The impact of follicular fluid phthalate metabolites on the ovarian reserve and ovarian function in Indian women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Objective: To investigate the adverse effects of phthalate-induced ovarian toxicity on the ovarian reserve and ovarian function. To assess whether the accumulation of higher levels of selected phthalate metabolites in the follicular fluid (FF) of Indian women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was associated with a decline in their antral follicle count (AFC) and/or serum antimüllerian hormone (AMH) levels, suggesting a negative impact on the ovarian reserve. To evaluate the effects of follicular phthalate metabolites on peak serum estradiol (E) levels and the total number of oocytes and mature metaphase II (MII) stage oocytes retrieved to assess the impact of phthalate toxicity on ovarian function.

Oncofertility and Pregnancy in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancers: Physicians' Knowledge and Preferences in India.

Purpose: The treatment outcomes of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancers have improved with advanced oncology care. Hence, fertility preservation (FP) and post-therapy pregnancies (PTPs) become vital issues.

Materials And Methods: An online survey link with 17 questions regarding oncofertility and PTPs was circulated among oncologists to assess the knowledge, understand the oncofertility care patterns, and seek suggestions to improve oncofertility services.

Genetic counseling for pre-implantation genetic testing of monogenic disorders (PGT-M).

Pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) is a vital tool in preventing chromosomal aneuploidies and other genetic disorders including those that are monogenic in origin. It is performed on embryos created by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Genetic counseling in the area of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has also evolved along with PGT and is considered an essential and integral part of Reproductive Medicine.

Semen proteomics reveals alterations in fertility-related proteins post-recovery from COVID-19.

Changes to sperm quality and decline in reproductive function have been reported in COVID-19-recovered males. Further, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has caused the resurgences of COVID-19 cases globally during the last 2 years. These variants show increased infectivity and transmission along with immune escape mechanisms, which threaten the already burdened healthcare system.

Dysfunctional regulation of pivotal and key inflammatory pathways in infertile Indian women with genital tuberculosis.

Problem: Diagnosis of female genital tuberculosis (FGTB) remains elusive due to the paucibacillary nature of the disease. We evaluated if analysis of inflammatory pathways of endometrial tissue could establish a better diagnosis of FGTB.

Method Of Study: One hundred and four infertile women suspected of having GTB or having been treated for GTB in the past, underwent endometrial biopsies for diagnosis and Gene Inflammatory Pathways analysis at our center between 2018-2020.

First Report of an α Chain Variant [Hb Coombe Park (: c.382A>G)] from India, Coinherited with a Novel Gene Mutation: A Double Whammy?

Coinheritance of a high oxygen affinity structural hemoglobin (Hb) variant along with a thrombophilia marker is a rare occurrence. This may lead to a multi fold increase in the risk of thrombosis in patients. We report here a first case of Hb Coombe Park (: c.

The status of anti-ovarian antibody immunoassays: Valid or invalid, in or out?

There has been a paradign shift in the status of immunoassays. There used to be a time where immunoassays had a very narrow role in clinical medicine, but that is not the case in today's world. Immunoassays have taken a central role in helping us better understand and treat human diseases.

Significant changes in follicular fluid phthalate metabolite levels reflect the lifestyle changes brought about by the strict COVID-19 lockdown in India.

Objective: To assess if the unprecedented changes in lifestyle because of the lockdown initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which altered human behavior, and influenced purchase and consumption patterns, may have had an impact on the exposure to phthalates in Indian women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI). To evaluate if the effects of the strict and lengthy lockdown in India, which promoted the new norms of stay-at-home and work-from-home, closure of beauty parlors, and restriction on public gatherings, may have contributed to a decrease in the exposure to phthalates like dibutyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate. These chemicals are found in many personal care products (PCPs) which include cosmetics and fragrances.

Semen Proteomics of COVID-19 Convalescent Men Reveals Disruption of Key Biological Pathways Relevant to Male Reproductive Function.

A considerable section of males suffered from COVID-19, with many experiencing long-term repercussions. Recovered males have been documented to have compromised fertility, albeit the mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 on semen proteome following complete clinical recovery using mass spectrometry.

Anti-Mullerian Hormone Levels in Indian Women Seeking Infertility Treatment: Are Indian Women Facing Early Ovarian Senescence?

Background: Antimullerian hormone (AMH) is a key marker of ovarian reserve and predictor of response to fertility treatment.

Aim: To understand the prevalence of low ovarian reserve in Indian women seeking infertility treatment, compare their AMH with age-matched fertile Indian controls and understand ethnic differences with Caucasian women.

Setting And Design: Retrospective observational study done as collaboration between our fertilization centre and a laboratory with Pan-India presence.

Evolution and Utility of Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Monogenic Disorders in Assisted Reproduction - A Narrative Review.

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for monogenic disorders and assisted reproductive technology have evolved and progressed in tandem. PGT started with single-cell polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by fluorescent hybridisation for a limited number of chromosomes, later called 'preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) version 1'. This review highlights the various molecular genetic techniques that have evolved to detect specific inherited monogenic disorders in the preimplantation embryo.

Preimplantation Genetic Testing: Its Evolution, Where Are We Today?

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is an early form of prenatal genetic diagnosis where abnormal embryos are identified, thereby allowing transfer of genetically normal embryos. This technology has become an integral part of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures. Initial experiments with animals as early as 1890 and those in the mid and later part of the last century paved the forward path of ART and PGT.

Hematological and Molecular Findings in the First Case of Hb J-Norfolk [HBA2: c.173G>A (or HBA1] in an Indian Patient.

We here report a case of a 23-year-old female from Mumbai, Maharashtra, India who was detected to carry the α chain variant Hb J-Norfolk [HBA2: c.173G>A (or HBA1]. She had no clinical symptoms and was referred to us for routine investigations and screening.

Impact of different controlled ovarian stimulation protocols on the physical and psychological burdens in women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intra cytoplasmic sperm injection.

Context: Infertility treatment involves a considerable amount of physical and psychological burden which may impact the outcome.

Aim: The objective was to understand the amount of physical and psychological burden in women undergoing their first in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.

Setting And Design: Multi-center, prospective, parallel, observational study.

Detection of t(14;16)(q32;q22) and Monosomy 13 by FISH Analysis in a Patient with Multiple Myeloma Associated with Sjögren's Syndrome: The First Case Report from India.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic slowly progressive autoimmune disorder characterized by symptoms of oral and ocular dryness, exocrine dysfunction, and lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a bone-marrow-based malignant neoplasm of plasma cells associated with serum/urine monoclonal paraproteins and lytic skeletal lesions. There have been very few reported cases of MM, who had SS as the first presentation.

Identification and validation of candidate biomarkers involved in human ovarian autoimmunity.

Antibodies to multiple ovarian antigens have been proposed as markers of ovarian autoimmunity. The role of ovarian autoantibodies has been widely discussed in the pathophysiology of premature ovarian failure and unexplained infertility, but the autoantigens are yet to be identified. Three immunodominant ovarian autoantigens, α-actinin 4 (αACTN4), heat shock 70 protein 5 (HSPA5) and β-actin (ACTB), have been identified using anti-ovarian antibody-positive sera from women with idiopathic premature ovarian failure (n=50) and women undergoing IVF (n=695), using mass spectrometry.

Can anti-ovarian antibody testing be useful in an IVF-ET clinic?

Objective: To establish importance of anti-ovarian antibodies (AOA) testing in infertile women.

Design: A clinical reproductive outcome comparative study between two groups of women undergoing IVF-ET. Group 1 consists of women tested positive for AOA, put on corticosteroid therapy, reverted to AOA negative and then taken up for IVF-ET.

Epigenetic regulatory mechanisms associated with infertility.

Infertility is a complex human condition and is known to be caused by numerous factors including genetic alterations and abnormalities. Increasing evidence from studies has associated perturbed epigenetic mechanisms with spermatogenesis and infertility. However, there has been no consensus on whether one or a collective of these altered states is responsible for the onset of infertility.

A case-control study identifying chromosomal polymorphic variations as forms of epigenetic alterations associated with the infertility phenotype.

Objective: To study the association of chromosomal polymorphic variations with infertility and subfertility.

Design: A comparative case-controlled association study using cytogenetic techniques to compare the frequency of chromosomal variations in infertile individuals versus fertile controls.

Setting: Department of Infertility Management and Assisted Reproduction, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India.

Specific and sensitive immunoassays detect multiple anti-ovarian antibodies in women with infertility.

Serum anti-ovarian antibodies (AOAs) have been shown in autoimmune premature ovarian failure and in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cases. The specificity of assays detecting these antibodies has been questioned. Researchers have used several techniques (e.

Cumulus coculture and cumulus-aided embryo transfer increases pregnancy rates in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the use of cumulus-aided embryo transfer on pregnancy rates. To study the proximity of expanded cumulus cells to the developing embryo. To document by light microscopy the anchoring of day 3 to day 4 embryos by the expanded cumulus cells.