Table 1.
Fatty acid composition of follicular fluid from small and large follicles from women undergoing a controlled ovarian stimulation cycle (n = 54 women)
| Fatty acid | Small follicles | Large follicles | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT | 36.52 ± 0.34 | 36.32 ± 0.35 | 0.621 |
| Myristic (14:0) | 0.86 ± 0.06 | 0.73 ± 0.05 | 0.029 |
| Pentadecanoic (15:0) | 0.31 ± 0.02 | 0.25 ± 0.01 | 0.001 |
| Palmitic (16:0) | 22.77 ± 0.27 | 22.85 ± 0.27 | 0.798 |
| Heptadecanoic (17:0) | 0.36 ± 0.03 | 0.31 ± 0.01 | 0.134 |
| Stearic (18:0) | 9.45 ± 0.13 | 9.35 ± 0.12 | 0.543 |
| Nonadecanoic (19:0) | 0.08 ± 0.01 | 0.09 ± 0.01 | 0.304 |
| Arachidic (20:0) | 0.34 ± 0.01 | 0.33 ± 0.01 | 0.509 |
| Henicosanoic (21:0) | 0.27 ± 0.02 | 0.32 ± 0.03 | 0.035 |
| Behenic (22:0) | 0.91 ± 0.02 | 0.91 ± 0.02 | 0.984 |
| Tricosanoic (23:0) | 0.32 ± 0.01 | 0.34 ± 0.01 | 0.003 |
| Lignoceric (24:0) | 0.65 ± 0.01 | 0.67 ± 0.02 | 0.046 |
| Pentacosanoic (25:0) | 0.08 ± 0.01 | 0.07 ± 0.01 | 0.298 |
| MUFA | 22.52 ± 0.49 | 22.59 ± 0.74 | 0.931 |
| Myristoleic (14:1n-5) | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.02 ± 0.00 | 0.142 |
| Trans-palmitoleic (16:1n-7 trans) | 0.09 ± 0.01 | 0.06 ± 0.01 | 0.019 |
| Palmitoleic (16:1n-7 cis) | 1.18 ± 0.05 | 1.13 ± 0.06 | 0.191 |
| Elaidic (18:1n-9 trans) | 0.14 ± 0.01 | 0.23 ± 0.05 | 0.082 |
| Oleic (18:1n-9 cis) | 17.78 ± 0.45 | 17.80 ± 0.64 | 0.973 |
| Vaccenic (18:1n-7) | 1.58 ± 0.03 | 1.55 ± 0.03 | 0.417 |
| Eicosenoic (20:1n-9) | 0.32 ± 0.01 | 0.34 ± 0.02 | 0.385 |
| Nervonic (24:1n-9) | 1.40 ± 0.04 | 1.47 ± 0.04 | 0.017 |
| PUFA | 40.95 ± 0.50 | 41.08 ± 0.56 | 0.792 |
| n-6 PUFA | 37.00 ± 0.51 | 36.89 ± 0.54 | 0.814 |
| Linoelaidic (18:2n-6 trans) | 0.07 ± 0.01 | 0.08 ± 0.01 | 0.296 |
| Linoleic (18:2n-6 cis) | 26.12 ± 0.43 | 25.59 ± 0.44 | 0.100 |
| γ-Linolenic (18:3n-6) | 0.19 ± 0.01 | 0.18 ± 0.01 | < 0.001 |
| Eicosadienoic (20:2n-6) | 0.39 ± 0.01 | 0.36 ± 0.01 | 0.002 |
| Dihomo-γ-linolenic (20:3n-6) | 1.76 ± 0.06 | 1.88 ± 0.07 | < 0.001 |
| Arachidonic (20:4n-6) | 7.88 ± 0.26 | 8.26 ± 0.25 | 0.012 |
| Docosatetraenoic (22:4n-6) | 0.36 ± 0.01 | 0.31 ± 0.01 | 0.001 |
| Docosapentaenoic (22:5n-6) | 0.23 ± 0.01 | 0.22 ± 0.01 | 0.281 |
| n-3 PUFA | 3.95 ± 0.15 | 4.20 ± 0.17 | < 0.001 |
| α-Linolenic (18:3n-3) | 0.25 ± 0.02 | 0.18 ± 0.01 | < 0.001 |
| Eicosapentaenoic (20:5n-3) | 0.57 ± 0.05 | 0.63 ± 0.06 | 0.038 |
| Docosapentaenoic (22:5n-3) | 0.36 ± 0.01 | 0.38 ± 0.02 | 0.014 |
| DHA (22:6n-3) | 2.77 ± 0.10 | 3.01 ± 0.11 | < 0.001 |
| n-6/n-3 ratio | 10.13 ± 0.42 | 9.60 ± 0.41 | < 0.001 |
| Double bond index | 137.67 ± 1.21 | 139.86 ± 1.15 | 0.011 |
| Chain length | 17.94 ± 0.02 | 17.98 ± 0.02 | < 0.001 |
| Peroxidizability index | 0.91 ± 0.02 | 0.94 ± 0.02 | 0.024 |
| 20:4n-6/18:2n-6 ratio | 0.30 ± 0.01 | 0.33 ± 0.01 | < 0.001 |
Note: Data are expressed as the percentage of total moles of measured fatty acids and are the mean ± standard error of the mean
DHA docosahexaenoic acid, MUFA total monounsaturated fatty acids, PUFA total polyunsaturated fatty acids, SAT total saturated fatty acids