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Observational Study
. 2023 Dec 9;15(24):5059.
doi: 10.3390/nu15245059.

Seasonal Serum 25(OH) Vitamin D Level and Reproductive or Immune Markers in Reproductive-Aged Women with Infertility: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study in East Japan

Kuniaki Ota  1   2   3 , Junichiro Mitsui  3   4 , Shoko Katsumata  3   4 , Yuko Takayanagi  3 , Yurie Nako  3 , Makiko Tajima  3 , Akira Komiya  3 , Toshifumi Takahashi  1 , Kiyotaka Kawai  3   4
Affiliations
Observational Study

Seasonal Serum 25(OH) Vitamin D Level and Reproductive or Immune Markers in Reproductive-Aged Women with Infertility: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study in East Japan

Kuniaki Ota et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Several studies have reported that vitamin D may modify human reproductive functions; however, the results are conflicting. We aimed to comprehensively evaluate serum vitamin D levels and examine the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and ovarian reserve markers, and immune markers of implantation, in reproductive-aged Japanese women with infertility.in reproductive-aged women with infertility. This cross-sectional, single-center study included reproductive-aged women who underwent preconception screening for fertility. Serum vitamin D levels and reproductive and immune markers were measured. Standard and advanced statistical techniques were used. We observed a statistically significant difference in the seasonal and monthly 25(OH) vitamin D levels; the 25(OH) vitamin D level during winter was the lowest among all seasons. However, there was no linear correlation between 25(OH) vitamin D levels and ovarian reserve markers, such as follicle-stimulating hormone and anti-Müllerian hormone, or the Th1/Th2 cell ratio, which is used as an implantation-related immunological marker. In this large-scale study, we evaluated the serum 25(OH) vitamin D concentration in reproductive-aged women with infertility in Japan; however, there was no association between reproductive function and vitamin D levels.

Keywords: Th1/Th2; anti-Müllerian hormone; conception; fertility; follicle-stimulating hormone; immune markers; infertility; ovarian reserve; reproduction; vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Frequency distribution of 25(OH) vitamin D.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage of infertile women with 25(OH) vitamin D status.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Seasonal status of 25(OH) vitamin D.
Figure 4
Figure 4
25(OH)Vitamin D concentrations based on month of serum collection. * p < 0.05, and ** p < 0.001 compared with February (one-way ANOVA test).
Figure 5
Figure 5
The correlation of seasonal 25(OH)Vitamin D versus reproductive markers of ovarian reserves with AMH and FSH. Upper: The correlation between AMH and 25(OH) vitamin D in four seasons; spring (a), summer (b), autumn (c), and winter (d) visualized by a scatter plot in a linear scale. Lower: The correlation between FSH and 25(OH) vitamin D in four seasons; spring (e), summer (f), autumn (g), and winter (h) visualized by a scatter plot in a linear scale.
Figure 6
Figure 6
The correlation of degree of deviation of 25(OH)vitamin D level versus implantation marker with Th1/Th2 cell ratio. The correlation between AMH and populations of 25(OH) vitamin D; total (a), vitamin D deficiency (b), vitamin D insufficiency (c), and vitamin D sufficiency (d) visualized by a scatter plot in a linear scale.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The correlation of seasonal 25(OH)Vitamin D versus implantation marker with Th1/Th2 cell ratio. The correlation between 25(OH) vitamin D and Th1/Th2 cell ratio in four seasons; spring (a), summer (b), autumn (c), and winter (d) visualized by a scatter plot in a linear scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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