Correlation between Cytogenetic Findings and Spermatogenic Failure in Bulgarian Infertile Men.

The aim of our study was to determine the type and frequency of chromosomal aberrations and polymorphisms in men with different degrees of spermatogenic failure in comparison to men with normozoospermia, in order to find correlations between cytogenetic findings and the abnormal results of semen analysis. In our study, we performed cytogenetic analysis in 901 infertile men, divided into five groups according to semen analysis-normozoospermia (86), asthenozoospermia (394), oligoasthenozoospermia (182), severe male factor (100), and azoospermia (139). The frequency of polymorphisms was similar in all groups (11-16%, without significant differences).

Erratum: ESHRE guideline: ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/hropen/hoaa009.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.

Study of clinical experience with different approaches to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation: a focus on safety and efficacy.

Objectives: Current retrospective cohort study analyses clinical database records of 4792 assisted reproduction procedures to assess the significance of target effectiveness endpoints from a safety perspective.

Methods: Stimulation protocols with urinary, recombinant or combination of both types gonadotrophin preparations are compared according to the following primary endpoints: incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), cycle cancellation, follicle count, induced estradiol values, clinical pregnancy achieved and cycles reached embryo transfer/freezing. We have investigated the incidence of cases evaluated as 'risky for OHSS' by secondary efficacy endpoints (exogenous gonadotrophin exposure, luteinising hormone and progesterone values, oocyte yield, eggs with normal maturation).

ESHRE guideline: ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI.

Study Question: What is the recommended management of ovarian stimulation, based on the best available evidence in the literature?

Summary Answer: The guideline development group formulated 84 recommendations answering 18 key questions on ovarian stimulation.

What Is Known Already: Ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI has been discussed briefly in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on fertility problems, and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist has published a statement on ovarian stimulation in assisted reproduction. There are, to our knowledge, no evidence-based guidelines dedicated to the process of ovarian stimulation.

Recurrent implantation failure: the role of the endometrium.

The success rate of reproductive treatment methods depends on many different factors. The most important and discussed ones in the literature are maternal age, the causes of infertility, the ovarian response to stimulation, the influence of the male factor and sperm quality, embryo quality and the various uterine pathologies. Some couples fail repeatedly after transferring good quality embryos without any obvious reason and this becomes a major continuing problem after IVF/ICSI procedures.

Birth of a healthy infant after preimplantation genetic diagnosis by sequential blastomere and trophectoderm biopsy for β-thalassemia and HLA genotyping.

Background: Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a widely used technique for couples at genetic risk and involves the diagnosis and transfer of unaffected embryos generated through in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques.

Study Design: For those couples who are at risk of transmitting a genetic disease to their offspring, preimplantation embryos can be selected according to their genetic status as well as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatibility with the affected child. Stem cells from the resulting baby's umbilical cord blood can be used for transplantation to the affected sibling without graft rejection.

HLA-G expression is up-regulated by progesterone in mesenchymal stem cells.

Problem: Maternal immune response to fetal tissues is modified in such way that it favors the development of pregnancy. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G, progesterone and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been identified as potent immunomodulatory agents in different experimental systems and the interactions between these three factors are studies in this paper.

Method Of Study: Human MSCs are isolated from human adipose tissue, bone marrow and decidua are cultured in the presence of progesterone and the expression of HLA-G is followed-up at protein and mRNA levels.

First-trimester human decidua contains a population of mesenchymal stem cells.

Objective: To determine whether first-trimester human decidua contains multipotent stromal cells capable of differentiating into other cell lines.

Design: In vitro-cultured decidual stromal cells were analyzed by flow cytometry and induced to differentiate into osteogenic and adipogenic lineages, endothelial cells, and PRL-secreting mature decidual cells.

Setting: Research laboratory.

Production and characterization of a novel monoclonal antibody against progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF).

Progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) has been described as an active factor intimately involved in regulation of the immune response in pregnancy. It has been shown that PIBF biased the cytokine balance to Th2-type in pregnancy and inhibited the activity of NK cells. The biological roles of PIBF would be better defined if methods for its detection and measurement in biological fluids are available.

Correlation between number of retrieved oocytes and pregnancy rate after in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm infection.

The implementation of safe and maximally effective ovarian stimulation is a major aim for in vitro fertilization (IVF) teams. The goal of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) is to supply enough oocytes with normal maturation to insure the consequent biological procedures. A variety of different stimulation protocols have been suggested and an individual selection of the correct stimulation protocol is mandatory.