Multicentric, prospective observational data show sperm capacitation predicts male fertility, and cohort comparison reveals a high prevalence of impaired capacitation in men questioning their fertility.

Research Questions: Can a previously defined relationship between sperm capacitation and the probability of a man generating pregnancy within three cycles, prospectively predict male fertility in diverse clinical settings? A second study asked, what is the prevalence of impaired sperm fertilizing ability in men questioning their fertility (MQF), and does this relate to traditional semen analysis metrics?

Design: In the multicentric, prospective observational study, data (n = 128; six clinics) were analysed to test a published relationship between the percentage of fertilization-competent, capacitated spermatozoa (Cap-Score) and probability of generating pregnancy (PGP) within three cycles of intrauterine insemination. Logistic regression of total pregnancy outcomes (n = 252) assessed fit. In the cohort comparison, Cap-Scores of MQF (n = 2155; 22 clinics) were compared with those of 76 fertile men.

Cap-Score™ prospectively predicts probability of pregnancy.

Semen analysis (SA) poorly predicts male fertility, because it does not assess sperm fertilizing ability. The percentage of capacitated sperm determined by G localization ("Cap-Score™"), differs between cohorts of fertile and potentially infertile men, and retrospectively, between men conceiving or failing to conceive by intrauterine insemination (IUI). Here, we prospectively tested whether Cap-Score can predict male fertility with the outcome being clinical pregnancy within ≤3 IUI cycles.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Autologous Endometrial Coculture Versus Traditional in Vitro Fertilization.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if autologous endometrial cell coculture improves embryo development and clinical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomized to either traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF) (control, n=73) or autologous endometrial cell coculture (AECC) (n=61). All patients underwent endometrial biopsy on cycle day 5–10 post luteinizing hormone surge.

Prognosis for clinical pregnancy and birth after transferring embryos derived from a cohort of incompletely mature oocytes at retrieval time.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to establish a prognosis for implantation, pregnancy and live birth rates in stimulated IVF cycles after transferring embryos derived from: 1/ retrieved immature oocytes that matured overnight in vitro (late mature group: LM); 2/ retrieved immature oocytes that matured overnight in vitro and were added to the embryos derived from retrieved mature oocytes (mixed embryos group: MX); and 3/ retrieved mature oocytes (mature group: M). The obtained implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates for the LM group were: 5.6%, 11.

Hyaluronan binding assay (HBA) vs. sperm penetration assay (SPA): Can HBA replace the SPA test in male partner screening before in vitro fertilization?

Objective: To determine if a less expensive, easier, and faster to perform HBA test is clinically equal to the more complicated, technically challenging and expensive SPA test as a reliable indicator of sperm fertilizing capacity.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Andrology laboratory within In Vitro Fertilization Program.

Outcomes of day-1, day-3, and blastocyst cryopreserved embryo transfers.

The optimal developmental stage for cryopreserving embryos in IVF-ET remains controversial. Our study demonstrates that besides an improvement in postthaw survival rate for day-1 and blastocyst cryopreserved ET over day-3, all three groups attained statistically similar implantation, clinical pregnancy, multiple, twinning, and male gender rates.

Effect of macroscopic or microscopic blood and mucus on the success rates of embryo transfers.

Objective: To assess the effect of microscopic and macroscopic contamination of embryo transfer (ET) catheters with blood or mucus on in vitro fertilization (IVF)-ET success rates.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Infertility practice in teaching community hospital.

Comparison of pregnancy, implantation, and multiple gestation rates for day 3 versus day 5 embryo transfers.

Purpose: To compare pregnancy, implantation, and multiple gestation rates resulting from day 3 and day 5 embryo transfers after in vitro fertilization emphasizing a subset of patients who met criteria for day 5 transfer but elected to undergo day 3 transfer.

Method: A retrospective analysis of day 3 and day 5 embryo transfers from January 2001 to June 2002 were evaluated in a community teaching hospital setting. A total of 331 patients < or = 40 years old were included.

Successful pregnancy resulting from cryopreserved pronuclear and cleaved embryos thawed and cultured to blastocysts, refrozen and transferred. A case report.

Background: Twice-frozen, thawed embryos may have utilization in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles.

Case: A 37-year-old woman with endometriosis and infertility returned five years after a fresh IVF cycle. Seven cryopreserved embryos (2 pronuclear [pn] and cleaved) were thawed, and five developed to the blastocyst stage.