunteers who were
considered as a control group, while sixty serum samples were collected from women patients suffering from
uterine tumors (30 malignant and 30 fibroid benign tumors), benign cases were considered as a disease
control group for malignant tumors. The average age of those females was 30-75 years, which matched the
control group. All the samples were collected from Azady hospital in Kirkuk and the gynecologic department at
Medical City in Baghdad during October /2012 to May /2013. All the serum