Cryopreserved sperm among patients with Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

Objectives: This study investigates sperm utilization and disposal patterns in Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) patients undergoing long-term sperm storage. OAT is a major contributor to male infertility. Cryopreservation is a common practice as a "fertility insurance" in case of further deterioration until azoospermia.

Day 3 embryo assessment does not provide a reliable prediction for blastocyst formation and designation: a retrospective cohort study.

Although many Fertility Centers have adopted day 5 or 6 embryo transfer policy, yet, 30% of embryo transfers in the US are performed on day 3. This is mainly due to concerns related to longer embryo culture effect and higher rates of embryo transfer cancellation on day 5, with no effect on cumulative pregnancy rate. We conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing individual embryo transfer order rank, best embryo for fresh transfer and intention to freeze, of day-3 and day-5 embryos based on their morphology score.

GnRH agonist early follicular challenge test as a predictor of ovarian response in antagonist cycles for fertility preservation.

The aim of our study was to evaluate if the response to follicular GnRH agonist (GnRHa) trigger be used to predict intracycle ovarian response in GnRH antagonist cycles among women undergoing fertility preservation IVF. We conducted a prospective study of 146 GnRH antagonist oocyte pickup (OPU) cycles to evaluate GnRHa stimulation test (GAST). On day 2 of the cycle, basal E2 were measured, followed by injection of 0.

Cryopreserved testicular spermatozoa among patients with azoospermia.

Purpose: To investigate cryopreserved testicular spermatozoa among patients with azoospermia.

Methods: In this retrospective study spanning from October 1993 to December 2021, we examined men diagnosed with azoospermia who underwent testicular spermatozoa cryopreservation. Data from medical records included utilization and disposal of sperm samples, age at initial cryopreservation.

The effect of COVID-19 vaccination during IVF stimulation on cycle outcomes- a retrospective cohort study.

The effect of the mRNA-BNT162b2 vaccine administered prior to fertility treatments has been addressed in several studies, presenting reassuring results. Cycle outcomes of patients receiving the vaccine during the stimulation itself have not been previously described. This retrospective cohort study included patients who received mRNA-BNT162b2-vaccine during the stimulation of fresh IVF cycles, between January-September 2021, age matched to pre-stimulation vaccinated patients and to non-vaccinated patients.

Follicular challenge test to predict suboptimal response to gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist trigger in elective oocyte cryopreservation cycles.

This prospective study aimed to test the ability of follicular GnRH agonist challenge test (FACT) to predict suboptimal response to GnRH agonist trigger, assessed by LH levels post ovulation trigger in non-medical oocyte cryopreservation program. The study included 91 women that underwent non-medical fertility preservation. On day two to menstrual cycle, blood tests were drawn (basal Estradiol, basal FSH, basal LH, Progesterone) and ultrasound (US) was performed.

Sperm Donors' Identity Disclosure: Is It REALLY Crucial? For Whom?

Objective: To study the preference of sperm donors with identity disclosure (ID) versus anonymous donors (AD) and to understand if this selection affects clinical outcomes in an Israeli population.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients who chose imported sperm donation during 2017-2021. Of these, 526 used their own (autologous) oocytes and 43 patients used donated oocytes (DO).

Critical Demographic Changes among Sperm Donation Recipients Over Three Decades.

Background: Sperm banks initially focused on providing sperm donation (SD) to heterosexual couples grappling with severe male infertility. Notable advancements in fertility treatments and sociological trends have broadened the scope of SD toward single women and same sex female couples.

Objectives: To evaluate SD recipient characteristics over the last three decades in Israel according to demographic parameters.

Motivational stimuli to donate sperm among non-donor students.

Background: Sperm banks face a continuously evolving gap between the increasing demand for sperm donation (SD) vs. limited available reserve. To improve donors' recruitment and increase supply, motivations towards SD should be investigated specifically among young men who have the potential to become donors.

Autologous sperm usage after cryopreservation-the crucial impact of patients' characteristics.

Background: The wide implementation of sperm freezing presents a growing burden on sperm banks.

Objectives: To evaluate sperm freezing and usage patterns over 30 years, according to demographic parameters of age at first cryopreservation and number of children, and indication for cryopreservation.

Material And Methods: This retrospective, population based, cohort study included all sperm cryopreservation cases performed at a tertiary referral center from October 1993 to December 2021, among patients aged 18 years and older.

ABCC4 is a PGE2 efflux transporter in the ovarian follicle: A mediator of ovulation and a potential non-hormonal contraceptive target.

The role of prostaglandins (PGs) in the ovulatory process is known. However, the role of the ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 4 (ABCC4), transmembrane PG carrier protein, in ovulation remains unknown. We report herein that ABCC4 expression is significantly upregulated in preovulatory human granulosa cells (GCs).

Treatment safety of ART cycles with extremely high oestradiol concentrations using GnRH agonist trigger.

Research Question: Are IVF treatments with extremely high peak oestradiol levels and gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist trigger associated with higher complication rates?

Design: A retrospective cohort study including patients from two large medical centres treated between 2019 and 2021. A study group with extremely high peak oestradiol levels (≥20,000 pmol/l on the day of ovarian stimulation, or ≥15,000 pmol/l on the previous day) and a control group with normal range oestradiol levels (3000-12000 pmol/l) that received GnRH agonist triggering. Patients were surveyed about complaints and medical care related to ovum retrieval and medical files were reviewed.

Endometrial compaction is associated with increased clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates in unstimulated natural cycle frozen embryo transfers: a prospective cohort study.

Purpose: To investigate the association between endometrial compaction and pregnancy rates in unstimulated natural cycle frozen embryo transfers.

Design: A single-center prospective cohort study. Endometrial thickness by transvaginal ultrasound and blood progesterone levels on the day of ovulation and the day of embryo transfer were evaluated in patients undergoing natural cycle frozen embryo transfer.

What can we learn about posthumous sperm retrieval after extra long-term follow-up?

Purpose: To describe spermatozoa extraction rate by testicular sperm extraction (TESE) for posthumous sperm retrieval (PMSR) and examine harvest time impact on sperm motility; to compare long-term sperm usage between married vs. single deceased men.

Methods: This retrospective study included all PMSR cases in Shamir Medical Center during 2003-2021.

The impact of past COVID-19 infection on pregnancy rates in frozen embryo transfer cycles.

Purpose: To study the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnancy rates in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study including women under the age of 42 with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection up to 1 year prior to treatment, undergoing FET cycles in the first half of 2021, with transfer of embryos generated prior to the infection. Controls were SARS-CoV-2 non-diagnosed, non-vaccinated women matched by age, number, and day of embryo transfer.

Coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination and infertility treatment outcomes.

Objective: To assess the influence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) messenger ribonucleic acid vaccine on ovarian response and in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment outcomes.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A tertiary university-affiliated medical center and a private medical center.

IVF under COVID-19: treatment outcomes of fresh ART cycles.

Study Question: Does prior severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in women undergoing fertility treatments affect the outcomes of fresh ART cycles?

Summary Answer: SARS-CoV-2 infection does not affect fresh ART treatment outcomes, except for a possible long-term negative effect on oocyte yield (>180 days postinfection).

What Is Known Already: A single previous study suggested no evidence that a history of asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection in females caused impairment of fresh ART treatment outcomes.

Study Design, Size, Duration: Retrospective cohort study, including all SARS-CoV-2 infected women who underwent fresh ART cycles within a year from infection (the first cycle postinfection), between October 2020 and June 2021, matched to non-diagnosed controls.

The Involvement of Lumican in Human Ovulatory Processes.

Based on a previous global transcriptome sequencing project, we hypothesized that Lumican (LUM) might play a role in ovulatory processes. We sought to determine LUM gene expression under various conditions in human preovulatory follicles. The in vitro expression of LUM mRNA in mural (MGCs) and cumulus (CGCs) granulosa cells was characterized using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Day 5 vitrified blastocyst transfer versus day 6 vitrified blastocyst transfer in oocyte donation program.

The superiority of day 5 blastocysts compared to day 6 blastocysts in fresh cycle transfers was previously demonstrated and attributed mainly to endometrial asynchrony. Data from frozen blastocysts transfers showed conflicting results, possibly due to heterogeneous patient population and embryo quality. The aim of this study was to compare clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) between transfers of vitrified day 5 blastocysts and day 6 blastocysts in oocyte donation, blastocyst-only cycles.

Elucidating Decorin's role in the preovulatory follicle.

Background: DCN (decorin) is a proteoglycan known to be involved in regulating cell proliferation, collagen fibril organization and migration. In our global transcriptome RNA-sequencing approach to systematically identify new ovulation-associated genes, DCN was identified as one of the highly regulated genes. We therefore hypothesize that DCN may have a role in ovulatory processes such as cell migration and proliferation.

An impressive capacity for cold tolerance plasticity protects against ionoregulatory collapse in the disease vector .

The mosquito is largely confined to tropical and subtropical regions, but its range has recently been spreading to colder climates. As insect biogeography is tied to environmental temperature, understanding the limits of thermal tolerance and their capacity for phenotypic plasticity is important in predicting the spread of this species. In this study, we report on the chill coma onset (CCO) and recovery time (CCRT), as well as low-temperature survival phenotypes of larvae and adults of that developed or were acclimated to 15°C (cold) or 25°C (warm).

HAS2-AS1 is a novel LH/hCG target gene regulating HAS2 expression and enhancing cumulus cells migration.

Background: The cumulus expansion process is one of the LH mediated ovulatory processes. Hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) regulates the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, the main component of the cumulus expansion process. Recently, the lncRNA HAS2 antisense RNA 1 (HAS2-AS1) was identified in our global transcriptome RNA-sequencing of novel ovulation associated genes.

An optimized model for hCG stimulation of human mural granulosa cell culture.

Ovarian follicular development and ovulation in mammals is a highly-regulated process. Most of the current knowledge of ovarian processes was obtained from the studies of non-human models. Molecular studies on human ovarian processes suffer from lack of material and appropriate research tools.