Associations of Biotin Levels in Serum and Follicular Fluid With ICSI Success: A Cross-Sectional Study From Iraq

Biotin (vitamin B7) has been identified as an essential cofactor within metabolism and gene expression. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of biotin within serum and follicular fluid aspirates among infertile women undergoing IVF cycles and to compare these levels with ovulation sensitivity and rates of pregnancy.

In this observational study with 50 patients with infertility receiving intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment, women were classified according to ovarian responsiveness to anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels and the number of retrieved eggs. At the time of egg retrieval, the levels of biotin in the blood and the ovarian fluid were tested. The study maintained strict reporting according to the STROBE criteria.

There was no significant difference with respect to either serum levels or follicular fluids' biotin among normal responders, poor responders, and hyperresponders. In contrast, there was an inverse correlation between the values of follicular biotin and AMH (p = 0.033) and BMI (p = 0.022). The data revealed that higher numbers of total and mature oocytes had significant influences on the outcome of pregnancies (p = 0.032 and p = 0.014), respectively; however, higher values of either serum fluids' biotin or follicular fluids' biotin had no significant effect.

Concentrations in serum and follicular fluid of biotin do not play any role in IVF outcome. The negative correlation with AMH and BMI levels might indicate the role of biotin in the ovaries as an indicator of ovarian metabolism. The result provides valuable data in understanding the possible role of biotin in the microenvironment of the ovaries and the need to study it further.