IVF outcome in azoospermic cancer survivors.

Objective: To assess clinical outcome among infertile couples treated by in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using testicular sperm from azoospermic cancer survivors.

Study Design: This clinical retrospective study included infertile couples treated in a single tertiary referral center between 1996 and 2013. All male partners were cancer survivors who were diagnosed with azoospermia due to previous gonadotoxic treatments and referred to testicular sperm extraction (TESE).

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis-should we use ICSI for all?

Objective: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is commonly used during pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in vitro fertilization (IVF), aiming to eliminate the risk of contamination from extraneous sperm DNA. Recently, ICSI "overuse" in non-male infertility has been doubted, since it does not offer an advantage over IVF. Prompted by the aforementioned observations, we sought to assess the accuracy of IVF vs ICSI in PGD cases, as might be reflected by a difference in the prevalence of discarded embryos as a consequent of parental contamination.

Pregnancy outcomes in oocyte recipients with fibroids not impinging uterine cavity.

Objective: To examine the effects of fibroid uterus on pregnancy outcomes and endometrial features in ovum donation recipients.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 744 ovum donation cycles was conducted in two private IVF centers between 2005 and 2012. All the recipients underwent transvaginal ultrasound examination, including endometrial thickness and grade measurements.

Effect of local endometrial injury on pregnancy outcomes in ovum donation cycles.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of local endometrial injury (LEI) on clinical outcomes in ovum donation recipients.

Design: Retrospective cohort analysis of ovum donation cycles conducted from 2005 to 2012.

Setting: Two private IVF centers.

The use of portable CO2 incubator for cross-border shipping of embryos in an international egg donation program.

Two groups of egg recipients were treated, one in situ (165 patients; 195 cycles) and one after cross-border embryo transportation (340 cycles; 340 cycles) using mobile CO(2) incubator. The positive pregnancy rate per cycle was 199/340 (58.6%) and 99/195 (50.

Tamoxifen co-administration during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization in breast cancer patients increases the safety of fertility-preservation treatment strategies.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of tamoxifen co-administration during conventional controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) protocols for a fertility-preservation IVF cycle in breast cancer patients.

Design: Two groups: retrospective descriptive cohort study and prospective study.

Setting: Breast cancer oncology and fertility-preservation centers in a tertiary hospital.

Comparison between two protocols for thawed embryo transfer: natural cycle versus exogenous hormone replacement.

Introduction: There are two most popular protocols for Frozen Embryo Transfer: the natural and the E2&P4 replacement cycles. There is still a controversy whether one is superior over the other.

Purpose: To compare the outcome in patient groups undergoing FET following these protocols.

Should zygote intrafallopian transfer be offered to all patients with unexplained repeated in-vitro fertilization cycle failures?

Background: One of the suggest strategy for patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF) is zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT). However, no data exist regarding to the issue of when and under which circumstances should ZIFT be offered to patients with RIF? We therefore aimed to examine whether repeated implantation failure (RIF) patients characteristics or their previous controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) variables may differentiate between those who will conceive following a ZIFT cycle and those who will not.

Methods: Forty seven consecutive women admitted to our IVF unit during a 7 year period, who underwent ZIFT for RIF, were included.

Cryopreservation of day 2-3 embryos by vitrification yields better outcome than slow freezing.

Objective: To compare the outcome of vitrification versus slow freezing cryopreservation for cleavage stage day 2-3 embryos.

Design: A retrospective observational study.

Setting: All thawed embryos assisted reproduction cycles between January 2010 and December 2012 at a single IVF laboratory of a Tertiary Medical Center.

Thin endometrium in donor oocyte recipients: enigma or obstacle for implantation?

Objective: To evaluate the combined effect of endometrial thickness and anatomic uterine factors on clinical outcome in oocyte donation recipients.

Design: Retrospective analysis of oocyte donation cycles conducted between 2005 and 2010.

Setting: Two private IVF centers.

Aneuploidy rates for chromosomes X/Y and 18 among preselected spermatozoa in men with severe teratospermia.

Eight infertile men with various degrees of oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and repeated implantation failure were selected for this study due to exceptionally high rates of sperm aneupoidy in their ejaculates. All subjects had normal physical examination, karyotype and serum FSH concentration. Prior to IVF treatment, spermatozoa was collected, processed, micromanipulated and tested for chromosomes X, Y and 18 using fluorescence in-situ hybridization.

Testicular sperm retrieval and intra cytoplasmic sperm injection provide favorable outcome in spinal cord injury patients, failing conservative reproductive treatment.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort analysis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome after testicular sperm extraction (TESE) in a group of spinal cord injury (SCI) male patients not compatible with conservative fertility treatment.

Setting: University-affiliated medical center.

IVF outcome with cryopreserved testicular sperm.

The introduction of intracytoplasmic sperm injection and the use of spermatozoa extracted from the testicles have changed the option for conception for azoospermic patients. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the IVF outcome after using cryopreserved testicular sperm samples in comparison with fresh ones. A total of 667 in vitro fertilisation cycles with fresh or cryopreserved testicular sperm obtained by an open biopsy and testicular needle aspiration were evaluated.

Preimplantation genetic haplotyping a new application for diagnosis of translocation carrier's embryos- preliminary observations of two robertsonian translocation carrier families.

Purpose: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis using fluorescence in-situ hybridization (PGD-FISH) is currently the most common reproductive solution for translocation carriers. However, this technique usually does not differentiate between embryos carrying the balanced form of the translocation and those carrying the homologous normal chromosomes. We developed a new application of preimplantation genetic haplotyping (PGH) that can identify and distinguish between all forms of the translocation status in cleavage stage embryos prior to implantation.

Does age at orchidopexy impact on the results of testicular sperm extraction?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the affect of age at the time of orchidopexy on testicular sperm extraction (TESE) results among patients with a history of cryptorchidism and azoospermia. This retrospective study compared TESE results for couples undergoing IVF treatment, among two groups of patients. Group A included patients who underwent orchidopexy at age 10 and younger, and group B included patients who had the procedure above the age of 10.

Assisted reproduction in women over 40 years of age: how old is too old?

Women's fertility progressively declines with advanced age due to depletion of the ovarian follicular reserve and poorer oocyte quality. However, many women of advanced age are eager to conceive from their own ova. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the outcome of IVF cycles among older patients.

Fish based preimplantation genetic diagnosis to prevent DiGeorge syndrome.

Purpose: To report the performance of fluorescence in-situ hybridization in the setting of preimplantation genetic diagnosis in order to diagnose embryos affected by DiGeorge syndrome.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Academic referral center.

Male infertility associated with adult dominant polycystic kidney disease: a case series.

Introduction: Although described earlier, the association of male infertility with adult dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is quite rare and unfamiliar to some of the multidisciplinary team members caring for affected men.

Materials And Methods: Infertile men diagnosed to have ADPKD were evaluated by clinical characteristics including testis volume, as well as serum hormone levels, semen analysis, and transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) because of low volume ejaculate.

Results: Semen analysis revealed low-normal volume, normal pH, and azoospermia/virtual azoospermia.

Does controlled ovarian stimulation prior to chemotherapy increase primordial follicle loss and diminish ovarian reserve? An animal study.

Background: Storage of embryos for fertility preservation before chemotherapy is widely practiced. For multiple oocyte collection, the ovaries are hyperstimulated with gonadotrophins that significantly alter ovarian physiology. The effects of ovarian stimulation prior to chemotherapy on future ovarian reserve were investigated in an animal model.

Cortical fibrosis and blood-vessels damage in human ovaries exposed to chemotherapy. Potential mechanisms of ovarian injury.

Background: Chemotherapy destroys primordial follicles and can lead to ovarian atrophy. Although reports indicate that apoptosis is the mechanism responsible for follicle loss, additional pathways can be involved. This study investigates the damage in human ovaries after administration of non-sterilizing doses of chemotherapy.

Comparing intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in vitro fertilization in patients with single oocyte retrieval.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and conventional IVF in patients with favorable and poor sperm parameters in which only a single oocyte was available for insemination.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: University-affiliated IVF center.

Monitoring the ovaries after autotransplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue: endocrine studies, in vitro fertilization cycles, and live birth.

Objective: To investigate fertility potential of ovarian tissue harvested after chemotherapy, to monitor ovarian recovery after transplantation, and to compare with in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles.

Design: Clinical and endocrine study.

Setting: IVF unit and hematology department in a tertiary university hospital.

Role of embryo quality in predicting early pregnancy loss following assisted reproductive technology.

Early pregnancy loss (EPL) significantly reduces the initial success rate of assisted reproduction treatments and increases the psychological burden on the patient. The aim of the current study was to investigate the association between embryo quality and EPL in IVF. A retrospective study of 1471 women undergoing IVF between July 2000 and October 2004 was performed.

Sequential transfer of day 3 embryos and blastocysts after previous IVF failures despite adequate ovarian response.

The purpose of this study was to compare IVF outcome following sequential embryo transfer (ET) with that following the transfer of early cleavage embryos among patients with previous multiple IVF failures but adequate ovarian response. A retrospective matched case-control analysis was made of the medical files of 66 women who underwent sequential transfer of day 3 embryos and blastocysts in the Chaim Sheba Medical Centre between January 1999 and May 2004. The control group included 117 matched women who underwent embryo transfer on day 3 only.