Ovarian reserve in women with cystic fibrosis: is this a cause of sub-fertility?

Background: Over the past two decades, increasing number of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) survive into adulthood. Compared to the general population, sub-fertility is an obstacle for many women with CF (wwCF). Decreased ovarian reserve has been proposed as a possible cause, but limited data is available to support this.

Boosting Dose of Pfizer-BioNtech mRNA Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2 Does Not Affect Reproductive Outcomes in In-Vitro Fertilization Patients: A Cohort Study.

Since the introduction of anti-COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, few studies have shown that reproductive outcomes in artificial reproductive technology (ART) treatments are not impaired, after receiving the two-dose regimen. Our aim was to investigate whether a boosting dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech mRNA vaccine affects reproductive outcomes in ART patients. This is a prospective observational study, including 157 consecutive in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles between October 1, 2021, and November 24, 2021, in a single university affiliated IVF unit.

Mild COVID-19 Was Not Associated with Impaired IVF Outcomes or Early Pregnancy Loss in IVF Patients.

Data collection regarding the effects of COVID-19 on reproduction is ongoing. This study examined the effect of COVID-19 on IVF cycle parameters and early pregnancy outcomes. It included two arms: the first compared non-exposed cycles to post-SARS-CoV-2 IVF cycles.

Prediction of the degree of abnormal invasive placentation by obstetric history.

Background: Diagnosis of placenta accrete spectrum (PAS) disorders is of utmost importance and mostly relies on high index of suspicion and sonographic criteria. The degree of abnormal invasive placentation is strongly associated with patients' outcomes. We aimed to determine the association between prior obstetric characteristics and the degree of PAS.

High ovarian response to ovarian stimulation: effect on morphokinetic milestones and cycle outcomes.

Purpose: To assess the effect of high ovarian response on oocyte quality and ovarian stimulation cycle outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study conducted at three IVF units. The high ovarian response (HOR) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with HOR (PCOS HOR) groups included 151 and 13 women who underwent controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) resulting in more than 15 retrieved oocytes, for a total of 1863 and 116 cultured embryos, respectively.

How far is too far? Does time interval between GnRH antagonist and GnRH agonist trigger in GnRH antagonist cycles matter?

Research Question: What is a suitable time interval between the last GnRH antagonist exposure and GnRH agonist (GnRHa) triggering for final follicular maturation?

Design: A retrospective cohort study including 413 patients undergoing GnRH antagonist cycles in which GnRHa trigger was used, either solely or as a dual trigger. The primary outcome measure was the follicle/mature oocyte ratio. Cycles were analysed according to the time interval between the last GnRH antagonist exposure and the GnRHa triggering: Group 1 included patients with a 12-14 h interval; Group 2: 7-10 h interval; Group 3: 5-6 h interval and Group 4: 2-4 h interval.

Conventional ICSI vs. physiological selection of spermatozoa for ICSI (picsi) in sibling oocytes.

Background: Physiological selection of spermatozoa for ICSI (PICSI) is a sperm selection method based on sperm binding to hyaluronic acid. Previous studies on the effect of hyaluronic acid binding assays on fertilization and embryo quality have shown inconsistent results. Previous sibling oocyte studies have not found a significant improvement in fertilization or embryo development with hyaluronic acid binding assays.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Postpartum Vulvovaginal Atrophy and Lack of Association With Postpartum Dyspareunia.

Objective: Breastfeeding-related hypoestrogenic state has been reported as a possible risk factor for postpartum dyspareunia. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of postpartum vulvovaginal atrophy according to 3 different diagnostic methods and to estimate its association with postpartum dyspareunia and daily vulvovaginal symptoms.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of puerperal women attending a routine postpartum checkup.

Predictive value of serum HCG concentrations in pregnancies achieved after single fresh or vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer.

Possible differences between serum HCG levels in pregnancies achieved after transfer of a single fresh or a vitrified-warmed blastocyst were evaluated. Out of 1130 single blastocyst transfers resulting in positive HCG results, 789 were single fresh blastocyst transfers and 341 single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfers. The initial serum HCG levels of 869 clinical intrauterine pregnancies were evaluated, 638 after the transfer of a single fresh blastocysts and 231 after the transfer of a single vitrified-warmed blastocysts.

Early maternal serum ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) levels and sex-related growth difference of IVF embryos.

Purpose: Maternal serum ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) represents the trophoblastic cell mass and is an indirect measurement of embryo development at early implantation stage. Studies in animals and human embryos detected sex-related growth differences (SRGD) in favour of male embryos during the pre-implantation period. The purpose of our study was to correlate SRGD and maternal serum ß-hCG at 16 days after embryo transfer.

Predictive value of maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels in pregnancies achieved by in vitro fertilization with single cleavage and single blastocyst embryo transfers.

Objective: To compare serum hCG levels after transfer of a single fresh cleavage embryo and of a single fresh blastocyst embryo and to determine the predictive value of serum hCG levels for pregnancy outcomes.

Design: A single center retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary university health center.

Placenta accreta is associated with IVF pregnancies: a retrospective chart review.

Objective: To study the association between placenta accreta (PA) and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) pregnancies.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: Tertiary care centre in Jerusalem, Israel.

Added value of the gray-scale whirlpool sign in the diagnosis of adnexal torsion.

Objective: Adnexal torsion is a common gynecologic emergency affecting females of all ages. Expedient diagnosis and treatment are important, particularly in young fertile patients to preserve ovarian viability. Classical parameters for the clinical and sonographic diagnosis of adnexal torsion have very high false-positive rates, approaching 50%.

Application of free-hand three-dimensional echocardiography in the evaluation of fetal cardiac ejection fraction: a preliminary study.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of using free-hand three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography to evaluate fetal cardiac function.

Methods: 3D cardiac data were collected during screening examinations for 37 normal fetuses with gestational ages of between 16 and 26 weeks. Processing of the 3D volumes included separation of the end-diastolic and end-systolic slices, segmentation of right and left ventricles, measurement of end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, and calculation of the ejection fraction (EF) for each ventricle.