Loss of Nuclear/DNA Integrity in Mouse Epididymal Spermatozoa after Short-Term Exposure to Low Doses of Dibutyl Phthalate or Bisphenol AF and Its Mitigation by Oral Antioxidant Supplementation.

Routine exposure to chemicals omnipresent in the environment, particularly the so-called endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), has been associated with decreased sperm quality and increased anomalies in testis. The decline in semen quality and testicular abnormalities have been attributed to the disruption of endocrine signaling as well as oxidative stress. The present study set out to examine the effect of short-term exposure of two common EDCs widely used in the plastic industry: Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and Bisphenol AF (BPAF).

Prognosis for clinical pregnancy and birth after transferring embryos derived from a cohort of incompletely mature oocytes at retrieval time.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to establish a prognosis for implantation, pregnancy and live birth rates in stimulated IVF cycles after transferring embryos derived from: 1/ retrieved immature oocytes that matured overnight in vitro (late mature group: LM); 2/ retrieved immature oocytes that matured overnight in vitro and were added to the embryos derived from retrieved mature oocytes (mixed embryos group: MX); and 3/ retrieved mature oocytes (mature group: M). The obtained implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates for the LM group were: 5.6%, 11.

Hyaluronan binding assay (HBA) vs. sperm penetration assay (SPA): Can HBA replace the SPA test in male partner screening before in vitro fertilization?

Objective: To determine if a less expensive, easier, and faster to perform HBA test is clinically equal to the more complicated, technically challenging and expensive SPA test as a reliable indicator of sperm fertilizing capacity.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Andrology laboratory within In Vitro Fertilization Program.

Outcomes of day-1, day-3, and blastocyst cryopreserved embryo transfers.

The optimal developmental stage for cryopreserving embryos in IVF-ET remains controversial. Our study demonstrates that besides an improvement in postthaw survival rate for day-1 and blastocyst cryopreserved ET over day-3, all three groups attained statistically similar implantation, clinical pregnancy, multiple, twinning, and male gender rates.

Effect of macroscopic or microscopic blood and mucus on the success rates of embryo transfers.

Objective: To assess the effect of microscopic and macroscopic contamination of embryo transfer (ET) catheters with blood or mucus on in vitro fertilization (IVF)-ET success rates.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Infertility practice in teaching community hospital.

Profound hypothyroidism-induced acute menorrhagia resulting in life-threatening anemia.

Background: Menorrhagia is a very common gynecologic entity with a broad differential diagnosis which includes both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Case: We present the case of a 31-year-old patient with acute menorrhagia causing life-threatening anemia that resulted from profound hypothyroidism. Despite timely institution of thyroid replacement, the patient required emergent embolization of a uterine arteriovenous malformation after dilatation and curettage failed to control her bleeding.

Patient experience with follitropin alfa prefilled pen versus previously used injectable gonadotropins for ovulation induction in oligoanovulatory women.

Objective: To evaluate patient satisfaction with the follitropin alfa prefilled pen (Gonal-f RFF Pen), compared with previously used injectable gonadotropins (vial/ampoules and syringe), in women undergoing ovulation induction (OI).

Research Design And Methods: Women aged 18-40 years undergoing OI for oligoanovulatory infertility were enrolled from nine US fertility centers in this prospective, open-label clinical trial. Participants received recombinant follitropin alfa using a prefilled pen.

Recognition and prevention of gastric injury during gynecologic laparoscopy.

Background: Laparoscopy has become an essential tool for the gynecologist. Its use has dramatically increased, in part, because of technological advances, but also because of well-documented advantages over laparotomy in particular scenarios. Immediate recognition of a complication is essential for reducing morbidity and potential mortality.

Comparison of pregnancy, implantation, and multiple gestation rates for day 3 versus day 5 embryo transfers.

Purpose: To compare pregnancy, implantation, and multiple gestation rates resulting from day 3 and day 5 embryo transfers after in vitro fertilization emphasizing a subset of patients who met criteria for day 5 transfer but elected to undergo day 3 transfer.

Method: A retrospective analysis of day 3 and day 5 embryo transfers from January 2001 to June 2002 were evaluated in a community teaching hospital setting. A total of 331 patients < or = 40 years old were included.

Successful pregnancy resulting from cryopreserved pronuclear and cleaved embryos thawed and cultured to blastocysts, refrozen and transferred. A case report.

Background: Twice-frozen, thawed embryos may have utilization in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles.

Case: A 37-year-old woman with endometriosis and infertility returned five years after a fresh IVF cycle. Seven cryopreserved embryos (2 pronuclear [pn] and cleaved) were thawed, and five developed to the blastocyst stage.