Reactive Oxygen Species and Reproduction (ROAR)

The ROAR Study: Reactive Oxygen Species and Reproduction

Observational University of California, San Francisco · NCT06831019

This study will see if oxidative stress levels in follicular fluid, blood, and sperm are linked to egg quality and IVF success for couples undergoing blastocyst culture with PGS.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment1100 (estimated)
Ages18 Years to 43 Years
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of California, San Francisco Academic / other
Locations1 site (San Francisco, California)
Trial IDNCT06831019 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a prospective cohort at UCSF enrolling women age 18–43 undergoing IVF with planned blastocyst culture and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and their male partners. Researchers will measure oxidative stress markers in follicular fluid, serum, and sperm collected on the day of egg retrieval and correlate those levels with oocyte competence judged by embryo development and pregnancy outcomes. The study will analyze the combined oxidative stress burden of each couple against IVF laboratory results and clinical pregnancy rates. Patients planning fresh transfer, cleavage-stage biopsy, or using frozen sperm are excluded, and both partners must be present on retrieval day.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are UCSF patients age 18–43 undergoing IVF with planned blastocyst culture and PGS whose male partners are available and present on the day of retrieval.

Not a fit: Patients planning fresh embryo transfer, cleavage-stage biopsy, use of frozen sperm, or who are not treated at UCSF are unlikely to qualify or benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify oxidative stress markers that predict oocyte competence and IVF success, guiding personalized interventions to improve outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: Previous observational studies have linked oxidative stress markers to poorer IVF outcomes but results have been inconsistent, making this prospective couple-level approach relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Female age 18-43 years
2. Subjects planning blastocyst culture for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) for aneuploidy.
3. Male partners 18 years of age or older.
4. Must be a registered patient at UCSF Center for Reproductive Health
5. Patient and partner must both be physically present on the day of retreival

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Female partner age 44 or older
2. Planning fresh transfer (hybrid PGS cycle)
3. Cleavage stage biopsy
4. Planning to use frozen sperm

Where this trial is running

San Francisco, California

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Ovarian AgingIVF OutcomeOxidative Stressoxidative stressovarian aging
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.