Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on Female Fertility.

Despite evidence in previous literature regarding vaccine safety, more data were needed as concerns about COVID-19 vaccines were raised, particularly regarding their effects on female fertility, exacerbated by the widespread dissemination of information without scientific evidence. This study aims to answer the question: does COVID-19 vaccination have any impact on female fertility at a population level. In this ecological study, vaccination rates against COVID-19 and birth rates in 100 different countries were correlated.

Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) expression in patients with adenomyosis.

Objective: To compare Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) expression in patients with and without adenomyosis.

Methods: A prospective design was performed including 49 patients submitted to hysterectomy. Immunohistochemistry was performed on anatomopathological samples staged in paraffin blocks from patients with and without adenomyosis.

Follicular fluid concentration of soluble Human-G Leukocytic Antigen (sHLA-G) in in vitro fertilization cycles of women with and without peritoneal endometriosis.

Objective: The objective of this research is to investigate the association between the concentrations of soluble human leukocyte G antigen (sHLA-G) in the follicular fluid (FF) in infertile patients with peritoneal endometriosis submitted to in vitro fertilization.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study, including ninety-six women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) ageing ≤ 40 years. Infertile patients were classified into two groups: with endometriosis diagnosed by laparoscopy and without endometriosis due to tubal factor.

Endometriosis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Endometriosis is a chronic gynaecological condition characterized by inflammatory and immune abnormalities. Likewise, these dysfunctions are important hallmarks of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a condition that also has a high prevalence among women in reproductive age. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the association between endometriosis and SLE.

p63 expression in granulosa-luteinized cells of infertile patients with peritoneal endometriosis submitted to in vitro fertilization.

Objective: Endometriosis is associated with infertility, even without an anatomical abnormality. Furthermore, the peritoneal (mild) phenotype of this disease is the most prevalent and linked to infertility. The present study aimed to investigate the p63 gene and protein expression in granulosa cells from pre-ovulatory follicles in patients with endometriosis and infertility submitted to in vitro fertilization.

Psychotropic medication use among women seeking assisted reproductive technology (ART) therapy: A cross-sectional study.

Background Infertility is associated with increased anxiety, depressive symptoms and mood disorders. Unfortunately, mental health is not often addressed in infertility treatment and infertile patients could be at higher risk of self-administration of not prescribed drugs or/and be exposed to alternative emotional treatments. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to investigate the use of psychotropic medication and to evaluate the frequency of psychiatric diagnosis among infertile women seeking assisted reproductive technology (ART) therapy.

The Graduated Embryo Score of Embryos from Infertile Women with and without Peritoneal Endometriosis.

Objective:  To determine embryo quality (mean graduated embryo score [GES]) in infertile patients with endometriosis undergoing in vitro fertilization with embryo transfer (IVF-ET) compared with infertile patients without endometriosis.

Methods:  A case-control study was performed comparing 706 embryos (162 patients) divided into 2 groups: 472 embryos derived from patients without endometriosis ( = 109, infertile patients with tubal infertility) and 234 embryos from patients in the study group ( = 53, infertile patients with peritoneal endometriosis). All patients were subjected to IVF using an oestradiol-antagonist-recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) protocol for ovarian stimulation.

Randomized controlled trial comparing embryonic quality in rFSH versus hMG in the IVF protocol with GnRH Antagonist.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate embryo quality (score) after controlled ovarian stimulation for IVF using rFSH or hMG with the GnRH antagonist protocol.

Methods: Open, randomized, single center study. The patients were randomized to receive rFSH or hMG according to randomized cards inside a black envelope with the name of the respective treatment following a computer generated list (85 patients were allocated to rFSH group and 83 patients to hMG group).

PIWIL2 is overexpressed in adenomyotic lesions of women with diffuse adenomyosis.

Purpose: Adenomyosis has been studied throughout the years, however, its aetiology and physiopathology are still unknown. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of PIWI proteins in women with adenomyosis.

Methods: We included 72 participants to be part of this study and were divided into two groups based on their anatomopathological diagnosis, control (n = 36) or adenomyosis (n = 36).

BMP-6 and SMAD4 gene expression is altered in cumulus cells from women with endometriosis-associated infertility.

Introduction: Oocyte competence and quality depend on communication between the oocyte and the cumulus and theca cells. In the preantral phase, the members of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily are responsible for this communication and play an important role in folliculogenesis. Members of the TGF-β superfamily are related to endometriosis (overexpression in the ectopic endometrium); however, few studies have explored these proteins as influencing fertility in endometriosis.

Antral follicle responsiveness assessed by follicular output RaTe(FORT) correlates with follicles diameter.

Background: The antral follicle count is a marker of ovarian reserve. Follicular Output RaTe (FORT) evaluates the proportion of follicles responsive to exogenous follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) during controlled ovarian stimulation. Our objective was to evaluate whether the diameter (AFC6: ≤ 6 mm or AFC > 6: > 6 mm) of the follicular cohort could be a predictor for ovarian responsiveness, assessed by FORT, in a prospective cohort with 92 women with IVF indication, regular cycles and no abnormality in both ovaries.

Alterations in expression of endometrial milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 (MFG-E8) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in patients with infertility and endometriosis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the endometrial expression of milk fat globule-EGF factor 8 (MFG-E8), its receptor integrin αvβ3, and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in patients with endometriosis and infertility and in healthy fertile patients during the window of implantation.

Methods: Five patients with peritoneal endometriosis and infertility (case group) and four healthy fertile patients (control group) were recruited. All patients were either diagnosed with or ruled out for endometriosis by laparoscopic surgery; the case group underwent surgery for infertility investigation and the control group for tubal ligation.

Endometriosis-associated infertility: GDF-9, AMH, and AMHR2 genes polymorphisms.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine whether there is a correlation between polymorphisms in the growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) gene and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) gene and its receptor, AMHR2, and endometriosis-associated infertility.

Methods: This is a case-control study to evaluate whether there is a correlation between polymorphisms in the GDF-9 gene (SNPs determined by direct sequencing), AMH gene, AMHR2 (both SNPs determined by genotyping using TaqMan Allelic Discrimination), and endometriosis-associated infertility. The study included 74 infertile women with endometriosis and 70 fertile women (tubal ligation) as a control group.

A prospective study comparing two embryo-transfer soft catheters.

Objectives: To compare reproductive outcomes using two different soft catheters i.e. Set TDT® and Cook® Sydney IVF.

Recurrent miscarriage is associated with the dopamine receptor (DRD2) genotype.

The purpose of this research is to compare the prevalence of dopamine receptor D2 polymorphisms in women with recurrent miscarriage (RM) and healthy patients. Fifty-four women were enrolled in this case-control study. We performed DNA extraction of peripheral blood, followed by polymerase chain reaction to confirm single-strand polymorphisms and to sequence two polymorphisms: polymorphism 1 (rs6275) and polymorphism 2 (rs6277) in exon 7 of the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2).

LH (Trp8Arg/Ile15Thr), LHR (insLQ) and FSHR (Asn680Ser) polymorphisms genotypic prevalence in women with endometriosis and infertility.

Purpose: To verify if polymorphisms of LH (Trp8Arg/Ile15Thr), LH receptor (insLQ), and FSH receptor (Asn680Ser) are associated with endometriosis and infertility.

Methods: This is a prospective case-control study. Sixty-seven patients with endometriosis and infertility (study group) and 65 healthy fertile patients (control group) were enrolled in the study between July 2010 and July 2013.

Accuracy of magnetic resonance in deeply infiltrating endometriosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To estimate the accuracy of pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of deeply infiltrating endometriosis (DIE).

Methods: A comprehensive search of the Medline, Pubmed, Lilacs, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Biomed Central, and ISI Web of Science databases was conducted from January 1990 to December 2013. The medical subject headings (MeSHs) and text words "deep endometriosis", "deeply infiltrating endometriosis", "DIE", "magnetic resonance", and "MRI" were searched.

ESR1 rs9340799 is associated with endometriosis-related infertility and in vitro fertilization failure.

Estrogen receptor alpha has a central role in human fertility by regulating estrogen action in all human reproductive tissues. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) expression, a cytokine critical for blastocyst implantation, is mediated by estrogen signaling, so we hypothesized that ESR1 gene polymorphisms might be candidate risk markers for endometriosis-related infertility and in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure. We included 98 infertile women with endometriosis, 115 infertile women with at least one IVF failure and also 134 fertile women as controls.

Role for the endometrial epithelial protein MFG-E8 and its receptor integrin αvβ3 in human implantation: results of an in vitro trophoblast attachment study using established human cell lines.

Objective: To investigate the role of MFG-E8 and its receptor integrin αvβ3 in the attachment of trophoblast cells to the endometrial epithelium.

Design: Experimental in vitro study.

Setting: Academic center.

Dopamine receptor D2 genotype (3438) is associated with moderate/severe endometriosis in infertile women in Brazil.

Objective: To compare the prevalence of dopamine receptor D2 polymorphisms in patients with peritoneal endometriosis and in healthy control subjects.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: University hospital.

Frequent polymorphisms of FSH receptor do not influence antral follicle responsiveness to follicle-stimulating hormone administration as assessed by the Follicular Output RaTe (FORT).

Purpose: To verify whether carriers of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the FSH receptor (FSHR) show reduced responsiveness of antral follicles to FSH administration as assessed by the FORT.

Methods: We performed a prospective study in a university hospital. Study population consisted of 124 Caucasian IVF-ET candidates.