Fine-tuning IVF laboratory key performance indicators of the Vienna consensus according to female age.

Purpose: To test the validity of the Vienna consensus laboratory key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor the outcome of treatments involving women of different age ranges.

Methods: The retrospective cohort study included 862 complete IVF/ICSI cycles carried out between January 2014 and May 2021. All embryos of each cycle cohort were subject to extended culture.

The Association of Kinetic Variables with Blastocyst Development and Ploidy Status.

Background: Despite a plethora of studies conducted so far, a debate is still unresolved as to whether TLM can identify predictive kinetic biomarkers or algorithms universally applicable. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate if there is a relationship between kinetic variables and ploidy status of human embryos or blastocyst developmental potential.

Methods: For conducting this retrospective cohort study, the normal distribution of data was verified using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test with the Lilliefors' amendment and the Shapiro-Wilk test.

The paternal toolbox for embryo development and health.

The sperm is essential for reconstitution of embryonic diploidy and highly specialized developmental functions. Immediately after gamete fusion, the sperm-borne PLC-zeta triggers activation, generating intracellular free Ca2+ oscillations. Mutations in the PLC-zeta encoding gene are associated with the absence of this factor in mature sperm and inability to achieve fertilization.

Embryo morphokinetic score is associated with biomarkers of developmental competence and implantation.

Purpose: To study embryo morphokinetics in relation to release in spent media of molecules with possible roles in development and implantation (miR-20a, miR-30c, and sHLA-G).

Methods: Data were obtained from embryos generated in standard IVF and ICSI cycles. The Eeva system was used for embryo assessment, based on early morphokinetic parameters and producing a score (1-5, best-worst) corresponding to higher/medium/lower chances of development to blastocyst.

Sperm count affects cumulative birth rate of assisted reproduction cycles in relation to ovarian response.

Purpose: To explore the possible influence of sperm quality, as assessed by prewash total sperm count (TSC), on cumulative success rates in assisted reproduction cycles.

Methods: Retrospective study carried out in private IVF centre. Seven hundred sixty-five couples undergoing complete ICSI cycles, i.