Vitamin D and IVF success: key data and recommendations

A deficiency in vitamin D could be one of the reasons why some couples experience difficulties with IVF programs, according to research conducted by scientists in the city of Perth, Western Australia. Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating fertility by affecting hormonal balance, ovarian function, and embryo quality.

Researchers from Curtin University studied the oocytes of 300 women undergoing fertility treatment and found that patients deficient in vitamin D had significantly lower chances of obtaining a good quality embryo to transfer into the uterus. However, factors such as patient age, the presence of comorbidities, partner sperm quality, and adherence to the in vitro fertilization protocol may have influenced the outcomes.

“Women with normal vitamin D levels had 3.5 times higher chances of having a successful embryo,” said researcher Nikita Walz.

Participants and Study Objectives

The study participants were Nikita L Walz, Peter M Hinchliffe, Mario J Soares, Satvinder S Dhaliwal, Philip Newsholme, John L Yovich, and Kevin N Keane.

Study Subject: “Serum vitamin D levels are associated with increased blastocyst development rates in women undergoing IVF.”

OBJECTIVE: To determine how vitamin D status affects embryological outcomes, clinical pregnancies, and live births in women undergoing IVF. This question is of paramount importance as vitamin D deficiency may be a hidden factor limiting the success of reproductive programs. The results will help clinicians develop personalized approaches to infertility treatment.

Study Methodology

Design: Cross-sectional observational study conducted in a private university clinic specializing in in vitro fertilization. The study involved 287 women, each having undergone an IVF cycle with fresh embryo transfer.

• 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels (a form of Vitamin D) were measured in serum on the day of oocyte retrieval.
• The following parameters were assessed:
  • Blastocyst development rate;
  • Clinical pregnancy rates;
  • Live birth outcomes.

Key Findings

Blastocyst Development

• Adequate vitamin D levels (≥20 ng/ml) were associated with a higher blastocyst development rate, better blastocyst quality, and successful embryo cryopreservation.
• The likelihood of having adequate vitamin D levels increased by 32% for each additional blastocyst per cycle (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.10-1.58, P = 0.002).

Clinical Pregnancy and Live Births

• The incidence of clinical pregnancies was 40.7% in the group with normal vitamin D levels, compared to 30.8% in the deficient group (P = 0.086). Although the difference seems significant, it is not statistically significant (P > 0.05), which may indicate the need for a larger sample size to draw conclusions.
• The live birth rate was 32.9% versus 25.8% (P = 0.195), which is also not statistically significant.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The study confirmed that adequate levels of vitamin D have a positive effect on blastocyst development. However, no association with clinical pregnancy outcomes or live births has yet been identified.

Perspectives

• Further studies with larger samples are necessary to determine the influence of vitamin D on clinical outcomes in IVF.
• Investigating the mechanisms linking vitamin D to embryo quality could pave the way for new approaches to improve the success of reproductive programs.

Recommendations

For patients undergoing IVF, it is recommended to

• Monitor Vitamin D: regular measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels.
• Correct Vitamin D Deficiency:
  • Take supplements as prescribed by a doctor;
  • Increase time spent outdoors to promote natural vitamin D production by the skin;
  • Include foods rich in vitamin D in your diet (fatty fish, eggs, fortified dairy products).

These measures may increase the chances of success in in vitro fertilization and improve overall reproductive prognosis.