[The effect of follicular fluid pH on the quality and number of oocytes produced in the in vitro fertilization program].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of follicular fluid pH as the marker of quality of the human oocyte in the IVF treatment efforting to predict and to enhance the effect of IVF treatment: oocyte quality, fertilization rate, cleavage rate, implantation rate. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Center of assisted reproduction, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Medical Faculty of Charles University, Pilsen. METHODS: The pH of the follicular fluid was measured in 147 IVF cycles. The oocyte quality was evaluated according to the oocyte-cumulus-cells complex morphology during the ovum pick up, according to fertilization rate, number of recovered oocytes and recovery rate. RESULTS: The lower pH of the follicular fluid correlated with significant higher occurrence of the cycles with more then half of oocyte-cumulus complexes with normal mature morphology (P = 0.026) and correlated with significant higher occurrence of cycles with fertilization rate more then 10% (P = 0.033). CONCLUSION: There was found a lower pH of the follicular fluid in the IVF cycles where the quality of oocytes was higher.