Stringent Regulations of Oocyte Donation Among Jewish Women in Israel: Characteristics and Outcomes of the National Oocyte Donation Program in One Central IVF Unit.

On September 5, 2010, the Israeli Parliament passed a law that allows Israeli female residents to donate their oocytes to infertile Israeli female residents. This law includes unique restrictions that do not exist in other countries. Our aim was to characterize Israeli oocyte donors and recipients and the outcomes of the oocyte donation program as regulated by national law.

The Effect of Month-Long Daily Fasting on Semen Parameters: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether Ramadan month-long daily fasting affects semen analysis parameters.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in tertiary academic medical center. Medical records of 97 Muslim patients who were admitted to the IVF unit from May 2011 to May 2021 were reviewed.

Similar fertilization rates and preimplantation embryo development among testosterone-treated transgender men and cisgender women.

Research Question: What are the effects of testosterone treatment on oocyte fertilization and preimplantation embryo development among transgender men who have undergone fertility preservation?

Design: A retrospective study was undertaken in a university-affiliated tertiary hospital between April 2016 and November 2021. Embryos were divided into three groups by source: 210 embryos from 7 testosterone-exposed transgender men, 135 from 10 cisgender women who cryopreserved embryos, and 276 from 24 cisgender women who underwent fertility treatment. Statistical analyses compared assisted reproductive technology outcomes between the group of transgender men and both groups of cisgender women.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Versus Recombinant Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Triggering in Fertility Preservation Cycles.

The purpose of this research is to study the efficacy of GnRH-a versus r-hCG triggering in patients who go through fertility preservation cycles. This retrospective cohort study was performed in a tertiary university-affiliated medical center. It includes 191 patients undergoing fertility preservation cycles between May 2013 and September 2018, in which ovulation was induced by either GnRH-a or r-hCG.

Ovarian stimulation outcomes among transgender men compared with fertile cisgender women.

Purpose: To compare assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes among transgender men with those of fertile cisgender women.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 12 transgender men, six with no testosterone exposure and six after testosterone treatment, and 12 cisgender women (oocyte donors) who underwent ART in our institution between June 2017 and December 2019. Statistical analyses compared ART data and outcomes between three groups: cisgender women, transgender men without testosterone exposure, and transgender men after testosterone exposure.

High level of satisfaction among women who underwent oocyte retrieval without anesthesia.

Objective: To assess the level of satisfaction of women undergoing transvaginal oocyte retrieval (TOR) without anesthesia as well as the comfort of the gynecologists.

Design: Single-center, prospective cohort study of women undergoing TOR from July 2017 to January 2018.

Setting: This study was conducted in an academic public hospital.

The Effect of Advanced Maternal Age on Embryo Morphokinetics.

To compare the morphokinetic parameters of pre-implantation development between embryos of women of advanced maternal age (AMA) and young women. Time-lapse microscopy was used to compare morphokinetic variables between 495 embryos of AMA women ≥ age 42 years and 653 embryos of young patients ( View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Time-lapse imaging reveals delayed development of embryos carrying unbalanced chromosomal translocations.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare the morphokinetic parameters of embryos carrying balanced chromosomal translocations with those carrying unbalanced chromosomal translocations using time-lapse microscopy.

Methods: The study group included 270 embryos that underwent biopsies on day 3 for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for chromosomal translocations in our unit between 2013 and 2015. All embryos were incubated under time-lapse microscopy and evaluated for timing of developmental events up to day 5.

Sub-endometrial contractility or computer-enhanced 3-D modeling scoring of the endometrium before embryo transfer: are they better than measuring endometrial thickness?

Purpose: Recent studies have focused on transvaginal ultrasound measurement (TVUS) of sub-endometrial contractility and computer-enhanced 3-D modeling scoring of the endometrium prior to embryo transfer (ET).The aim of this study was to compare pregnancy outcome of patients who performed the 3-D scoring or the sub-endometrial measurement prior to the ET with patients that did not perform those procedures.

Methods: A single center retrospective cohort study of 635 freeze/thaw cycles of blastocysts vitrified on day 5 and transferred between January 2016 and August 2016.

Does the endometrial receptivity array really provide personalized embryo transfer?

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine the percentage of infertility patients who are diagnosed with a non-receptive endometrium according to the endometrial receptivity array (ERA) test and to examine whether adjusting the embryo transfer day according to the proposed shift in the window of implantation improves the pregnancy rate compared to non-ERA-tested patients.

Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study, including 53 consecutive good prognosis patients (0-2 previous frozen embryo transfers) admitted to our IVF unit for a mock cycle prior to their frozen day-5 embryo (blastocyst) transfer cycle. The mock cycle included an endometrial biopsy for both the ERA test and histological assessment by the Noyes criteria (study group).

Does daily co-administration of letrozole and gonadotropins during ovarian stimulation improve IVF outcome?

Background: For the last year we have been treating normal responders with gonadotropins and letrozole during the whole stimulation in order to improve response to FSH by increasing the intrafollicular androgen concentration, and to reduce circulating estrogen concentrations. The aim of this study was to compare the IVF outcome of normal responders treated with letrozole and gonadotropins during ovarian stimulation with patients treated with gonadotropins only.

Methods: A single centre retrospective cohort study of 174 patients (87 in each group).

Intramuscular versus Vaginal Progesterone Administration in Medicated Frozen Embryo Transfer Cycles: A Randomized Clinical Trial Assessing Sub-Endometrial Contractions.

Objective: The study aimed to assess whether sub-endometrial contractility is reduced by the use of intramuscular (IM) progesterone.

Design: This is a randomized clinical trial. Patients assigned to a medicated day 5 frozen embryo transfer (FET) were randomly allocated to "vaginal progesterone" or "IM progesterone": patients randomized to the vaginal arm were treated with 200 mg micronized progesterone 3 times daily while patients randomized into the IM progesterone arm were treated with a single daily injection of 50 mg progesterone in oil.

Attempts to improve human ovarian transplantation outcomes of needle-immersed vitrification and slow-freezing by host and graft treatments.

Purpose: To investigate if needle-immersed vitrification or slow-freezing yields better implantation results for human ovarian tissue and which method benefits more when combined with the "improvement protocol" of host melatonin treatment and graft incubation with biological glue + vitamin E + vascular endothelial growth factor-A.

Methods: Human ovarian tissue was preserved by needle-immersed vitrification or slow-freezing and transplanted into immunodeficient mice, either untreated (groups A and C, respectively) or treated with the improvement protocol (groups B and D, respectively). Grafted and ungrafted slices were evaluated by follicle counts, apoptosis assay and immunohistochemistry for Ki67 and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM).

Case Report of Ectopic Ovarian Pregnancy Following Fresh Embryo Transfer.

Background: Ovarian pregnancy is a rare and challenging clinical phenomenon. Recent studies have identified assisted reproductive treatments and infertility as risk factors. However, neither a definite mechanism nor clear risk factors were identified and therefore prevention strategies are yet unavailable.

Premature rupture of the membranes at term: time to reevaluate the management.

Purpose: To compare maternal and neonatal outcomes in induced vs. expectant management of term PROM.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with term PROM.

Comparison between stimulation with highly purified hMG or recombinant FSH in patients undergoing IVF with GnRH antagonist protocol.

Purpose: Highly purified Human Menopausal Gonadotropins (hp-hMG) and recombinant FSH (rFSH) are widely used in assisted reproductive technology (ART). The aim of this study was to compare ART results of the two preparations in GnRH antagonist cycles.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, IVF antagonist cycles performed from 2011 through 2013 were reviewed.

What are the best predictors for successful GnRH antagonist protocol in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment?

Objective: To determine factors that affect the success rate of GnRH antagonist protocol in in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Patients: Patients who underwent IVF cycle with their first GnRH antagonist protocol.

Attempted application of bioengineered/biosynthetic supporting matrices with phosphatidylinositol-trisphosphate-enhancing substances to organ culture of human primordial follicles.

Purpose: To improve human primordial follicle culture.

Methods: Thin or thick ovarian slices were cultured on alginate scaffolds or in PEG-fibrinogen hydrogels with or without bpV (pic), which prevents the conversion of phosphatidylinositol-trisphosphate (PIP3) to phosphatidylinositol-bisphosphate (PIP2) or 740Y-P which converts PIP2 to PIP3. Follicular growth was evaluated by follicular counts, Ki67 immunohistochemistry, and 17β-estradiol (E2) levels.

Assessment of ovarian reserve following ovarian tissue banking and/or GnRH-a co-treatment prior to chemotherapy in patients with Hodgkin's disease.

Purpose: To examine ovarian reserve following chemotherapy in women with Hodgkin's disease.

Methods: The study included nine patients who underwent ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTCP) prior to chemotherapy consisting of the ABVD regimen (Adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine) and co-treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) (Group A), and 13 patients treated by the ABVD protocol only without GnRH-a (Group B). The average age was 25.