A robust metabolomics approach for the evaluation of human embryos from fertilization.

The identification of the most competent embryos for transfer to the uterus constitutes the main challenge of fertilization (IVF). We established a metabolomic-based approach by applying Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy on 130 samples of 3-day embryo culture supernatants from 26 embryos that implanted and 104 embryos that failed. On examining the internal structure of the data by unsupervised multivariate analysis, we found that the supernatant spectra of nonimplanted embryos constituted a highly heterogeneous group.

The global impact of COVID-19 on infertility services.

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unique concerns and potential risks to women now pregnant or considering childbearing. Although no professional societies have issued recommendations that women avoid conception at this time, several professional organizations recommended a moratorium on infertility services including both medically assisted reproduction and assisted reproductive technology shortly after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 infection to be a pandemic. Reasons cited for undertaking these extraordinary measures included prevention of possible complications of assisted reproductive technology and medically assisted reproduction and virus induced complications of pregnancy including potential vertical transmission to the fetus and optimization use of critical health care resources.

Optimising Follicular Development, Pituitary Suppression, Triggering and Luteal Phase Support During Assisted Reproductive Technology: A Delphi Consensus.

Background: A Delphi consensus was conducted to evaluate global expert opinions on key aspects of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment.

Methods: Ten experts plus the Scientific Coordinator discussed and amended statements plus supporting references proposed by the Scientific Coordinator. The statements were distributed an online survey to 35 experts, who voted on their level of agreement or disagreement with each statement.

Standardizing definitions and reporting guidelines for the infertility core outcome set: an international consensus development study† ‡.

Study Question: Can consensus definitions for the core outcome set for infertility be identified in order to recommend a standardized approach to reporting?

Summary Answer: Consensus definitions for individual core outcomes, contextual statements and a standardized reporting table have been developed.

What Is Known Already: Different definitions exist for individual core outcomes for infertility. This variation increases the opportunities for researchers to engage with selective outcome reporting, which undermines secondary research and compromises clinical practice guideline development.

COVID-19 and assisted reproductive technology services: repercussions for patients and proposal for individualized clinical management.

The prolonged lockdown of health services providing high-complexity fertility treatments -as currently recommended by many reproductive medicine entities- is detrimental for society as a whole, and infertility patients in particular. Globally, approximately 0.3% of all infants born every year are conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments.

International Federation of Fertility Societies Surveillance 2013: preface and conclusions.

Surveillance is a triennial worldwide compendium of national rules and regulations for assisted reproductive technology. It was last published in 2010.

Live birth of twins after IVF of oocytes that were cryopreserved almost 12 years before.

A 45-year-old woman received embryos from IVF by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with her own oocytes that were cryopreserved (slow freezing in a low-sodium medium) 11 years and 7 and a half months before, when she was 33 years old. From seven metaphase-II oocytes thawed, five survived, four were fertilized after ICSI and two cleaving embryos were transferred on day 3. A diamniotic dichorionic term pregnancy was achieved, ending with the delivery of two healthy girls.