Pathways to fatherhood: clinical experiences with assisted reproductive technology in single and coupled intended fathers.

Objective: To explore the cycle characteristics and outcomes of single and coupled intended fathers (SCIFs) using assisted reproductive technology.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Multicenter, fertility practices from 2016 to 2020.

Pathways to fatherhood: evaluating the priorities of self-identified gay and bisexual men pursuing family building options.

Objective: To assess the priorities and decisions of gay and bisexual men pursuing fatherhood.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Internet-based survey.

Endometrial microbiota composition is associated with reproductive outcome in infertile patients.

Background: Previous evidence indicates associations between the female reproductive tract microbiome composition and reproductive outcome in infertile patients undergoing assisted reproduction. We aimed to determine whether the endometrial microbiota composition is associated with reproductive outcomes of live birth, biochemical pregnancy, clinical miscarriage or no pregnancy.

Methods: Here, we present a multicentre prospective observational study using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyse endometrial fluid and biopsy samples before embryo transfer in a cohort of 342 infertile patients asymptomatic for infection undergoing assisted reproductive treatments.

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.

Validation of concurrent preimplantation genetic testing for polygenic and monogenic disorders, structural rearrangements, and whole and segmental chromosome aneuploidy with a single universal platform.

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) has been successfully applied to reduce the risk of miscarriage, improve IVF success rates, and prevent inheritance of monogenic disease and unbalanced translocations. The present study provides the first method capable of simultaneous testing of aneuploidy (PGT-A), structural rearrangements (PGT-SR), and monogenic (PGT-M) disorders using a single platform. Using positive controls to establish performance characteristics, accuracies of 97 to >99% for each type of testing were observed.

Clinically recognizable error rate after the transfer of comprehensive chromosomal screened euploid embryos is low.

Objective: To determine the clinically recognizable error rate with the use of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based comprehensive chromosomal screening (CCS).

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Multiple fertility centers.

Persistence of dysmenorrhea and nonmenstrual pain after optimal endometriosis surgery may indicate adenomyosis.

Objective: To evaluate whether persistence of pelvic pain after excision of endometriosis was associated with adenomyosis as defined by a thickened uterine junctional zone (JZ) on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Design: Prospective clinical trial.

Setting: Government research hospital.

Anthrax vaccine does not affect semen parameters, embryo quality, or pregnancy outcome in couples with a vaccinated male military service member.

Anthrax vaccination has been used in an effort to prevent infection should anthrax be used as a biological weapon, and widespread use has been considered in the event of another anthrax attack on American soil, but the long-term impact of anthrax vaccination on reproductive outcome is unknown. We found that exposure to the anthrax vaccine by males who were undergoing assisted reproduction did not negatively impact semen parameters, fertilization rate, embryo quality, or clinical pregnancy rates.

Estradiol stimulates expression of two human prolactin receptor isoforms with alternative exons-1 in T47D breast cancer cells.

Human prolactin receptor (hPRLR) expression is regulated by estradiol-17beta (E(2)) in vivo in animal tissues, and in vitro in normal human endometrial cells and in MCF7 human breast cancer cells. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of E(2) on the expression of two recently described hPRLR isoforms with distinct exons-1, hE1(3) and hE1(N1) that are transcribed from the generic hPIII promoter, also present in the rat and mouse, and the human-specific promoter hP(N1), respectively. Also, to determine the effect of estradiol on the hPIII promoter activity in cancer cells.