Serum metabolites as predictive molecular markers of ovarian response to controlled stimulation: a pilot study.

Objective: This study aimed to look into the use of serum metabolites as potential biomarkers of response to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.

Methods: This case-control study analyzed serum samples from 30 patients aged <36 years undergoing COS for ICSI in a university-affiliated assisted reproduction center from January 2017 to August 2017. The samples were split into three groups based on response to COS as follows: poor responders: <4 retrieved oocytes (PR group, n=10); normal responders: ≥ 8 and ≤ 12 retrieved oocytes (NR group, n=10); and hyper-responders: >25 retrieved oocytes (HR, n=10).

Lipidomic profile as a noninvasive tool to predict endometrial receptivity.

For the present study we asked whether the endometrial fluid lipidomic may be a useful approach to predict endometrial receptivity in freeze-all cycles. For this case-control study, endometrial fluid samples were collected from 41 patients undergoing freeze-all cycles. Samples were split depending on the pregnancy outcome: positive group (n = 24) and negative group (n = 17).

Paternal lifestyle factors in relation to semen quality and in vitro reproductive outcomes.

This prospective-cohort study aimed at investigating the influence of paternal lifestyle factors on semen parameters and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. The influence of paternal lifestyle factors on seminal quality and ICSI outcomes was investigated in male patients undergoing conventional semen analysis. Cigarette smoking negatively influenced semen volume (B: -0.

Role of religion, spirituality, and faith in assisted reproduction.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the patient's faith, religion, and spirituality on the outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Eight hundred and seventy-seven patients received a questionnaire containing information on faith, religiosity, and spirituality and the results of the questionnaires were correlated with ICSI outcomes. Patients stated to be Catholic ( = 476), spiritists ( = 93), Evangelical ( = 118), and other religion ( = 32), and 78 did not identify with any religious group.

Overcoming male factor infertility with intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of male factor infertility on intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes compared with a control group presenting isolated tubal factor.

Method: This retrospective study included 743 couples undergoing ICSI as a result of isolated male factor and a control group consisting of 179 couples undergoing ICSI as a result of isolated tubal factor, performed in a private university- -affiliated in vitro fertilization center, between January/2010 and December/2016. Patients were divided into two groups according to maternal age: women ≤35 years old and >35 years old.

[Limitations and controversies in determining the predictive value of oocyte and embryo morphology criteria].

In order to increase the success rate of in vitro fertilization cycles, several studies have focused on the identification of the embryo with higher implantation potential. Despite recent advances in the reproductive medicine, based on the OMICs technology, routinely applicable methodologies are still needed. Thus, in most fertilization centers embryo selection for transfer is still based on morphological parameters evaluated under light microscopy.

Decline in semen quality among infertile men in Brazil during the past 10 years.

Purpose: To investigate whether the semen quality of men undergoing conventional semen analysis is deteriorating over time.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed and compared the sperm count, motility and morphology of 2300 semen samples provided by males undergoing conventional seminal analysis, from years 2000 to 2002 and 2010 to 2012. The incidences of severe oligozoospermia and azoospermia over time were also compared.

Blastocyst Morphology Holds Clues Concerning The Chromosomal Status of The Embryo.

Background: Embryo morphology has been proposed as an alternative marker of chro- mosomal status. The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the association between the chromosomal status on day 3 of embryo development and blas- tocyst morphology.

Materials And Methods: A total of 596 embryos obtained from 106 cycles of intra- cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) followed by preimplantation genetic aneuploidy screening (PGS) were included in this retrospective study.

Sperm morphological normality under high magnification predicts laboratory and clinical outcomes in couples undergoing ICSI.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether 'motile sperm organelle morphology examination' (MSOME) is correlated with the outcome of ICSI. A total of 14400 spermatozoa from 72 couples undergoing ICSI were analysed by MSOME (x6600) and graded into four groups: grade I, normal form and no vacuoles; grade II, normal form and lesser than or equal to 2 small vacuoles; grade III, normal form greater than 2 small vacuoles or at least one large vacuole and grade IV, large vacuole and abnormal head shapes or other abnormalities. The correlations between the proportion of morphologically normal spermatozoa (grade I + II) and ICSI outcomes were assessed.

Sperm morphological abnormalities visualised at high magnification predict embryonic development, from fertilisation to the blastocyst stage, in couples undergoing ICSI.

Purpose: To investigate the predictive value of the motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME) on embryo morphology.

Methods: The morphologies of 540 embryos obtained from 60 couples undergoing ICSI were evaluated from days 1 to 5 of development and were examined for associations with the percentages of morphologically normal paternal sperm and of the paternal sperm with large nuclear vacuoles (LNVs) as determined by MSOME.

Results: An increased percentage of LNV sperm was associated with increased odds of a zygote presenting with pronuclear abnormalities.

The efficiency of a donor-recipient program using infertile donors' egg cryo-banking: a Brazilian reality.

Purpose: To determine whether Brazilian egg donation treatment outcomes with oocytes donated from infertile couples are equivalent to those obtained worldwide with oocytes donated from fertile egg-donors.

Methods: In this descriptive study, egg-donation cycles from 259 women, performed from January 2009 to July 2013, were evaluated. Oocytes were obtained from patients undergoing ICSI who decided to donate their surplus oocytes.

The prevalence of sperm with large nuclear vacuoles is a prognostic tool in the prediction of ICSI success.

Purpose: To investigate if there is a correlation between the prevalence of sperm with large nuclear vacuoles (LNV) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes.

Methods: Two hundred male patients undergoing ICSI had their sperm morphology evaluated through motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME) and the percentage of LNV sperm was recorded and correlated to the ICSI outcomes.

Results: The percentage of sperm with LNV negatively influenced the blastocyst formation (S: 16.

Intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection outcomes: the role of sperm preparation techniques.

Purpose: To compare the results of intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI) between cycles in which the swim-up (SUP) or the density gradient centrifugation (DGC) techniques were used for sperm preparation.

Methods: We evaluated 70 IMSI cycles performed in women with age ≤ 37 years, undergoing IMSI as result of male factor. The couples were divided into two groups: DGC group (n = 26) and SUP group (n = 44).

Prediction of embryo implantation potential by mass spectrometry fingerprinting of the culture medium.

This study has evaluated the performance of a multivariate statistical model to predict embryo implantation potential by processing data from the chemical fingerprinting of culture medium samples used for human embryo culture. The culture medium for 113 embryos from 55 patients undergoing ICSI was collected after embryo transfer. The samples were split into positive (n=29) and negative (n=84) implantation groups according their implantation outcomes (100% or 0% implantation).

Do weekend oocyte retrievals have an impact on the intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles outcome?

Introduction: Despite the fact that ovarian stimulation is controlled, it is not always predictable. Because the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) injection depends mainly on the patient's ovarian response to gonadotrophins, the day of oocyte retrieval cannot be determined in advance. As a result, oocyte retrievals are often scheduled to occur on weekends, a fact that entails at least one extra working day for the staff, and could lead to physical and psychological stress, especially in embryologists.

Body mass index is negatively correlated with the response to controlled ovarian stimulation but does not influence oocyte morphology in ICSI cycles.

Objective: To investigate whether or not body mass index (BMI) is associated with oocyte dysmorphisms.

Study Design: This retrospective study enrolled 1105 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The correlation between BMI and the response to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) and ICSI outcomes was analysed.

Seasonal variability in the fertilization rate of women undergoing assisted reproduction treatments.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether seasonality affects human-assisted reproduction treatment outcomes. For this, 1932 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were assigned to a season group according to the day of oocyte retrieval: winter (n = 435), spring (n = 444), summer (n = 469) or autumn (n = 584). Analysis of variance was used to compare the ICSI outcomes.

The effect of GnRH analogues for pituitary suppression on ovarian response in repeated ovarian stimulation cycles.

Introduction: Ovarian stimulation is employed in assisted reproduction techniques in order to obtain as many oocytes as possible. The early rise in oestradiol levels may lead to the premature end of the respective cycle. In order to avoid such an effect, pituitary suppression has been employed.

Decreased fertility in poor responder women is not related to oocyte morphological status.

Introduction: In women showing impaired fertility, a decreased response to ovarian stimulation is a major problem, limiting the number of oocytes to be used for assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Despite the several definitions of poor response, it is still a matter of debate whether young poor responder patients also show a decrease in oocyte quality. The objective in this study was to investigate whether poor ovarian response to the superstimulation protocol is accompanied by impaired oocyte quality.

Oocyte morphology does not affect post-warming survival rate in an egg-cryobanking donation program.

Purpose: To evaluate whether oocyte dysmorphisms affect oocyte survival rates in an egg-cryobanking donation program.

Methods: This study included 54 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection. A total of 415 metaphase II oocytes were vitrified using the Cryotop method.

Oocyte yield and dysmorphisms as indicators of biological efficiency in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles.

The aim of the study was to examine whether oocyte yield could be an indicator of morphological oocyte quality and biological competency in patients younger than 36 years undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS). Three hundred and thirty-five intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures were arbitrarily subdivided into five groups according to the number of retrieved oocytes. Patients' demographic characteristics and treatment success were compared among the groups.

Are poor responders patients at higher risk for producing aneuploid embryos in vitro?

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that aged women with poor ovarian response express an increase on embryo chromosomal alterations when compared to aged women who presented normal response.

Methods: Couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles with preimplantation genetic screening, were subdivided into two groups: Poor Responder group (n = 34), patients who produced ≤4 oocytes; and Normoresponder group (n = 50), patients who produced ≥5 oocytes. Groups were compared regarding cycles' outcomes and aneuploidy frequency.

Effect of acupuncture on assisted reproduction treatment outcomes.

Background: Acupuncture has recently been used as a complementary technique in the management of infertility. It has physiological and psychological effects and may be considered an alternative for stress reduction in women undergoing infertility treatments.

Objective: To examine the hypothesis that acupuncture treatment may increase the pregnancy rate in patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles.

Blastomere multinucleation: Contributing factors and effects on embryo development and clinical outcome.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to discover which intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle parameters could influence the presence of multinucleated blastomeres (MNBs) and how ICSI outcomes are influenced by this event.

Material And Methods: Embryos derived from normally fertilised oocytes were divided into two groups: embryos that had only mononucleated blastomeres (NBs group n = 2818) and embryos that had at least one multinucleated blastomere (MNB group, n = 404). The effects of ICSI cycle factors on multinucleation were investigated and embryo development was compared between the groups.