Evaluation of embryo quality after concurrent use of ovarian stimulating hormones and gamma irradiation

Background: Radiotherapy has many side effects on fertilization in young women. Radiation can lead to ovarian failure in women who underwent abdomen or pelvic radiotherapy. Objective: This study helps us to investigate ovarian response of NMRI female mice to ovarian stimulating hormones (PMSG, HCG) after whole-body gamma irradiation. Materials and Methods: 45 pregnant mice were divided into two groups of control and experimental. The experimental group was classified into three sub-groups: Irradiation group (2 or 4Gy),Superovulation group (10 or 15IU),and superovulation and gamma-radiation group (2Gy & 10IU, 2Gy & 15IU, 4Gy & 10IU,4Gy & 15IU). Female mice were killed and embryos were removed from oviduct .The number of embryos cells counted and the quality of them was evaluated in each group. Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test were used to analyze the data. Results: There was a significant difference in the number of 2-4 cells grade D embryos in 2Gy & 15IU group compared with control and 2Gy groups (p=0.01), and the number of embryos in 4Gy group was more than in 10IU and 15IU (p=0.03) and 2Gy & 15IU groups (p=0.01). It was more significantly embryos in 4Gy & 15IU group compared to 2Gy & 15IU group (p=0.01).In addition There were no significant differences in the number of 2-4 cells grades A, B and C embryos and also number of 4-8 cells grades A, B and C, D embryos in groups. Conclusion: The concurrent use of ovulation stimulating hormones and gamma rays ameliorates this problem of drastic decrease in number of living embryos due to whole-body irradiation.