Maternal age at transfer following autologous oocyte cryopreservation is not associated with live birth rates.

Purpose: Our aim was to evaluate if maternal age at transfer following autologous oocyte cryopreservation is associated with live birth rate (LBR).

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients who thawed autologous oocytes and then underwent a single frozen euploid embryo transfer between 2011 and 2021 at a large urban university-affiliated fertility center. Each oocyte thaw patient was matched 2:1 to in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients who underwent single embryo transfer < 1 year after retrieval.

Rescue in vitro maturation using ovarian support cells of human oocytes from conventional stimulation cycles yields oocytes with improved nuclear maturation and transcriptomic resemblance to in vivo matured oocytes.

Purpose: Determine if the gene expression profiles of ovarian support cells (OSCs) and cumulus-free oocytes are bidirectionally influenced by co-culture during in vitro maturation (IVM).

Methods: Fertility patients aged 25 to 45 years old undergoing conventional ovarian stimulation donated denuded immature oocytes for research. Oocytes were randomly allocated to either OSC-IVM culture (intervention) or Media-IVM culture (control) for 24-28 h.

Reassessing the impact of letrozole co-administration in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation: findings from a single-center repeated measures study.

Purpose: To explore whether letrozole improved outcomes in subsequent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) cycles.

Methods: This was a retrospective repeated measures cohort study examining COH cycles. Patients were included if they underwent two cycles for unexplained infertility, male factor infertility, or planned oocyte/embryo cryopreservation.

Live birth rates in in vitro fertilization cycles with five or fewer follicles.

Purpose: To evaluate live birth rates (LBRs) for in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles with ≤5 follicles at trigger, with the goal of helping patients with low follicle counts decide whether to proceed to retrieval.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study from an urban, university-affiliated fertility center. All IVF cycles that yielded <10 oocytes between 2016 and 2020 were reviewed.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination and Assisted Reproduction Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To assess the association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and female assisted reproduction outcomes through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: We searched Medline (OVID), EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov on January 11, 2023, for original articles on assisted reproduction outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination.

The Landscape of Telomere Length and Telomerase in Human Embryos at Blastocyst Stage.

The telomere length of human blastocysts exceeds that of oocytes and telomerase activity increases after zygotic activation, peaking at the blastocyst stage. Yet, it is unknown whether aneuploid human embryos at the blastocyst stage exhibit a different profile of telomere length, telomerase gene expression, and telomerase activity compared to euploid embryos. In present study, 154 cryopreserved human blastocysts, donated by consenting patients, were thawed and assayed for telomere length, telomerase gene expression, and telomerase activity using real-time PCR (qPCR) and immunofluorescence (IF) staining.

Fertility-Sparing Treatment and Assisted Reproductive Technology in Patients with Endometrial Carcinoma and Endometrial Hyperplasia: Pregnancy Outcomes after Embryo Transfer.

The goal of fertility-sparing treatment (FST) for patients desiring future fertility with EMCA, and its precursor EH, is to clear the affected tissue and revert to normal endometrial function. Approximately 15% of patients treated with FST will have a live birth without the need for assisted reproductive technology (ART). Despite this low number, little information exists on the pregnancy outcomes of patients who utilize ART.

Utilization of standardized preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) via artificial intelligence (AI) technology is correlated with improved pregnancy outcomes in single thawed euploid embryo transfer (STEET) cycles.

Purpose: To investigate the role of standardized preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) using artificial intelligence (AI) in patients undergoing single thawed euploid embryo transfer (STEET) cycles.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study at a single, large university-based fertility center with patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) utilizing PGT-A from February 2015 to April 2020. Controls included embryos tested using subjective NGS.

Serum Gonadotropin Levels Predict Post-Trigger Luteinizing Hormone Response in Antagonist Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation Cycles.

The objective of this study was to investigate the utility of using serum gonadotropin levels to predict optimal luteinizing hormone (LH) response to gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) trigger. A retrospective cohort study was performed of all GnRH-antagonist controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) cycles at an academic fertility center from 2017-2020. Cycles that utilized GnRHa alone or in combination with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for trigger were included.

Oocyte stimulation parameters influence the number and proportion of mature oocytes retrieved in assisted reproductive technology cycles.

Purpose: Whether differences in stimulation parameters alter the number and proportion of MII oocytes retrieved.

Methods: Records of 2546 patients were examined, looking at age, day 2/3 follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) levels, total dose of gonadotropins administered (including FSH and human menopausal gonadotropin [hMG]), fraction of hMG administered, number of days of treatment with gonadotropins, and the dose of gonadotropins administered per day. We segregated the patients into 3 different classes depending on the trigger method used and 2 groups based on egg freeze vs.

Equal opportunity for all? An analysis of race and ethnicity in fertility preservation in New York City.

Purpose: To compare the racial and ethnic make-up of patients who accessed medically indicated fertility preservation services (MIFP) against the overall racial diversity (including Hispanic origin) across women of reproductive age diagnosed with cancer in New York City (NYC).

Methods: All patients who completed at least one MIFP between January 2017 and December 2018 were reviewed. Race was self-reported.

Self-reported quality of life scales in women undergoing oocyte freezing versus in vitro fertilization.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate stress levels among women undergoing elective oocyte cryopreservation by comparing their self-reported quality of life measures with women undergoing in vitro fertilization during the fertility treatment cycle.

Methods: Patients undergoing oocyte retrieval at a single institution were offered a voluntary, anonymous, and written questionnaire. The survey was adapted and validated from the Fertility Quality of Life tool to assess self-reported fertility treatment-related problems and was tested for construct validity and reliability.

Impaired reproductive function and fertility preservation in a woman with a dyskeratosis congenita.

Purpose: To determine the impact of accelerated telomere shortening on the fertility parameters and treatment outcomes of a woman with dyskeratosis congenita (DKC).

Methods: A case study of the clinical data, blood, discarded oocytes, and arrested embryos of a woman with DKC and donated cryopreserved embryos from unaffected patients. Mean telomere length in blood cells was analyzed by flow cytometry-fluorescence in situ hybridization (flow-FISH) and qPCR.

Follicle size indicates oocyte maturity and blastocyst formation but not blastocyst euploidy following controlled ovarian hyperstimulation of oocyte donors.

Study Question: Is there is an association between follicle size and the quality of oocytes retrieved from them as judged by ability to achieve the blastocyst stage, blastocyst grades and blastocyst ploidy?

Summary Answer: Although follicle size is a valuable predictor of oocyte maturity and is a significant predictor of the ability of a fertilized oocyte to become a quality blastocyst, the ploidy of each quality blastocyst is not related to the size of the follicle from which its oocyte was retrieved.

What Is Known Already: It is unclear whether the oocytes within larger follicles are the best oocytes of the cohort. Although there have been studies examining follicle size in relation to embryo quality, there has been no study relating the incidence of euploidy in embryos to follicle size.

The reproducibility of trophectoderm biopsies in euploid, aneuploid, and mosaic embryos using independently verified next-generation sequencing (NGS): a pilot study.

Purpose: To assess the accuracy and reliability of comprehensive chromosome screening by next-generation sequencing (NGS) of human trophectoderm (TE) biopsy specimens.

Methods: The reliability and accuracy of diagnoses made by preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) from TE biopsy were tested. Repeat biopsies of TE and inner cell mass (ICM) samples were obtained from thawed blastocysts previously tested by NGS.

Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) parameters associated with euploidy rates in donor oocytes.

Although oocyte donors are young and are expected to provide a high rate of euploid oocytes, significant differences of euploidy rates for donor embryos exist between different IVF centers (1). Laboratory conditions can lead to differences of euploidy (2,3,4,5,6,7); but, the role of COH has not been investigated. In this study, we investigated whether euploidy rates in the embryos created from donor oocytes are influenced by controlled ovarian hyperstimulation parameters used during assisted reproduction.

Beyond the biopsy: predictors of decision regret and anxiety following preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy.

Study Question: What factors are associated with decision regret and anxiety following preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A)?

Summary Answer: The majority of patients viewed PGT-A favourably regardless of their outcome; although patients with negative outcomes expressed greater decision regret and anxiety.

What Is Known Already: PGT-A is increasingly utilized in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles to aid in embryo selection. Despite the increasing use of PGT-A technology, little is known about patients' experiences and the possible unintended consequences of decision regret and anxiety related to PGT-A outcome.

A Comparison of Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Donor Egg Single Embryo Transfers With and Without Preimplantation Genetic Testing.

Two of the many milestone developments in the field of assisted reproduction have been oocyte donation and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). Because it has been demonstrated that even young women produce a meaningful proportion of aneuploid embryos, screening out such abnormalities could potentially increase the efficacy of donor egg (DE) cycles. In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated the effect of PGT-A on DE cycle outcomes, including implantation rate (IR), spontaneous abortion rate (SABR), and ongoing pregnancy/live birth rate.

What are patients doing with their mosaic embryos? Decision making after genetic counseling.

Objective: To assess patient decisions regarding mosaic embryos and their impact on clinical outcomes.

Design: Review of patients who had genetic counseling regarding mosaic embryos.

Setting: Academic department.

Next generation sequencing for preimplantation genetic screening improves pregnancy outcomes compared with array comparative genomic hybridization in single thawed euploid embryo transfer cycles.

Objective: To evaluate whether the use of next generation sequencing (NGS) for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) in single thawed euploid embryo transfer (STEET) cycles improves pregnancy outcomes compared with array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH).

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Single university-based fertility center.

Localized accumulation of cytosolic calcium near the fused sperm is associated with the calcium- and voltage-dependent block of sperm entry in the sea urchin egg.

Interaction of the sperm and egg depolarizes the egg membrane, allowing the sperm to enter; however, if the egg membrane is not allowed to depolarize from its resting potential (e.g., by voltage-clamp), the sperm will not enter.