Homocysteine serum levels correlate with the number of failed IVF cycles even when within normal range.

Introduction: Repeated implantation failure is a common challenge in daily practice. Homocysteine and vitamin B12 have been associated with reproductive processes among patients undergoing in vitro fertilization; however, their involvement in repeated implantation failure has not been assessed. We explored possible associations of serum homocysteine and vitamin B12 with repeated implantation failure.

The impact of intentional endometrial injury on reproductive outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Endometrial injury is an intentional damage made to the endometrium, usually produced by a Pipelle catheter. Over the last two decades, endometrial injury has been studied to improve implantation rates and decrease the incidence of implantation failure in invitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Recently, additional studies of endometrial injury, performed not only in patients with implantation failure but also in intrauterine insemination cycles, have been conducted, and the endometrial injury made by hysteroscopy has been researched.

Live Birth from the Transfer of a Severely Fragmented Embryo Observed by Morphokinetics.

We report a live birth from a heavily fragmented embryo which continued cleavage to a fully expanded blastocyst. A 32-year-old patient underwent 2 IVF cycles without achieving pregnancy. In the first cycle, 2 embryos with fragmentation were transferred; in the second, all embryos were fragmented and no embryo transfer was performed.

Oxidative markers in cryopreservation medium from frozen-thawed embryos: a possible tool for improved embryo selection in in vitro fertilization?

Purpose: The present study evaluated the association between oxidative parameters in embryo cryopreservation medium and laboratory and clinical outcomes.

Methods: This prospective laboratory study was conducted in an IVF unit in a university-affiliated hospital with 91 IVF patients undergoing a frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle. Following thawing, 50 μL of embryo cryopreservation medium was retrieved from each cryotube and tested by the thermochemiluminescence (TCL) assay.

[CHALLENGING THE OPTIMAL NUMBER OF RETRIEVED OOCYTES AND ITS IMPACT ON PREGNANCY AND LIVE BIRTH RATES IN IVF/ICSI CYCLES].

Introduction: Large numbers of retrieved oocytes are associated with higher chances of having cryopreservation of embryos. However, the process entailed exposes women to increased risk for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Furthermore, mild ovary stimulation protocols are more patient-friendly and with less adverse effects.

Habits of cell phone usage and sperm quality - does it warrant attention?

Male infertility constitutes 30-40% of all infertility cases. Some studies have shown a continuous decline in semen quality since the beginning of the 20th century. One postulated contributing factor is radio frequency electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones.

Advanced paternal age and reproductive outcome.

Women have been increasingly delaying the start of motherhood in recent decades. The same trend is seen also for men. The influence of maternal age on fertility, chromosomal anomalies, pregnancy complications, and impaired perinatal and post-natal outcome of offspring, has been thoroughly investigated, and these aspects are clinically applied during fertility and pregestational counseling.

[Oxidation and female reproduction: the good, the bad and what's between].

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species constitute an inseparable part of aerobic life on earth. They have been known to science for about 90 years, but only during the last 50 years research in this field has expanded. Initially, scientists focused on the free radicals-induced damage to biological systems.

Oxidative parameters of embryo culture media may predict treatment outcome in in vitro fertilization: a novel applicable tool for improving embryo selection.

Objective: To examine whether the oxidative status of an individual embryo before transfer may predict chances of implantation.

Design: A prospective laboratory study.

Setting: An IVF unit in a university-affiliated hospital.

The role of reactive nitrogen species and cigarette smoke in activation of transcription factor NF-kappaB and implication to inflammatory processes.

Using the electromobility shift assay (EMSA) in the rat myoblast system, the activation of transcription factor NF-kappaB by reactive nitrogen species was evaluated. Two distinct patterns of activation were demonstrated. Whereas NO donor, SNAP, activated NF-kappaB in the classical pathway, which led to a transient response, NF-kappaB activation by peroxynitrite donor, SIN-1, was mediated by an alternative pathway, which has been demonstrated in previous works to involve tyrosine nitration of the NF-kappaB inhibitory protein I-kappaB alpha.

Oxidative stress indices in follicular fluid as measured by the thermochemiluminescence assay correlate with outcome parameters in in vitro fertilization.

Objective: To evaluate oxidative stress indices in follicular fluid (FF) by a novel thermochemiluminescence (TCL) assay and investigate the correlation between TCL and i.v.f.

Early embryo-endometrial signaling modulates the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-3.

Objective: To examine matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) expression in human stromal cell culture after P stimulation and the effect of conditioned medium from human embryo-epithelial cells coculture on its expression and activity.

Design: Metabolic and endocrine studies on human tissue.

Setting: In vitro fertilization (i.

Oxidative stress indices in seminal plasma, as measured by the thermochemiluminescence assay, correlate with sperm parameters.

Objective: To examine the effect of oxidation of proteins and lipids, as measured by a novel thermochemiluminescence (TCL) analyzer, and to evaluate the correlation between TCL indices in seminal plasma and sperm parameters.

Design: Experimental and prospective clinical studies.

Setting: An infertility unit.

Analyzing factors affecting the success rate of frozen-thawed embryos.

Purpose: In recent years the infertile population applying for IVF treatments was changed and so the indications for performing intracellular sperm injection (ICSI). The aim of this study was to analyze predicting factors of our thawing cycles.

Methods: From December 1998 to July 2001, 440 consecutive thawing cycles were performed.

Immunosuppressive properties of follicular fluid and media conditioned by zygotes correlate with subsequent conception in in vitro fertilization.

Problem: Our objective in this study was to correlate immunosuppressive properties of follicular fluid (FF) and media conditioned by zygotes and early embryos with the occurrence of conception in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) program.

Method Of Study: Fifty-seven IVF patients were studied. Donor lymphocytes were incubated with mitogens and FF from mature oocytes or conditioned media from zygotes and early embryos.