Evaluation of the effects of the dietary phytochemical index and antioxidant capacity on the ongoing pregnancy outcome in in-vitro fertilization treatment

The relationship between assisted reproductive techniques used in infertility and nutrition has attracted attention in recent years. Considering the psychological and financial burden of IVF, each study in this field is of great importance. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the total antioxidant capacity of the diet, phytochemical index, dietary inflammatory index and dietary polyphenol intake and the ongoing pregnancy outcome in couples receiving IVF. For this purpose, 189 couples who applied to two different reproductive health centers, met the inclusion criteria and underwent embryo transfer within the first three months after the interview were included in the study. Socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements and body composition analyses of the individuals were evaluated; total dietary antioxidant capacity, phytochemical index, dietary inflammatory index and dietary polyphenol intake were calculated by questioning the 24-hour dietary recall and one-year food frequency questionnaire. In addition, serum antioxidant and oxidant capacity, oxidative stress index and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) were analyzed in venous blood. It was found that the proportion of individuals with a neck circumference of 37 cm or more in men and 34 cm or more in women was higher in couples in which there was no ongoing pregnancy (p=0.007; p=0.025). No significant difference was found for other measurement results. For dietary antioxidant capacity, the FRAP-P value calculated from the 24-hour dietary recall was found to be higher in men in the group in which no ongoing pregnancy occurred (p=0.041). There were no significant results for any of the other indicators of dietary antioxidant capacity and phytochemical index. When polyphenol intakes were analyzed, phenolic acid and other polyphenol intakes were found to be significantly higher in women with ongoing pregnancy according to the 24-hour dietary recall (p=0.018; p=0.037). Dietary inflammatory index scores were found to be lower in both women and men in the ongoing pregnancy group compared to one-year food consumption frequency (p=0.040; p=0.036). Serum CRP values were also found to be lower in women with ongoing pregnancy (p=0.017). In conclusion, it was confirmed that dietary antioxidant capacity, polyphenol intake, total serum antioxidant capacity, oxidant capacity and CRP levels may be important in couples receiving in-vitro fertilization treatment.