Soy food intake and treatment outcomes of women undergoing assisted reproductive technology

Abstract

Objective: To study the relation of dietary phytoestrogens intake and clinical outcomes of women undergoing infertility treatment with the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Fertility center.

Patient(s): A total of 315 women who collectively underwent 520 ART cycles from 2007 to 2013.

Intervention(s): None.

Main outcome measure(s): Implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates per initiated cycle.

Result(s): Soy isoflavones intake was positively related to live birth rates in ART. Compared with women who did not consume soy isoflavones, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios of live birth (95% confidence interval) for women in increasing categories of soy isoflavones intake were 1.32 (0.76-2.27) for women consuming 0.54-2.63 mg/d, 1.87 (1.12-3.14) for women consuming 2.64-7.55 mg/d, and 1.77 (1.03-3.03) for women consuming 7.56-27.89 mg/d.

Conclusion(s): Dietary soy intake was positively related to the probability of having a live birth during infertility treatment with ART.

Keywords: Cohort studies; assisted reproductive techniques; isoflavones; phytoestrogens; soy foods.