Nutrition, female fertility and in vitro fertilization outcomes.

The investigation of modifiable factors that may exert influences on female reproductive health and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes is increasing. Growing attention is being paid to nutrition. The aim of the present review is to recapitulate the current understanding on the effects of nutrition on female fertility and IVF outcomes.

An updated meta-analysis comparing the efficacy and safety of biosimilar medicinal products to the original follitropin alfa.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to provide an updated meta-analysis assessing the therapeutic equivalence between follitropin alfa biosimilars and the reference medication in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART).

Evidence Acquisition: The studies included in the analysis were pooled together in order to estimate the log odds ratio (OR) for binary outcomes and the mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes along with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) by using a random effects model. The heterogeneity between the studies was evaluated with the Higgins and χ tests.

Profiling of mitochondrial heteroplasmy in single human oocytes by next-generation sequencing.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) plays a crucial role in the development of a competent oocyte. Indeed, mtDNA alterations may predispose to chromosome nondisjunction, resulting in infertility due to a reduced vitality and quality of oocytes and embryos. In this methods paper, the multiple displacement amplification approach was applied in combination with next-generation sequencing (NGS) to amplify and sequence, in single-end, the entire mtDNA of single human oocytes to directly construct genomic NGS libraries, and subsequently, to highlight and quantify the mutations they presented.

Fertility sparing treatment for bilateral borderline ovarian tumor: a case report and management strategy explication.

A bilateral adnexal mass with suspected carcinosis could be a challenging experience for the gynecologist especially in fertile age and in patients with a desire for pregnancy. A 26-year-old patient who came to the outpatient clinical observation for bilateral, multilocular pelvic masses, with more than 4 papillary structures, color score 2, hypomobile compared to the uterus and rectum, respectively of 65 and 68mm in maximum diameter, free liquid in the abdomen and suspected of ovarian neoplasm. Positive tumor markers and a strong desire of a fertility sparing treatment (FST).

The Aftermath of Long-Term Cigarette Smoking on Telomere Length and Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number in Human Cumulus Cells Prior to In Vitro Fertilization-A Pilot Study.

Cigarette smoking among women of reproductive age is known to take a toll on systemic health and fertility potential by severely impacting ovarian tissues and cells, such as granulosa and cumulus cells (CCs). The purpose of this study was to determine the potential damage caused by tobacco smoke at a molecular level in the CCs of females who had undergone in vitro fertilization. The level of intracellular damage was determined by estimating the average telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA-CN), as well as the expression profile of telomere maintenance genes TERF1, TERF2, POT1 and microRNAs miR-155, miR-23a and miR-185.

Impact of Cigarette Smoking on the Expression of Oxidative Stress-Related Genes in Cumulus Cells Retrieved from Healthy Women Undergoing IVF.

The female reproductive system represents a sensitive target of the harmful effects of cigarette smoke, with folliculogenesis as one of the ovarian processes most affected by this exposure. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of tobacco smoking on expression of oxidative stress-related genes in cumulus cells (CCs) from smoking and non-smoking women undergoing IVF techniques. Real time PCR technology was used to analyze the gene expression profile of 88 oxidative stress genes enclosed in a 96-well plate array.

In Vivo Cigarette Smoke Exposure to Examine the Expression of Genes Involved in the Inflammatory Response in the Mouse Uterus.

Cigarette smoke may impair uterine function, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly characterized. In this article, we describe the methodology for whole-body exposure to cigarette smoke together with assessment of the impact of this exposure on the expression of a panel of genes related to stress and toxicity pathways in mouse uteri using an in vivo model. C57BL/6 mice are whole-body-exposed to three cigarettes daily, 7 days/week, for 2 months using a specific rodent ventilator.

Novel Insights on the Role of Nitric Oxide in the Ovary: A Review of the Literature.

Nitric oxide (NO) is formed during the oxidation of L-arginine to L-citrulline by the action of multiple isoenzymes of NO synthase (NOS): neuronal NOS (nNOS), endotelial NOS (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS). NO plays a relevant role in the vascular endothelium, in central and peripheral neurons, and in immunity and inflammatory systems. In addition, several authors showed a consistent contribution of NO to different aspects of the reproductive physiology.

Effects of Obesity and Thrombophilia on the Risk of Abortion in Women Undergoing Fertilization.

Introduction: Obesity is associated with a higher risk of abortion in women undergoing fertilization (IVF). Whether thrombophilia amplifies this risk is currently unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of thrombophilia on the risk of abortion in obese women treated with IVF.

Maternal use of fluconazole and congenital malformations in the progeny: A meta-analysis of the literature.

Fluconazole is a bis-triazole agent used in the treatment of superficial and systemic fungal infections, with vaginal candidiasis being one of the commonest indications to fluconazole treatment. There is increasing concern regarding the teratogenic potential of fluconazole. The aim of this meta-analysis is to pool the literature data in order to evaluate the possible association between fluconazole exposure during pregnancy and birth defects.

Valproic acid alters nitric oxide status in neurulating mouse embryos.

The molecular bases of the teratogenic effects elicited by valproic acid (VPA) are not fully defined. It was previously shown that inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis is associated with an enhancement of the teratogenic effects of VPA, while amplification of NO signal by sildenafil prompted a dose-dependent reduction of VPA-induced neural tube defects. In this study, for the first time, the effect of VPA on the NO synthesis was evaluated in mouse embryos during early organogenesis.

Successful pregnancy following the transfer of re-vitrified twice-warmed embryos due to the forced cancellation of the primary FET: A case report.

Purpose: Embryo cryopreservation represents a central procedure in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) programs. This report documents a Case of a successful pregnancy following the replacement of embryos that had to be re-vitrified due to the forced cancellation of the frozen embryo-transfer (FET).

Principle Results: The 37- year-old patient was referred to our Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) unit for idiopathic infertility and recurrent implantation failures.

Effects of Supplementation with Natural Antioxidants on Oocytes and Preimplantation Embryos.

For most infertile couples, in vitro fertilization (IVF) represents the only chance to conceive. Given the limited success of IVF procedures, novel approaches are continuously tested with the aim of improving IVF outcomes. Growing attention is devoted today to the potential benefit of natural antioxidants in the optimization of infertility treatments.

Efficacy and safety of follitropin alpha biosimilars compared to their reference product: a Meta-analysis.

Aim: Recently published multicentre, randomized phase III studies suggested the therapeutic equivalence of biosimilar follitropin alpha medicaments compared to the reference product. The aim of this meta-analysis is to pool the results of the three phase III trials in order to provide an overall analysis about the clinical bioequivalence between biosimilars and the originator.

Methods: The studies included in the analysis were pooled together in order to estimate the log odds ratio (OR) for binary outcomes and the weighted mean difference (WMD) for continuous outcomes along with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) by using a random effects model.

Whole-body exposure to cigarette smoke alters oocyte miRNAs expression in C57BL/6 mice.

Cigarette smoke is toxic for the female reproductive system with particular reference to the ovary. The purpose of the study was to investigate if the microRNAs (miRNAs) pattern could be altered by cigarette smoke exposure in mouse oocytes. For this purpose, C57BL/6 mice were whole-body exposed to three cigarettes daily, 7 days/week, for 2 or 4 months by a specific rodent ventilator.

Dynactin pathway-related gene expression is altered by aging, but not by vitrification.

The storage of surplus oocytes by cryopreservation (OC) is a widely used tool in assisted reproductive technology, but there is a great debate about the effects of cryopreservation on oocyte competence. It is known that OC may affect meiotic spindles but remains unclear if OC may increase the risk of aneuploidy. The aim of this study was to test the effects of OC and women aging on the expression of cytokinesis-related genes playing an important role in the segregation of chromosomes (DCTN1, DCTN2, DCTN3, DCTN6 and PLK1).

MRAP2 regulates endometrial receptivity and function.

A successful embryo implantation depends on the synchronization between a competent blastocyst and a receptive endometrium. Recently, potential modulators of endometrial receptivity (OVGP1, MRAP2, ZCCHC12, and HAP1) have been reported likely with a functional role during embryo implantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the gene expression of these genes in the endometrium of infertile women.

VEGFR2 Expression Is Differently Modulated by Parity and Nulliparity in Mouse Ovary.

Parity and nulliparity exert opposite effects on women's health, as parity is considered a protective factor for several reproductive diseases. This study is aimed at determining if ovarian VEGF and VEGFR2 expression are differently modulated in the ovaries of parous and nulliparous mice. To this end primiparous and nulliparous fertile mice were sacrificed at postovulatory stage.

Cigarette smoking impairs clinical outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies: A meta-analysis of the literature.

There is convincing evidence that cigarette smoking can impair female reproductive potential. This meta-analysis updates the knowledge regarding the effects of cigarette smoking on clinical outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Twenty-six studies were included in this meta-analysis.

Effects of multiple inherited and acquired thrombophilia on outcomes of in-vitro fertilization.

Introduction: The effects of multiple inherited and acquired thrombophilic defects on the outcome of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) remain unexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between multiple thrombophilia and clinical outcomes in a large prospective cohort of women undergoing IVF.

Materials And Methods: Consecutive women scheduled for IVF were eligible.

Increased rounds of gonadotropin stimulation have side effects on mouse fallopian tubes and oocytes.

In this study, it was evaluated if increased rounds of gonadotropin stimulation could affect in mice: (i) expression levels of proteins regulating cell cycle and DNA repair in fallopian tubes and (ii) meiotic spindle morphology of ovulated oocytes. To this end, adult female mice were subjected or not (Control) to 6 or 8 rounds of gonadotropin stimulation. Ovulated oocytes were incubated with anti A/B tubulin to evaluate spindle morphology.

Folate serum levels in Italian women entering an in vitro fertilization program.

Italian public health authorities recommend women of childbearing age to assume a daily dose of 0.4 mg of folic acid (FA) from at least one month before conception in order to reduce the risk of having children affected by neural tube defects (NTDs). In this study, folate, homocysteine and vitamin B12 serum levels were determined in 77 women entering an in vitro fertilization program.