Publications by authors named "Aleyamma Kunjummen"
Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the common causes of anovulatory infertility among women in the reproductive age group. Women with PCOS and obesity often have difficulty in conceiving, and they are more prone for developing metabolic syndrome. Lifestyle modification plays a key role in women with PCOS, who are overweight or obese and is recommended as a first line management option.
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- The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a combination treatment of Letrozole and Clomiphene Citrate versus Letrozole alone for inducing ovulation in infertile women with PCOS.
- Conducted as a randomized controlled trial from September 2020 to March 2023, it involved 120 women who were randomly assigned to either treatment group over three menstrual cycles.
- Results showed no significant differences in ovulation rates, clinical pregnancy rates, or live birth rates between the two groups, indicating that the combination treatment did not provide additional benefits over Letrozole alone.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates how dietary habits affect the semen quality of South-Asian men, focusing on nutrient intake and dietary patterns through the analysis of 162 men aged 21-40 undergoing infertility evaluation.
- - Results indicate that men with normal semen characteristics have a higher intake of the "coastal diet," which includes seafood, fish, and coconut oil, compared to those with abnormal characteristics.
- - A significant negative correlation was found between the consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and semen quality, highlighting the potential benefits of the "coastal diet" while suggesting more research is needed for conclusive results.
Background: While elective single-embryo transfer (eSET) has been advocated in select countries, the global acceptance of the eSET policy has been undermined due to various issues. It is imperative to understand the couples' perspectives regarding the number of embryos transferred.
Aims: We planned a study to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of infertile couples undergoing assisted reproductive technology towards eSET in self-funded treatment cycles in a low-resource setting.
Background: In IVF/ICSI treatment, the process of embryo implantation is the success rate-limiting step. Endometrial scratching has been suggested to improve this process, but it is unclear if this procedure increases the chance of implantation and live birth (LB) and, if so, for whom, and how the scratch should be performed.
Objective And Rationale: This individual participant data meta-analysis (IPD-MA) aims to answer the question of whether endometrial scratching in women undergoing IVF/ICSI influences the chance of a LB, and whether this effect is different in specific subgroups of women.
Objective: We planned a study to evaluate the impact of selecting hysterosalpingography (HSG) over diagnostic laparoscopy during initial fertility evaluation on IUI treatment outcomes in couples diagnosed with unexplained infertility.
Methods: The study comprised a retrospective cohort and included couples evaluated for infertility at our tertiary level hospital between January 2008 and December 2019. Couples diagnosed with unexplained infertility based on tubal patency tests (either HSG or diagnostic laparoscopy) were included.
The aim of this study is to compare the ART (assisted reproductive technology) outcomes and cancellation rates between GnRH antagonist protocol and GnRH agonist short protocol in POSEIDON (Patient-Oriented Strategy Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number) groups 3 and 4. It is a retrospective cohort study conducted in the Department of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery of a tertiary-level hospital. Women who underwent ART treatment with either GnRH antagonist or GnRH agonist short protocol with fresh embryo transfer, between January 2012 and December 2019 belonging to POSEIDON 3 and 4 groups, were included.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The duration of cryopreservation of embryos and its effect on the subsequent pregnancy outcomes, when they have been frozen for a longer duration remains a matter of concern. There is a continuous debate among studies comparing different durations of embryo cryopreservation as the results are contradictory.
Aims: This study aims to find out if long-term cryopreservation of embryos has any effect on pregnancy and perinatal outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- Infertility is a significant global health issue, and previous studies show that the prevalence of unexplained infertility can vary based on the type of investigation conducted, creating a need to understand how minimal and mild endometriosis affects treatment outcomes after intrauterine insemination (IUI).
- This study aimed to compare the success rates of ovarian stimulation and IUI in women with minimal and mild endometriosis against those with unexplained infertility, using data from women treated at Christian Medical College, Vellore, from 2014 to 2020.
- The results indicated that there were no significant differences in key outcomes, such as clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate, between the two groups, suggesting that minimal and mild end
Aim: Assisted reproductive technique (ART) has emerged as the highest form of treatment for infertile couples. Transvaginal oocyte retrieval is currently performed under conscious sedation in most centers. Since it is a relatively painful procedure, a number of adjuvant therapies have been tried to improve pain relief during the procedure.
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- The study explored infertile couples' knowledge, anxiety levels, and attitudes towards COVID-19 and its influence on their decisions regarding self-funded fertility treatments.
- Despite high awareness of the pandemic, couples reported low anxiety levels and expressed a desire to continue with treatment during COVID-19.
- Conducted from May to November 2020, the research involved a questionnaire survey of 502 participants at an infertility clinic during a peak period of COVID-19 infections in India.
Background: It is well known that seasonal variations influence natural conception and birth rates variably in different populations. It has been hypothesised that similar seasonal influences may affect treatment outcomes following assisted reproductive technology (ART). However, most studies report conflicting results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: One in seven couples is infertile and ovulatory dysfunction accounts for 25% of the cases. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy associated with ovulatory dysfunction. Traditionally, clomiphene is considered the first-line drug for infertile PCOS women.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPerinatal Outcomes Using Ejaculate versus Surgical Sperm Retrieval in Patients Undergoing Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection for Male Infertility - A Retrospective Analysis of 628 Cycles.
J Hum Reprod Sci
March 2021
Background: Men with azoospermia undergoing a surgical sperm retrieval are anxious about the well-being of the baby. It is therefore important to study the perinatal outcomes in this group compared to the ejaculate sample group.
Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the perinatal outcomes between ejaculate and surgical sperm retrieval (SSR) groups in couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection for male factor.
Study Question: Do live birth outcomes differ when Patient-Oriented Strategy Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number (POSEIDON) stratified groups are compared with women with good prognosis (non-POSEIDON group) undergoing ART?
Summary Answer: The current study showed no significant difference in the live birth rates (LBRs) per embryo transfer between POSEIDON groups 1 and 2 when compared with women in the non-POSEIDON group undergoing ART.
What Is Known Already: Recently, there has been a lot of focus on the POSEIDON classification for low prognosis women undergoing ART and various management options have been advocated. For POSEIDON groups 1 and 2, low starting dose and gonadotrophin receptor polymorphism have been suggested as possible reasons for a hyporesponse, and increasing the starting gonadotrophin dose, the addition of recombinant LH and dual stimulation have been suggested as treatment options.
Dietary pattern characterisation among subfertile South Asian women and the impact of vitamin B12 intake on frozen embryo transfer outcomes: a cross-sectional study.
Hum Reprod Open
February 2021
Study Question: Is there a difference in dietary patterns among subfertile South Asian women undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET)?
Summary Answer: Significant regional differences in dietary pattern exist among subfertile South Asian women undergoing FET.
What Is Known Already: Preconception consumption of certain food groups or adopting specific dietary patterns, such as the 'Mediterranean diet', and its level of adherence have been shown to enhance the odds of achieving a successful pregnancy in women undergoing ART. However, differences in geographic location, individual preference, cultural beliefs and local availability contribute to such dietary choices.
Study Question: Does oral antioxidant pretreatment for the male partner improve clinical pregnancy rate in couples undergoing ART for male factor subfertility?
Summary Answer: There was no significant difference in clinical pregnancy rate following oral antioxidant pretreatment for male partner in couples undergoing ART for male factor subfertility compared to no pretreatment.
What Is Known Already: Damage to sperm mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributes significantly to male factor infertility. The ROS-related injury reduces fertilization potential and adversely affects the sperm DNA integrity.
Article Synopsis
- A study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of subfertile couples in the Indian subcontinent about what to do with excess cryopreserved embryos after assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments.
- Out of 87 couples interviewed, 38% were unaware of their options, with most preferring to donate embryos to other infertile couples rather than discontinue storage.
- The study found that demographics like age, education, and income didn't significantly affect couples' decisions on embryo donation, emphasizing a strong inclination towards donating instead of abandonment.
Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the perinatal outcomes between singletons following vanishing twin phenomenon and singletons arising from initial single gestational sac following assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment.
Setting And Design: This was a retrospective cohort study.
Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort study included analysis of all singleton births following ART over a period of 7 years (January 2010 -December 2016).
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to analyze and compare body composition, metabolic features, and insulin resistance in obese versus nonobese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) alongside their controls who were matched for age and body mass index (BMI).
- Out of 81 women with PCOS, a significant portion was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, with higher rates seen in the obese group, alongside notable insulin resistance, particularly in the obese category.
- Both groups of PCOS women showed increased total body fat and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) compared to their controls, indicating that nonobese PCOS women face similar metabolic risks as their obese counterparts.
Objective: To study influence of abstinence period on the live-birth rate after assisted reproductive technology (ART).
Design: Retrospective cohort study.
Setting: Reproductive medicine unit, university-level hospital.
Aim: The aim of the study was to measure patient's satisfaction level and acceptance of conscious sedation as a method of pain relief following transvaginal oocyte retrieval (TVOR) during assisted reproduction technology treatment. We also evaluated the factors that may influence the efficacy of conscious sedation method.
Setting And Design: A prospective cross-sectional study.
Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a transvaginal approach for chorionic villous sampling (CVS).
Methods: We carried out a retrospective data analysis of all the transvaginal CVS procedures performed for the purpose of prenatal diagnosis in a university-level referral center between January 2000 and December 2014. Women underwent the prenatal testing between 10 and 17 weeks of gestation mainly for hematological disorders involving single gene defects.
Background: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the role of Progesterone/ Estradiol (P4/E2) ratio as a predictive tool for clinical pregnancy in ART cycles with a premature progesterone rise of >1.5 ng/ml on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) trigger.
Methods: Retrospective analysis was done on 569 fresh embryo transfer cycles from January 2011 to December 2012 at the infertility unit of a tertiary care hospital.