Spontaneous in vitro hatching of the human blastocyst: the proteomics of initially hatching cells.

Spontaneous in vitro hatching of human blastocysts starts with the formation of a tunnel through the zona pellucida (ZP) by cellular projections of trophoblast cells. Our aim was to identify the proteins that are upregulated in these initially hatching cells as compared to trophectoderm (TE) cells from blastocysts that had not yet hatched. Forty seven women that underwent assisted reproduction treatment donated their ICSI-derived polyploid blastocysts for the study.

Ratio between inner cell mass diameter and blastocyst diameter is correlated with successful pregnancy outcomes of single blastocyst transfers.

Objective: To evaluate the ability to predict pregnancy outcomes of single-blastocyst transfers by measuring the ratio of inner cell mass (ICM) diameter to blastocyst diameter using time-lapse images.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: University-affiliated medical center.

Irregular cleavage of early preimplantation human embryos: characteristics of patients and pregnancy outcomes.

Purpose: This is a retrospective analysis of the morphokinetics, prevalence, and implantation potential of embryos with irregular first and second cleavages as identified by time-lapse microscopy.

Methods: The study included 253 women who underwent 387 assisted reproduction treatments with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Each patient was assigned to one of three groups based on embryo cleavage results.

Successful pregnancy and delivery of a healthy baby after endometrial biopsy treatment in an in vitro fertilization patient with severe Asherman syndrome.

Objective: To implement the procedure of endometrial biopsy in a case of severe Asherman syndrome as a possible treatment to increase uterine receptivity.

Design: Case report.

Setting: IVF Unit, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel.

Local injury to the endometrium doubles the incidence of successful pregnancies in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Objective: Exploration of the possibility that local injury of the endometrium increases the incidence of implantation.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Clinical IVF unit.