J Assist Reprod Genet
July 2024
Research Question: Can an optimal LH threshold algorithm accurately predict timing of ovulation for natural cycle-intrauterine insemination (NC-IUI)?
Design: A retrospective cohort study (2018-2022) including 2467 natural cycles. Ovulation timing for these cycles was determined using a previously developed AI model. Two LH thresholds, low and high, were determined in the LH algorithm.
The effect of the mRNA-BNT162b2 vaccine administered prior to fertility treatments has been addressed in several studies, presenting reassuring results. Cycle outcomes of patients receiving the vaccine during the stimulation itself have not been previously described. This retrospective cohort study included patients who received mRNA-BNT162b2-vaccine during the stimulation of fresh IVF cycles, between January-September 2021, age matched to pre-stimulation vaccinated patients and to non-vaccinated patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResearch Question: Can a machine-learning model suggest an optimal trigger day (or days), analysing three consecutive days, to maximize the number of total and mature (metaphase II [MII]) oocytes retrieved during an antagonist protocol cycle?
Design: This retrospective cohort study included 9622 antagonist cycles between 2018 and 2022. The dataset was divided into training, validation and test sets. An XGBoost machine-learning algorithm, based on the cycles' data, suggested optimal trigger days for maximizing the number of MII oocytes retrieved by considering the MII predictions, prediction errors and outlier detection results.
Ultrasound monitoring and hormonal blood testing are considered by many as an accurate method to predict ovulation time. However, uniform and validated algorithms for predicting ovulation have yet to be defined. Daily hormonal tests and transvaginal ultrasounds were recorded to develop an algorithm for ovulation prediction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To develop a machine learning model designed to predict the time of ovulation and optimal fertilization window for performing intrauterine insemination or timed intercourse (TI) in natural cycles.
Design: A retrospective cohort study.
Setting: A large in vitro fertilization unit.
Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol
June 2023
Objective: Evaluation of preeclampsia (PE) incidence among participants undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) after various cycles of sperm donation (SD) via intrauterine inseminations (IUI) or IVF.
Study Design: A retrospective case-control study was conducted at a single tertiary medical center between 2011 and 2019 which included participants who conceived via IVF using SD from a single sperm bank and had a successful singleton birth at Sheba Medical Center. The study cohort was divided into two groups: Group 1 (participants who conceived via IVF after 0-1 cycles of IUI or IVF from the same sperm donor) and Group 2 (participants who conceived via IVF after 2 or more cycles of IUI or IVF from the same sperm donor).
The role of prostaglandins (PGs) in the ovulatory process is known. However, the role of the ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 4 (ABCC4), transmembrane PG carrier protein, in ovulation remains unknown. We report herein that ABCC4 expression is significantly upregulated in preovulatory human granulosa cells (GCs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResearch Question: Are IVF treatments with extremely high peak oestradiol levels and gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist trigger associated with higher complication rates?
Design: A retrospective cohort study including patients from two large medical centres treated between 2019 and 2021. A study group with extremely high peak oestradiol levels (≥20,000 pmol/l on the day of ovarian stimulation, or ≥15,000 pmol/l on the previous day) and a control group with normal range oestradiol levels (3000-12000 pmol/l) that received GnRH agonist triggering. Patients were surveyed about complaints and medical care related to ovum retrieval and medical files were reviewed.
Background: Gestational hypertensive (GH) disorders remain a major obstetric problem.
Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of gestational hypertensive disorders among participants undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI) after exposure to various levels of sperm from sperm donation (SD).
Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted at a single tertiary medical center between 2011 and 2019.
Background: The development of covid-19 vaccinations represents a notable scientific achievement. Nevertheless, concerns have been raised regarding their possible detrimental impact on male fertility OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of covid-19 BNT162b2 (Pfizer) vaccine on semen parameters among semen donors (SD).
Methods: Thirty-seven SD from three sperm banks that provided 216 samples were included in that retrospective longitudinal multicenter cohort study.
Purpose: To study the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy rates in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study including women under the age of 42 with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection up to 1 year prior to treatment, undergoing FET cycles in the first half of 2021, with transfer of embryos generated prior to the infection. Controls were SARS-CoV-2 non-diagnosed, non-vaccinated women matched by age, number, and day of embryo transfer.
The physiological acrosome reaction occurs after mammalian spermatozoa undergo a process called capacitation in the female reproductive tract. Only acrosome reacted spermatozoon can penetrate the egg zona-pellucida and fertilize the egg. Sperm also contain several mechanisms that protect it from undergoing spontaneous acrosome reaction (sAR), a process that can occur in sperm before reaching proximity to the egg and that abrogates fertilization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To assess the influence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) messenger ribonucleic acid vaccine on ovarian response and in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment outcomes.
Design: A retrospective cohort study.
Setting: A tertiary university-affiliated medical center and a private medical center.
Study Question: Does prior severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in women undergoing fertility treatments affect the outcomes of fresh ART cycles?
Summary Answer: SARS-CoV-2 infection does not affect fresh ART treatment outcomes, except for a possible long-term negative effect on oocyte yield (>180 days postinfection).
What Is Known Already: A single previous study suggested no evidence that a history of asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection in females caused impairment of fresh ART treatment outcomes.
Study Design, Size, Duration: Retrospective cohort study, including all SARS-CoV-2 infected women who underwent fresh ART cycles within a year from infection (the first cycle postinfection), between October 2020 and June 2021, matched to non-diagnosed controls.
Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol
August 2021
Introduction: Women with pregnancies complicated by IUGR are at increased risk for future cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether endothelial function of women with pregnancies complicated by IUGR is already impaired during pregnancy. Hence, we evaluated maternal endothelial function in pregnancies complicated by IUGR due to placental dysfunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Pregnancy Childbirth
May 2020
Background: The attendance to the gynecological-emergency-room (GER) of women only a few weeks following previous discharge after birth comprises a medical as well as social problem. The objective of the study was to characterize the postpartum women that attended the GER, and depict the leading etiologies and risk-factors that lead them to attend the GER, and to examine correlations between their medical findings at discharge and the reasons for their attendance to the hospital.
Methods: All women that attended the GER between 01/01/2016 and 30/09/2016 during 6 weeks after birth were included.
Purpose: To determine the rate of obstetric and neonatal complications associated with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in twin versus singleton gestations.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study including patients diagnosed with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy at a single tertiary center between 2011 and 2016. Women were allocated into two groups: twin pregnancies (n = 56) and singleton pregnancies (n = 186).
Background: The cumulus expansion process is one of the LH mediated ovulatory processes. Hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) regulates the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, the main component of the cumulus expansion process. Recently, the lncRNA HAS2 antisense RNA 1 (HAS2-AS1) was identified in our global transcriptome RNA-sequencing of novel ovulation associated genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOvarian follicular development and ovulation in mammals is a highly-regulated process. Most of the current knowledge of ovarian processes was obtained from the studies of non-human models. Molecular studies on human ovarian processes suffer from lack of material and appropriate research tools.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate obstetric outcomes in relation to the extent of donor sperm exposure with and without egg donation.
Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study in a single tertiary care center. All women with a singleton pregnancy who conceived following sperm donation (SD) were included.