Ultra-Fast Warming Procedure of Vitrified Blastocysts Results in Maintained Embryology and Clinical Outcomes.

Vitrification has revolutionized embryo cryopreservation, but represents a significant workload in the IVF lab. We evaluated here an ultrafast blastocyst warming procedure in order to improve workflow while maintaining clinical outcome. We first evaluated the expression of main markers of lineage specification in a subset of blastocysts donated to research warmed with ultrafast protocol.

Ovarian response in preimplantation genetic testing for myotonic dystrophy type 1.

Purpose: To evaluate ovarian stimulation response in couples undergoing preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-M) for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) METHODS: Retrospective, observational, multicentric study. Parameters of ovarian response and PGT-M outcomes were compared according to the DM1-affected patient (female or male). A total of 229 couples underwent at least one controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycle for the PGT-M procedure.

Spinal muscular atrophy is also a disorder of spermatogenesis.

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients benefit from pre-mRNA splicing modifiers targeting the SMN2 gene, which aims to increase functional SMN production. The animal toxicity affecting spermatogenesis associated with one such treatment raised questions about male SMA patients' spermatogenesis.

Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2022 to July 2023.

Serum androgen dynamics in young women aged 18-40 treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer: an observational, multicentric, prospective study in France.

Although the deleterious impact of chemotherapy regimen used to treat women of reproductive age with breast cancer on ovarian reserve has been extensively studied, hardly anything has been reported on the effect of these protocols on theca cell function and ovarian androgen secretion. The aim of this prospective multicentric cohort study was to describe serum levels of total testosterone and androstenedione during chemotherapy and 24-month follow-up in 250 patients <40 years treated for breast cancer. Mean basal levels of androstenedione and total testosterone at diagnosis were 1.

Total blastocyst usable rate is a predictor of cumulative live birth rate in IVF cycles.

Purpose: Despite advances in IVF techniques, determining the prognostic factors influencing cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) remains crucial for optimizing outcomes. Among the various key performance indicators in the lab, blastulation rate, and more specifically Total Blastocyst Usable Rate (TBUR), has gained particular interest. In this study we aimed at determining if TBUR was significantly associated with CLBR.

Female smoking does not affect live birth rate after frozen thawed blastocyst transfer cycle.

Purpose: The development of vitrification and blastocyst culture have recently led to a rapidly growing number of single frozen thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT) cycles worldwide. Although the impact of female smoking on spontaneous fertility is well established, its effect on assisted reproductive technologies (ART) outcome is still controversial, and no study has specifically evaluated its effect on FBT cycles' outcome.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in all consecutive FBT cycles conducted between 2012 and 2021 in a single University-based ART centre.

Predicting the number of oocytes retrieved from controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with machine learning.

Study Question: Can machine learning predict the number of oocytes retrieved from controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH)?

Summary Answer: Three machine-learning models were successfully trained to predict the number of oocytes retrieved from COH.

What Is Known Already: A number of previous studies have identified and built predictive models on factors that influence the number of oocytes retrieved during COH. Many of these studies are, however, limited in the fact that they only consider a small number of variables in isolation.

Developmental-stage specific single-cell human embryo dissociation.

Isolation of individual cells ensures detailed analysis of human embryos and promotes our understanding of molecular mechanisms driving embryo development and cell specification. Here, we present a protocol for the processing of human embryos for single-cell analysis. We describe steps for growing embryos and individualizing cells from the polar and the mural parts of trophectoderm at the blastocyst stage using laser dissection.

[New models to study human embryonic development].

Since 2021, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are available to infertile couples, but also to single women and female couples. The process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) has allowed to cross the threshold of 5 million births worldwide, between 1978 and 2013. However, the failure rate per each IVF cycle is estimated to be around 75%.

[EUGIC (Extension of the Use of Gametes in Intra-Conjugal): New uses of gametes within the couple].

Objective: New possibilities for using gametes within a couple were created by the French law of August 2, 2021 related to bioethics by opening Assisted Reproductive Technics (ART) to all women. It concerns previously self-preserved gametes, thus avoiding the need for gamete donation. The objective of our study is to evaluate the perception of these new uses by ART practitioners.

Impact of the duration of oestradiol treatment on live birth rate in Hormonal Replacement Therapy cycle before frozen blastocyst transfer.

Although the duration of progesterone administration in Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) cycles before frozen embryo transfer is standardized, the optimal duration of oestrogen treatment remains controversial. In this monocentric retrospective study conducted in all single frozen blastocyst transfer (FBT) performed with HRT between January 2016 and July 2019, we evaluated the association between the duration of oestradiol treatment before FBT and live birth rate (LBR) in HRT cycles. Cycles were gathered in 3 groups according to quartiles of duration of oestrogen treatment.

[Fertility preservation and access to medically assisted reproduction for Trans people: Guidelines from French Professional Association for Transgender Health].

Many health care professionals are dealing with the issue of transgender people in their medical practice. In the field of reproduction, Trans people can benefit from fertility preservation before the introduction of hormonal treatment or surgery altering their fertility. This article, which is the result of a collaborative work of several reproductive professionals involved in the health of Trans people, provides an overview of the possibilities of fertility preservation and medically assisted reproduction techniques in France for Trans people.

[Pre-implantation genetic testing: Comparison between cleavage stage and blastocyst biopsy].

Objectives: Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) refers to the set of techniques for testing whether embryos obtained through in vitro fertilization have genetic defect. There is a lack of global standardization regarding practices between countries or even from one center to another. In ours, biopsies are preferably performed on day 3 embryos, but also at the blastocyst stage on day 5.

Evolution of serum Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) level in young women treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer according to basal AMH level.

Objective: Serum AMH level has been shown to decrease in women treated for breast cancer in several studies. However, whether basal AMH status affects AMH dynamics during chemotherapy remains to be clarified. The objective of this study was to compare serum AMH dynamics in young women with either low, normal or high basal serum AMH level at diagnosis, during and after treatment with chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Female obesity does not impact live birth rate after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer.

Study Question: Does female obesity affect live birth rate after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer?

Summary Answer: Live birth rate was not statistically different between obese and normal weight patients after frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT).

What Is Known Already: Obesity is a major health problem across the world, especially in women of reproductive age. It impacts both spontaneous fertility and clinical outcomes after assisted reproductive technology.

Development of automated annotation software for human embryo morphokinetics.

Study Question: Is it possible to develop an automated annotation tool for human embryo development in time-lapse devices based on image analysis?

Summary Answer: We developed and validated an automated software for the annotation of human embryo morphokinetic parameters, having a good concordance with expert manual annotation on 701 time-lapse videos.

What Is Known Already: Morphokinetic parameters obtained with time-lapse devices are increasingly used for the assessment of human embryo quality. However, their annotation is time-consuming and can be slightly operator-dependent, highlighting the need to develop fully automated approaches.