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Related Concept Videos

Infertility in Females01:28

Infertility in Females

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Female infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after a year of regular, unprotected intercourse and affects about 10–15% of couples worldwide. The primary cause of female infertility is ovulatory disorders, which hinder the release of eggs. These disorders can be classified as hypothalamic amenorrhea, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure, and hyperprolactinemic anovulation disorders.
Endometriosis, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of...
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Oogenesis02:07

Oogenesis

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In human women, oogenesis produces one mature egg cell or ovum for every precursor cell that enters meiosis. This process differs in two unique ways from the equivalent procedure of spermatogenesis in males. First, meiotic divisions during oogenesis are asymmetric, meaning that a large oocyte (containing most of the cytoplasm) and minor polar body are produced as a result of meiosis I, and again following meiosis II. Since only oocytes will go on to form embryos if fertilized, this unequal...
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Spermatogenesis01:41

Spermatogenesis

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Spermatogenesis is the process by which haploid sperm cells are produced in the male testes. It starts with stem cells located close to the outer rim of seminiferous tubules. These spermatogonial stem cells divide asymmetrically to give rise to additional stem cells (meaning that these structures “self-renew”), as well as sperm progenitors, called spermatocytes. Importantly, this method of asymmetric mitotic division maintains a population of spermatogonial stem cells in the male...
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Radical Autoxidation01:20

Radical Autoxidation

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The oxidation of an organic compound in the presence of air or oxygen is called autoxidation. For example, cumene reacts with oxygen to form hydroperoxide. Autoxidation involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. Many organic compounds are susceptible to autoxidation—especially ethers in the presence of oxygen, which form hydroperoxides. Even though this reaction is slow, old ether bottles contain small amounts of peroxide, which leads to laboratory explosions during ether...
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Infertility in Males01:23

Infertility in Males

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Male infertility affects millions of couples worldwide, arising from various factors that impact different stages of the reproductive process. An endocrine imbalance resulting from conditions like hypogonadism, Klinefelter syndrome, or pituitary disorders can disrupt hormone levels and reduce sperm production. Testicular defects, such as tumors, cryptorchidism, atrophic testes, abnormal sperm morphology, and low sperm count or motility, may arise due to genetic factors, structural...
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Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones01:17

Oxidation of Phenols to Quinones

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In the presence of oxidizing agents, phenols are oxidized to quinones. Quinones can be easily reduced back to phenols using mild reducing agents. The electron-donating hydroxyl group enhances the reactivity of the aromatic ring, enabling oxidation of the ring even in the absence of an α hydrogen.
o-hydroxy phenols are oxidized to o-quinones and p-hydroxy phenols to p-quinones. Such redox reactions involve the transfer of two electrons and two protons. The reversible redox...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Evaluation of Intracellular Location of Reactive Oxygen Species in Solea Senegalensis Spermatozoa
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Evaluation of Intracellular Location of Reactive Oxygen Species in Solea Senegalensis Spermatozoa

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Antioxidants for female subfertility.

Marian G Showell1, Rebecca Mackenzie-Proctor, Vanessa Jordan

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Auckland, Park Road Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand, 1142.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|July 29, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Supplemental oral antioxidants show very low-quality evidence of benefit for subfertile women, potentially increasing live birth and clinical pregnancy rates. However, insufficient evidence exists regarding adverse events, limiting definitive conclusions on their effectiveness.

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Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

  • Female subfertility affects up to 25% of couples trying to conceive, with 40-50% of cases linked to female factors.
  • Oxidative stress is implicated in subfertility, and antioxidants are hypothesized to mitigate its effects.
  • Existing evidence on antioxidant efficacy in improving fertility is limited and yields varied results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of supplementary oral antioxidants in improving fertility outcomes for subfertile women.
  • To compare antioxidant use against placebo, no treatment, standard treatment, or other antioxidants.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted.
  • Fifty RCTs involving 6510 women were included, comparing various oral antioxidants with placebo or no treatment.
  • Primary outcome was live birth; secondary outcomes included clinical pregnancy and adverse events. Data were pooled using a fixed-effect model.

Main Results:

  • Very low-quality evidence suggests antioxidants may increase live birth rates (OR 2.13) and clinical pregnancy rates (OR 1.52) compared to placebo.
  • No significant differences were found for miscarriage or multiple pregnancy rates.
  • Insufficient evidence exists regarding adverse events, including gastrointestinal disturbances.

Conclusions:

  • Current evidence, though suggesting potential benefits for live birth and pregnancy rates, is of very low quality.
  • There is insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of supplemental oral antioxidants for subfertile women due to significant limitations.
  • Further high-quality research is needed to clarify the role and safety of antioxidants in female subfertility management.