Are you aware of your citations? A cross-sectional survey on improper citations of retracted articles in assisted reproduction.

Research Question: Are authors aware when they have cited a retracted paper in their manuscripts in the medically assisted reproduction (MAR) field?

Design: A cross-sectional study based on an online survey was conducted to acquire information on the citation pattern from corresponding authors who had cited a retracted article. A dataset of retracted articles in the MAR field was collected from PubMed and Retraction Watch. A complete list of published articles that cited each retracted article was retrieved.

To Assess or Not to Assess: Reconsidering Day 3 Embryo Quality in Planned Freeze-All Blastocyst Cycles.

Day 3 embryo quality is a predictor of in vitro fertilization (IVF) success rates in cleavage-stage embryo transfer. However, the association between day 3 embryo quality and clinical outcomes in blastocyst transfer policy is largely unknown. This retrospective study included 1074 frozen-thawed single day 5/6 blastocyst transfers between January 2019 and December 2022.

The Promise and Pitfalls of AI-Generated Anatomical Images: Evaluating Midjourney for Aesthetic Surgery Applications.

Backgrounds: The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems, such as Midjourney, has paved the way for their use in medical training, producing computer-generated images. However, despite clear disclosures stating that these images are not intended for medical consultations, their accuracy and realism are yet to be thoroughly examined.

Methods: A series of requests were addressed to the Midjourney AI tool, a renowned generative artificial intelligence application, with a focus on depicting appropriate systemic anatomy and representing aesthetic surgery operations.

Fertility Preservation as an Option for Women with Genetic Disorders: Insights from a SWOT Analysis on Elective Oocyte Freezing and Preimplantation Genetic Testing.

This paper uses a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis to overview the option of fertility preservation in women with genetic diseases, who would later use preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders, in order to not transmit their condition. Strengths associated with elective oocyte freezing are ethical considerations, overall maternal and fetal safety, and effectiveness, if performed at <35 years of age. Weaknesses are related to costs and rare but present (<1-3%) risks of maternal complications.

Identification of Psychological Profiles of Cancer Patients Undergoing Fertility Preservation Counseling.

Gonadotoxicity is one of the most distressing side effects of cancer treatment. Fertility preservation strategies should be included during the treatment pathway to prevent the risk of infertility, but the decision to preserve fertility often represents a challenging process that carries an emotional decision-making burden. The aim of this study is to characterize the psychological profiles of women undergoing fertility preservation counseling and to better understand their features.

Genetic Variants of Gonadotropins and Their Receptors Could Influence Controlled Ovarian Stimulation: IVF Data from a Prospective Multicenter Study.

Background: Specific polymorphisms might influence controlled ovarian stimulation in women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). Data regarding possible interactions of these polymorphisms are still scanty. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the effect of polymorphisms of gonadotropins and their receptors in women undergoing ART.

Response to Controlled Ovarian Stimulation Is Not Impaired in Young Patients with a Sarcoma: Results from a Monocentric Case-Control Study.

Sarcomas are relatively common in the young and their treatment can impair fertility. Fertility preservation can be achieved via the cryopreservation of gametes after controlled ovarian stimulation before cancer treatment. A reduced response to hormonal stimulation in patients suffering from certain types of malignancy is reported.

Concomitant Autoimmunity in Endometriosis Impairs Endometrium-Embryo Crosstalk at the Implantation Site: A Multicenter Case-Control Study.

Endometriosis and autoimmune diseases share a hyper-inflammatory state that might negatively impact the embryo-endometrium crosstalk. Inflammatory and immune deregulatory mechanisms have been shown to impair both endometrial receptivity and embryo competence at the implantation site. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential additional impact of co-existing autoimmunity in women affected by endometriosis on the early stages of reproduction.

Delayed blastocyst development is influenced by the level of progesterone on the day of trigger.

Purpose: To evaluate the association between progesterone (P) level on the day of trigger and time to blastulation in IVF cycles.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study with autologous IVF cycles performed at our Institution from January 2019 to December 2021. A total of 1109 IVF cycles were included.

Treating unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss based on lessons learned from obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome and inherited thrombophilia: A propensity-score adjusted retrospective study.

The efficacy of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is well-established in patients with obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (O-APS). Their role in women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (U-RPL) and late obstetrical complications (intrauterine growth restriction, IUGR and preeclampsia) is controversial. Here we compared rates of miscarriage and late obstetrical complications in RPL patients diagnosed with O-APS (n = 57) or hereditary thrombophilia (n = 25) (both assuming LMWH from the beginning of pregnancy) and in patients with a history of U-RPL (n = 118), assuming or not LMWH, followed at the 'Pregnancy at risk' and 'Recurrent pregnancy loss' outpatient clinics at the San Raffaele Hospital from April 2010 to April 2020.

Laparoscopic Oocyte Retrieval and Cryopreservation during Vaginoplasty for Treatment of Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome.

In Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKHS) patients who are scheduled for laparoscopic vaginoplasty and have a desire for biological motherhood, we propose that a concomitant laparoscopic oocyte retrieval for cryopreservation is performed. Oocyte retrieval is pursued at the beginning of the laparoscopy. Right and left 5 mm trocars are positioned, through which a 17 G ovum aspiration needle is used for puncture of the right and left ovaries, respectively.

Ovarian failure risk in post-pubertal patients with cancer: a prognostic model.

To develop a predictive model for ovarian failure (OF) after chemotherapy in young post-pubertal women with cancer. Retrospective, monocentric cohort study including 348 patients referring to the Oncofertility Unit of San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy) from August 2011 to January 2020. A predictive model was constructed by multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analysis.

The neglected members of the family: non-BRCA mutations in the Fanconi anemia/BRCA pathway and reproduction.

Background: BReast CAncer (BRCA) genes are extensively studied in the context of fertility and reproductive aging. BRCA proteins are part of the DNA repair Fanconi anemia (FA)/BRCA pathway, in which more than 20 proteins are implicated. According to which gene is mutated and which interactions are lost owing to the mutation, carriers and patients with monoallelic or biallelic FA/BRCA mutations exhibit very different phenotypes, from overt FA to cancer predisposition or no pathological implications.

Anti-Müllerian hormone concentration as an indicator of female general health status: a cross-sectional study.

Research Question: To evaluate the correlation between clinical and hormonal parameters and comorbidity burden in Caucasian women presenting for fertility treatment.

Design: Monocentric cross-sectional study including a cohort of 3163 Caucasian women seeking medical care for fertility treatment. All patients underwent centralized laboratory testing for hormonal assessment.

Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system versus oral medroxyprogesterone acetate in infertile women with endometrial hyperplasia without atypia.

Research Question: How does use of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) in infertile women with endometrial hyperplasia without atypia affect endometrial hyperplasia regression and pregnancy rates compared with oral medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA)?

Design: This prospective cohort study included 215 infertile women with an indication for assisted reproductive technology (ART) and a diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia without atypia. Endometrial hyperplasia was diagnosed by hysteroscopic endometrial biopsy. At the time of first- and second-line treatment, patients were offered therapy with either oral MPA 10 mg daily or LNG-IUS.

Concomitant autoimmunity may be a predictor of more severe stages of endometriosis.

Pathogenesis of endometriosis is still unclear and a role of both innate and adaptive immune system has been postulated. Some recent findings have revealed an increased risk to have concomitant autoimmune disease in women with endometriosis, but no study so far has investigated whether this association could affect endometriosis severity and stage. We retrospectively reviewed medical patients' notes of women with a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis who referred to our endometriosis outpatient clinic between January 2015 and December 2019.

Risk Factors for Monozygotic Twins in IVF-ICSI Cycles: a Case-Control Study.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is associated with a higher incidence of monozygotic twin pregnancies, which are known to be burdened by a higher risk of main obstetric complications. The reasons behind this association are still unclear. In the present study, we therefore investigate the risk factors for monozygotic twinning in pregnancies achieved by IVF.

Frozen IVF Cycles to Circumvent the Hormonal Storm on Endometrium.

Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) determines an anticipation of endometrial maturation and a premature occurrence of the implantation window, as shown by histological, histochemical, and molecular studies and indirectly by clinical trials. There is growing agreement that in patients hyper-responding to COH and in those undergoing transfer at the blastocyst stage, deferring the transfer in a subsequent frozen cycle could increase pregnancy outcomes. For blastocysts, implantation after a fresh transfer may be limited as the implantation window is already closed while, in hyper-responders to COH, the anticipation magnitude could be more marked thus hampering implantation also for cleavage-stage embryos.

Oocyte Retrieval during Laparoscopic Vaginoplasty to Reduce Invasiveness in the Treatment of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome.

Study Objective: To evaluate the treatment of patients with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome with a combination of oocyte retrieval and surgical vaginoplasty in a single laparoscopic procedure.

Design: A case series.

Setting: The study was conducted at 2 tertiary referral facilities for MRKH syndrome in Milan, Italy, between July 2017 and September 2018.