A report presented recently at the World Congress of Fertility and Sterility in Munich revealed that women with poor egg quality could double their chances of conceiving through in vitro fertilization (IVF) if they take melatonin.

Bionews reported, “High levels of oxidising agents - a type of chemical compound - in the follicular fluids surrounding the egg indicate if a woman has low quality oocytes. These can 'stress' and damage the oocyte. The team took one of these agents known as 8-OHdG and measured its levels in follicular fluid samples. Levels of melatonin, which is known to have anti-oxidising effects, were also measured. The team found that, as melatonin concentration in the follicular fluids naturally increased, the level of 8-OHdG decreased, leading them to believe melatonin was linked to the reduction of the oxidising agents. They confirmed this finding in mice, and discovered that adding melatonin seemed to reduce the damage to the egg caused by the agents.”

The group set up a trial with IVF patients in which 56 women received three mg of melatonin, and 59 received none. Results showed 50 per cent of the eggs from women with melatonin were successfully fertilized, compared with 22.8 per cent in the control group. Then when the eggs were transferred to the uterus, 11 out of the total 56 conceived, as opposed to six out of 59 in the control group.

The work now needs to be confirmed with a larger test group, but it clearly holds promise, as melatonin has been shown to protect many different cells and tissues from oxidative damage—the same type of damage known to happen to oocytes.

For the complete story, go to www.bionews.org.uk/page_70654.asp