The addition of dydrogesterone improves the outcomes of pregnant women with low progesterone levels when receiving vaginal progesterone alone as luteal support in HRT-FET cycles.

Purpose: Vaginal progesterone (VP) alone has been used as luteal support (LS) in HRT-FET cycles without measuring serum progesterone concentrations (SPC) because it can achieve adequate intrauterine progesterone levels. However, several reports showed that the co-administration of progestin produced better outcomes than VP alone. We tried to address this discrepancy, focusing on SPC.

A novel orally active gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist, relugolix, is a potential substitute for injectable GnRH antagonists in controlled ovarian stimulation in assisted reproductive technology.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of an oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH Ant), relugolix (R), for assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Methods: We enrolled women undergoing ART using a GnRH Ant for controlled ovarian stimulation. We compared R; 20 mg/day with cetrorelix acetate (C); 0.

Different anti-Műllerian hormone (AMH) levels respond to distinct ovarian stimulation methods in assisted reproductive technology (ART): Clues to better ART outcomes.

Purpose: We asked whether the relationship between anti-Műllerian hormone (AMH) value and the response to ovarian stimulation (OS) might be AMH value-related and differ for each regimen, aiming at getting clues as to how to choose OS protocols according to AMH levels. We further addressed how AMH value connects with ART outcome.

Methods: A total of 1112 women undergoing egg retrieval in ART were included.

Identifying a possible factor for the increased newborn size in singleton pregnancies after assisted reproductive technology using cryopreserved embryos, in comparison with fresh embryos.

Purpose: To determine whether the cycle regimens that are used for endometrial preparation are associated with the birthweight (BW) after assisted reproductive technology (ART) using frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET).

Methods: The BW of singletons who were born by ART using FET was compared retrospectively, according to whether a FET was conducted in a hormone replacement therapy cycle (HRT, n= 403) or an ovulatory cycle (OVL, n = 117). The BW after timed intercourse (NAT, n = 162) also was investigated.

Case of ovarian hyperstimulation and oocyte pick-up during very early period of unnoticed pregnancy followed by ongoing normal pregnancy.

We report a case of unnoticed pregnancy that was maintained during low estrogen and progesterone circumstances, that showed menses-like bleeding, and was then discovered after ovarian hyperstimulation during the next period. The patient was 39 years old and primigravid. She underwent intrauterine insemination, followed by luteal support with human chorionic gonadotrophin and progestin; however, she experienced menstruation-like bleeding 15 days later.

Insulin resistance in nonobese Japanese women with polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with poorer glucose tolerance, delayed insulin secretion, and enhanced insulin response.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in PCOS patients, the optimal screening method, and to compare our findings between nonobese and obese Japanese women with PCOS.

Methods: Ninety-eight PCOS patients were included in this research from 2006 to 2013. Glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed.

Clinicopathologic risk factors for recurrence of ovarian endometrioma following laparoscopic cystectomy.

Objective: To identify epidemiologic risk factors and investigate whether the characteristics of removed ovarian tissue during surgery influence the recurrence of endometriomas.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Medical university hospital.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in HORMAD1 may be a risk factor for azoospermia caused by meiotic arrest in Japanese patients.

Genetic mechanisms are implicated as a cause of some male infertility, yet are poorly understood. Meiosis is unique to germ cells and essential for reproduction. The synaptonemal complex is a critical component for chromosome pairing, segregation and recombination.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the SEPTIN12 gene may be associated with azoospermia by meiotic arrest in Japanese men.

Purpose: To investigate the association between SEPTIN12 gene variants and the risk of azoospermia caused by meiotic arrest.

Methods: Mutational analysis of the SEPTIN12 gene was performed using DNA from 30 Japanese patients with azoospermia by meiotic arrest and 140 fertile male controls.

Results: The frequencies of the c.

Single nucleotide polymorphism in the UBR2 gene may be a genetic risk factor for Japanese patients with azoospermia by meiotic arrest.

Purpose: To investigate the association between the UBR2 gene and the risk of azoospermia caused by meiotic arrest.

Methods: Mutational analysis of the UBR2 gene was performed using DNA from 30 patients with azoospermia by meiotic arrest to 80 normal controls.

Results: The genotypic and allelic frequencies of c.

The mouse germ-cell-specific leucine-rich repeat protein NALP14: a member of the NACHT nucleoside triphosphatase family.

Microscopy of sectioned neonatal mouse ovaries established the predominance of primordial follicles in Day 3 samples and the predominance of primary follicles by Day 8. To identify genetic determinants of the primordial to primary follicle transition, the transcriptome of Day 1 or Day 3 mouse ovaries was contrasted by differential display with that of Day 8 ovaries. This manuscript examines one of the up-regulated genes, the novel Nalp14 gene, whose transcript displayed 18- and 127-fold increments from Day 1 to Days 3 and 8, respectively.

Differential expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor in the rat ovary.

We investigated the expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) and its receptors in the rat ovary to define the role of HB-EGF in the ovarian function. The expression pattern of HB-EGF mRNA and protein were studied by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immuno-histochemistry using an antibody that was specifically stained for the precursor form of HB-EGF in naturally cycling rats and immature pseudo-pregnant rat models. The immuno-histochemical study showed that in naturally cycling rats, HB-EGF was expressed in most granulosa cells of early follicles and all the developing follicles but not in preovulatory follicles.

Integrins are not involved in the process of human sperm-oolemmal fusion.

Background: We investigated whether integrins are required for the human sperm-oocyte binding and fusion processes.

Methods: The expression of several integrin subunits at the human oocyte plasma membrane was investigated using immunofluorescence microscopy, and the functional role of integrins expressed at the human oocyte surface in sperm-oocyte interaction was studied using a zona-free human oocyte binding and fusion assay. A total of 144 unfertilized oocytes were stained with anti-integrin antibodies and 147 zona-free unfertilized oocytes were inseminated in the presence of various anti-integrin antibodies that were expressed in oocyte plasma membrane.