Relationship between even early cleavage and day 2 embryo score and assessment of their predictive value for pregnancy.

The aim of this study was, firstly, to define the different patterns of early cleavage (EC) observed at 26 h after either IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and, secondly, to assess the predictive value of one of these patterns, even EC (EEC), on pregnancy rate in combination with day 2 embryo score. In the first part of the study, the relationship between three different EC patterns (EEC, uneven EC and EC with fragmentation of the day 2 embryo) and embryo morphology was determined. EEC was shown to be strongly associated with good embryo morphology.

Early cleavage: an additional predictor of high implantation rate following elective single embryo transfer.

The value of early cleavage (EC) assessment is still being debated. The aim of this prospective study was to examine the predictive value of EC assessment performed exactly 26 h after insemination by IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in a programme of elective single embryo transfer (SET) performed at day 2. If day 2 scoring demonstrated several embryos with high implantation potential, an EC embryo was transferred preferentially.

[How to improve ART results? Is France behind other countries? Strategy for single embryo transfer: The value of embryo selection and embryo freezing].

Multiple embryo transfer is associated with a high frequency of twin pregnancies with costly complications involving both mother and child. As a result high priority is currently being given to the development of single embryo transfer (SET) programs. France seems to be lagging behind Northern European countries in the development of SET and widespread use of SET will depend on convincing physicians that this policy will not have a negative impact on success rate, as has been the case for many protocols described in the literature as well as in our own experience.

[Elective single embryo transfer: a justified policy for selected patients].

Objective: Prevention of twin pregnancies using elective Single Embryo Transfer (e-SET) is now considered by many Assisted Reproductive Techniques teams as a necessity. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of e-SET in a prospective manner in a selective population of patients using Take Home Baby Rate per couple as principal parameter.

Patients And Methods: This prospective study was conducted from January 2003 to December 2004.

Medically assisted procreation and transmission of hepatitis C virus: absence of HCV RNA in purified sperm fraction in HIV co-infected patients.

Objective: The risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in medically assisted procreation (MAP) is debated and some researchers have proposed to exclude MAP for HCV-positive infertile patients. The objectives of this study were to assess the presence of viral RNA in the final preparation of density gradient semen fractions collected from men with chronic HCV and HIV co-infection participating in a MAP program, and to assess whether HIV co-infection influences the rate of the presence of HCV RNA in the semen.

Design And Methods: The study was based on a cohort of 170 HCV-infected male patients (93 HIV co-infected) participating in a MAP program in a French center.