Evaluation of oxidative stress, antioxidants and prolactin in infertile women

The objective of the study was to estimate the serum concentrations of oxidative stress markers- lipid hydroperoxide (MDA-Malondialdehyde), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), nitrite; and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) - a measure of total antioxidant capacity in serum. Serum nitrite levels were high in fertile women than in infertile women (p<0.001), whereas MDA was high in infertile women than in fertile group (p<0.018). On classifying the entire group of women with infertility based on the etiology, serum MDA and LDH levels were higher in women with infertility due to unexplained factor than in women with other causes contributing to infertility compared to controls (p<0.001, p<0.02). A positive correlation among serum prolactin and nitrite suggested that hyperprolactinemia could contribute to infertility by inducing oxidative damage. Serum FRAP levels showed no significant difference in the groups studied. Lipid peroxidation was high in women with unexplained infertility which may be due to hyperprolactinemia.