Medically assisted reproduction (MAR) with sperm donation: Comparison of the profiles and medical pathways of unmarried women and women in heterosexual couples.

Research Question: The legislation allowing unmarried women to undergo medically assisted reproduction (MAR) with sperm donation was adopted in France on August 2, 2021. This major advancement, and its impact on French society, led us to a closer examination of the requests made by unmarried women and the outcomes of ART attempts.

Design: A retrospective single center cohort study was conducted in a fertility center in Paris, France.

Impact of testicular cancer on sperm small non-coding RNA signature: a pilot study.

Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs) are the most common tumours in young adults of European ancestry. The high heritability and the constantly increased incidence, which has doubled over the last 20 years, strongly suggest that both genetic and environmental factors are likely to shape the TGCT susceptibility. While genome-wide association studies have identified loci associated with TGCT susceptibility, the role played by environmental molecular vectors in TGCT susceptibility remains unclear.

A Machine Learning Approach for the Prediction of Testicular Sperm Extraction in Nonobstructive Azoospermia: Algorithm Development and Validation Study.

Background: Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) is an essential therapeutic tool for the management of male infertility. However, it is an invasive procedure with a success rate up to 50%. To date, no model based on clinical and laboratory parameters is sufficiently powerful to accurately predict the success of sperm retrieval in TESE.

Motivations and personality characteristics of candidate sperm and oocyte donors according to parenthood status: a national study from the French CECOS network.

Study Question: In a non-commercial national gamete donation programme, do the motivations and personality characteristics of candidate sperm and oocyte donors differ according to their parenthood status?

Summary Answer: Moderate differences exist between non-parent and parent candidate donors in motivations for gamete donation and representations as well as in personality characteristics.

What Is Known Already: Several studies have analysed the motivations and experiences of oocyte or sperm donors, but mainly in countries where gamete donation is a commercial transaction, and very few studies have reported results of personality traits using personality inventory tests. No study has specifically investigated the motivations and personality characteristics of candidate gamete donors according to parenthood status.

Association between metabolic disorders and seminal plasma miRNA levels: a pilot study.

Background: Excess weight and metabolic disorders have a negative impact on male reproductive functions. The mechanisms involved are numerous and complex and epigenetic mechanisms may also be involved, notably through the small non-coding RNAs. Among them, microRNAs (miRNAs) are of particular interest.

Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) outcomes in the context of malignant disease: a systematic review.

Advances in the oncology field have led to improved survival rates. Consequently, quality of life after remission is anticipated, which includes the possibility to conceive children. Since cancer treatments are potentially gonadotoxic, fertility preservation must be proposed.

Semen Cryopreservation in Adolescents and Young Adults with Hematologic Diseases: from Bed to Benchside.

Infertility in adolescents and young adult (AYA) survivors of malignant disease remains a major long-term adverse effect, but semen collection for fertility preservation in fertility centers is not always feasible and makes AYAs uncomfortable. We evaluated the feasibility of collecting sperm samples on the ward versus in fertility centers. Consecutive hospitalized AYA-aged male patients in the Hematology AYA unit (Saint-Louis Hospital, France) between August 2010 and June 2016 with hematological disease and indication of semen collection ( = 95) were included in this retrospective study.

Domestic use of pesticides during early periods of development and risk of testicular germ cell tumors in adulthood: a French nationwide case-control study.

Background: Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT) are the most frequent cancers in young men in developed countries and their incidence rate has doubled worldwide over the past 40 years. Early life exposures to pesticides are suspected to increase TGCT risk. Our research aimed at estimating adult TGCT risk associated with parental domestic use of pesticides during early periods of child development.

Reproductive functions and fertility preservation in transgender women: a French case series.

Research Question: The reproductive potential of transgender people may be impaired by gender-affirming hormone treatment (GAHT) and is obviously suppressed by gender-affirming surgery involving bilateral orchiectomy. The evolution of medical support for transgender people has made fertility preservation strategies possible. Fertility preservation in transgender women mainly relies on sperm cryopreservation.

Effect of hydroxyurea exposure before puberty on sperm parameters in males with sickle cell disease.

Sperm parameters are known to be impaired in men with sickle cell disease (SCD). Although treatment with hydroxyurea (HU) has an impact on sperm quality, sperm preservation is impossible before puberty. This study's primary objective was to analyze and compare sperm parameters in male patients with SCD exposed (or not) to HU before puberty.

Donor sperm insemination after failed intra-couple intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Unlabelled: The purpose of the present multicenter study was to investigate whether an artificial insemination with donor sperm (AID) procedure after intra-couple intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) failure offers a significant chance of pregnancy and to identify prognostic factors for pregnancy after an AID procedure. An eleven-year retrospective multicenter study was conducted among 13 Centre d'Etude et de Conservation des Oeufs et du Sperme (CECOS) centers. A total of 319 couples having undergone an AID procedure after intra-conjugal ICSI failure were included in this study; a total of 1,159 AID and 1,011 intra-conjugal ICSI cycles were performed.

Sperm aneuploidy after testicular cancer treatment: data from a prospective multicenter study performed within the French Centre d'Étude et de Conservation des Oeufs et du Sperme network.

Objective: To study sperm aneuploidy in a population of testicular cancer (TC) patients treated with the use of either bleomycin-etoposide-cisplatin (BEP) chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Design: Multicenter prospective longitudinal study of TC patients analyzed before treatment and after 3, 6, 12, and 24 months (T3-T24).

Patient(s): Fifty-four TC patients and a control group of 10 fertile sperm donors.

Impact of Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma and their treatments on sperm aneuploidy: a prospective study by the French CECOS network.

Objective: To assess sperm production and aneuploidy in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) before and after treatments.

Design: Multicenter, prospective, longitudinal study of lymphoma patients analyzed before treatment and after 3, 6, 12, and 24 months.

Setting: University hospitals.

Survey of 243 ART patients having made a final disposition decision about their surplus cryopreserved embryos: the crucial role of symbolic embryo representation.

Study Question: In couples who have chosen and confirmed the fate of surplus frozen embryos, which factors influence their decision, with a special emphasis on their symbolic representation of the embryo(s)?

Summary Answer: Embryo representation and gamete donation use significantly influence the fate of surplus cryopreserved embryos.

What Is Known Already: Previous studies report difficulties for couples to decide whether or not to continue storing their frozen embryo(s) and different factors have been already highlighted which influence their decision, including embryo conceptualization, information and support provided by the medical institution, quality of embryo(s) and life events. Little is known, however, about couples who definitely decided to stop their parental project and finalized the process of decision-making about the fate of their cryopreserved embryo(s).

Sperm cryopreservation in adolescents and young adults with cancer: results of the French national sperm banking network (CECOS).

Objective: To determine the feasibility of fertility preservation in adolescent males with cancer.

Design: Large multicenter retrospective study of male patients ≤20 years from 23 centers of a national network of sperm banks over a 34-year period.

Setting: Sperm banks.

Simultaneous vitality and DNA-fragmentation measurement in spermatozoa of smokers and non-smokers.

Background: Because cigarette smoke is a powerful ROS producer, we hypothesized that the spermatozoa of smokers would be more at risk of having increased DNA fragmentation than spermatozoa of non-smoking men.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on consenting smokers and non-smokers, consulting in an infertility clinic for routine sperm analysis. The application of a novel TUNEL assay coupled to a vitality marker, LIVE/DEAD®, allowed both DNA fragmentation and viability measurement within spermatozoa of participants to be analyzed by flow cytometry.

Simultaneous Vitality and DNA-fragmentation measurement in spermatozoa of smokers and non-smokers.

Background: Because cigarette smoke is a powerful ROS producer, we hypothesized that the spermatozoa of smokers would be more at risk of having increased DNA fragmentation than spermatozoa of non-smoking men. Methods: A Cross-Sectional Study was performed on consenting smokers and non-smokers, consulting in an infertility clinic for routine sperm analysis. The application of a novel TUNEL assay coupled to a vitality marker, LIVE/DEAD®, allowed both DNA fragmentation and viability measurement within spermatozoa of participants to be analyzed by flow cytometry.

Impact of lymphoma treatments on spermatogenesis and sperm deoxyribonucleic acid: a multicenter prospective study from the CECOS network.

Objective: To determine consequences of lymphoma treatments on sperm characteristics and sperm DNA, and to evaluate predictors of sperm recovery.

Design: Multicenter prospective longitudinal study of patients analyzed before treatment and after 3, 6, 12, and 24 months.

Setting: University hospitals.

Proteomic identification of target proteins in normal but nonfertilizing sperm.

Objective: To identify the male molecular causes of failures of IVF (with a deficient binding of spermatozoa to the zona pellucida, without any obvious oocyte anomaly), which are undetected by classical sperm analysis.

Design: Case-control prospective study.

Setting: University hospital.