Elevated Salivary Antioxidant Biomarkers Are Favorable for Clinical Pregnancy in Women Undergoing Ivf: A Prospective Cohort Study Publisher

Summary: What does your saliva say about IVF outcomes? Research suggests that higher antioxidant levels in saliva may correlate with successful treatments. Could this be a game changer? #IVF #OxidativeStress

Ghafarpoor M ; Gholizadeh N ; Alyasin A ; Mirzaiidizgah I ; Bahmaee M ; Sheykhbahaei N
Source: Health Science Reports Published:2026

Abstract

Background and Aims: The imbalance of oxidants and antioxidants mediates cell damage through a phenomenon known as oxidative stress. The increase in fertility problems led to a growing focus on factors that affect the outcome of reproductive- assisted treatments. This study aimed to investigate the levels of oxidant–antioxidants in serum and saliva, as systemic sources of oxidative stress, in relation to the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Methods: This study was conducted on 80 women who were candidates for frozen embryo transfer. Serum and saliva samples were collected from these individuals according to standardized protocols before embryo transfer. The levels of MDA, SOD, TOC, and TAC in serum and saliva were measured using ELISA kits, and the relationship between these biomarkers and IVF outcomes was evaluated using t-tests. Results: The serum and salivary SOD and TAC were significantly higher (p = 0.012, p = 0.022, p = 0.037, p = 0.020, respectively), the serum and saliva MDA, TOS, and OSI were significantly lower (p = 0.031, p = 0.012, p = 0.019, p = 0.036, respectively) in women with positive beta hCG (β-hCG) compared to those with negative β-hCG. The independent predictor's role of salivary TAC, and TOS and serum SOD, TOS, and OSI was comfirmed by a logistic regression model. Based on ROC analysis, serum and salivary TOS had the highest predictive value (AUC = 0.65). Conclusion: The women with positive β-hCG had elevated levels of antioxidants and decreased levels of oxidant biomarkers in both serum and saliva. Further research is needed to confirm saliva as a readily available medium for predicting IVF treatment outcomes. © 2026 The Author(s). Health Science Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.