Involvement of phenotypes and serum levels of haptoglobin in the outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

Haptoglobin (Hp) possesses many functions in the immune system and angiogenesis as well as scavenging released hemoglobin, and thus it is speculated that Hp may also play a critical role in the reproductive process, To investigate the possible involvement of Hp in the outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET), the serum Hp of 50 patients who underwent IVF-ET was analyzed by the Western blot method. The results showed a higher pregnancy rate in the patients with the Hp2-2 phenotype (38%) than in those with the Hp2-1 phenotype (16%) (p = 0.08), and the serum alpha2 subunit levels in the patients who achieved pregnancy within four attempts at IVF-ET were higher than in the others (p < 0.05), The results of this study suggest that Hp is involved in the outcome of IVF-ET, Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG. Basel.