정상 및 불임부부에서의 혈장 동과 아연치에 관한 비교연구

A Comparative Study of Plasma Zinc and Copper Levels in Fertile and Infertile Couples

To estimate the influence of plasma copper and zinc concentration on infertility, we measured copper and zinc levels in plasma of 117 infertile women and 14 infertile men by atomic absorption spectrophotometry from January, 1987 through June, 1987 and the results were as follows. 1. The mean plasma copper level was significantly lower in infertile women than in fertile control women while mean plasma zinc level significantly higher in infertile women than in fertile control women. 2. A significant difference in the mean plasma level between infertile women with tubal and endometrial factor and normal controls was noted. 3. The mean level of copper in plasma of azoospermic patients was significantly higher than in fertile control subjects. 4. In fertile control and infertile women, no diurnal and menstrual cyclic variations in plasma zinc and copper levels were present, respectively. Also, there were no significant correlation between plasma zinc and copper levels in all studied group of subjects.