Intrauterine insemination timing models-LH can only take you so far.

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 COVID-19 vaccination during IVF stimulation on cycle outcomes- a retrospective cohort study.

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.

An artificial intelligence-based approach for selecting the optimal day for triggering in antagonist protocol cycles.

Research 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.

Prediction of ovulation: new insight into an old challenge.

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.

Artificial intelligence in the service of intrauterine insemination and timed intercourse in spontaneous cycles.

Objective: 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.

Higher incidence of preeclampsia among participants undergoing in-vitro fertilization after fewer sperm exposures.

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).

ABCC4 is a PGE2 efflux transporter in the ovarian follicle: A mediator of ovulation and a potential non-hormonal contraceptive target.

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).

Treatment safety of ART cycles with extremely high oestradiol concentrations using GnRH agonist trigger.

Research 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.

Lower Sperm Exposure among Participants Undergoing Intrauterine Insemination Associated with Increased Incidence of Gestational Hypertensive Disorders.

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.

Covid-19 vaccination BNT162b2 temporarily impairs semen concentration and total motile count among semen donors.

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.

The impact of past COVID-19 infection on pregnancy rates in frozen embryo transfer cycles.

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 Fer tyrosine kinase protects sperm from spontaneous acrosome reaction.

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.

Coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination and infertility treatment outcomes.

Objective: 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.

IVF under COVID-19: treatment outcomes of fresh ART cycles.

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.

Is endothelial function impaired among women with placenta-mediated fetal growth restriction? Evidence from a prospective cohort study using peripheral artery tonometry.

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.

Postpartum visits in the gynecological emergency room: How can we improve?

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.

Perinatal outcomes of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in twin versus singleton pregnancies: is plurality associated with adverse outcomes?

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).

HAS2-AS1 is a novel LH/hCG target gene regulating HAS2 expression and enhancing cumulus cells migration.

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.

An optimized model for hCG stimulation of human mural granulosa cell culture.

Ovarian 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.

The Impact of Sperm and Egg Donation on the Risk of Pregnancy Complications.

Objective: 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.