STUDY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRACE ELEMENTS AND HORMONES AMONG JORDANIAN INFERTILE WOMEN
Aya A. Alwais, *Abdul-Wahab R. Hamad, Maher Obiadat and Hala I. Al-Al-Daghistani
ABSTRACT
Background: Infertility is the inability of couples to achieve pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse.
Different causes are associated with female infertility including ovulation, hormonal failure, tubal damage, in
addition unexplained causes of infertility. Therefore, this study was initiated to determine the relationship between
serum hormonal profile (follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol β-17, and
testosterone. Methods: Hormones were detected by Competitive Chemoluminescent Enzyme Immunoassay and
trace elements (Zn, Cu, Cr, Mg, Mn, Fe, and Se) measured by atomic absorption in infertile and fertile women.
One hundred and thirty eight females including 88(63.8%) infertile females, [50 (56.8%) cases with primary
infertility and 38 (43.2%) with secondary infertility], and 50 (36.2%) fertile were enrolled in this study. The
duration of infertility was 7.61±4.42 years and the mean ages of the infertile females were (30.68±6.86) years.
Results: No significant relation was observed between smoking habits and female infertility. The most common
cause of female infertility was ovulation and hormonal factors (52.6%), followed by tubal factor (19.2%).
However, 28.2% of the females showed no apparent causes of infertility (unexplained infertility). Hormonal study
showed that the infertile females exhibit a significant reduction in the mean serum level of FSH, LH, and estradiol
as compared to fertile, whereas the mean testosterone level was significantly higher in infertile group. In addition,
the mean testosterone, estradiol β-17, and FSH concentrations were higher among non-smoker females. The
current study showed a significant decrease in the mean concentration of Zn, Cu, Mg, Fe, Cr and Mn in the serum
of infertile females in compared to that observed in fertile. The mean serum concentration of Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn, Fe,
Cr, Se, among infertile females was: 795.87ug/L, 1091.89ug/L, 8.78mg/ml, 693,97mg/L, 31.83ng/ml, 86.88ng/ml,
and 11.17mg/ml, as compared to 1176.4ug/L, 1713.0ug/L, 14.95mg/ml, 1223.40mg/L, 73.92ng/ml, 124.46ng/ml,
and 20.27mg/ml in fertile females, respectively. However, the mean trace elements level in infertile females with
primary or secondary causes doesn’t show any significant differences. No statistically significant effect of
smoking on trace elements concentration in females with infertility. Conclusion: a significant increase in
testosterone and a significant decrease in estradiol, FSH, LH was observed among infertile female. A significant
reduction in Zn, Cu, Mg, Fe, Cr and Se was observed in infertile.
Keywords: follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol ?-17, testosterone, Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), and Selenium (Se).
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