Randomized comparison of two commercial culture media (Cook and Vitrolife) for embryo culture after IMSI.

Objective: A variety of studies randomizing women/cycles or oocytes/embryos has been carried out to compare different culture media for culturing embryos up to cleavage or blastocyst stages showing controversial results. A recent systematic review suggested that data in the literature are insufficient to conclude the best culture medium for embryo quality, pregnancy and implantation. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether there is any difference between two commercial culture media regarding clinical outcomes after IMSI cycles.

Influence of the abstinence period on human sperm quality: analysis of 2,458 semen samples.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different periods of abstinence on conventional semen parameters as well as functional parameters in human semen, including mitochondrial function, chromatin packing and sperm DNA fragmentation.

Methods: We recruited a cohort of 2,458 men undergoing infertility investigation. Semen analyses were performed according to WHO guidelines/morphology-motile sperm organelle morphology examination/MSOME.

Key performance indicators score (KPIs-score) based on clinical and laboratorial parameters can establish benchmarks for internal quality control in an ART program.

Objective: KPIs have been employed for internal quality control (IQC) in ART. However, clinical KPIs (C-KPIs) such as age, AMH and number of oocytes collected are never added to laboratory KPIs (L-KPIs), such as fertilization rate and morphological quality of the embryos for analysis, even though the final endpoint is the evaluation of clinical pregnancy rates. This paper analyzed if a KPIs-score strategy with clinical and laboratorial parameters could be used to establish benchmarks for IQC in ART cycles.