Relevance of assisted hatching in an oocyte donation programme using egg cryobanking: a prospective randomised study.

Objective: The objective of this prospective randomised study was to evaluate if there is an improvement in clinical outcomes when assisted hatching (AH) is performed in embryos derived from vitrified/warmed oocytes in an ovum donation programme using egg cryobanking.

Study Design: Sixty oocyte recipients in a donation programme using egg cryobanking were randomly allocated to the assisted hatched (AH, n=30) or control group (n=30). The pregnancy and implantation rates were compared between the groups.

Contributing factors for the incidence of aneuploidy in older patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles.

Purpose: To evaluate different factors that might affect the incidence of embryo aneuploidy in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles (ICSI).

Methods: One hundred and ninety ICSI cycles in conjunction with preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) were included. The influence of the following variables on the aneuploidy incidence was evaluated: (i) maternal and (ii) paternal ages, (iii) dose of FSH administered, (iv) dose of FSH per number of retrieved matured oocytes (FSH/MII), (v) serum 17β-oestradiol levels on the ovulation trigger day, (vi) aspirated follicles and (vii) retrieved oocytes.

Seasonal variability in the fertilization rate of women undergoing assisted reproduction treatments.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether seasonality affects human-assisted reproduction treatment outcomes. For this, 1932 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were assigned to a season group according to the day of oocyte retrieval: winter (n = 435), spring (n = 444), summer (n = 469) or autumn (n = 584). Analysis of variance was used to compare the ICSI outcomes.

Food intake and social habits in male patients and its relationship to intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes.

Objective: To investigate the influence of the male partner's lifestyle, including eating and social habits, on semen quality and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) success.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: Private fertility clinic.

Morphological nuclear integrity of sperm cells is associated with preimplantation genetic aneuploidy screening cycle outcomes.

Objective: To examine the effect of sperm morphology on embryo development at the chromosomal level.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Assisted fertilization center.

Zona pellucida birefringence score and meiotic spindle visualization in relation to embryo development and ICSI outcomes.

The meiotic spindle and the zona pellucida exhibit molecular order when imaged with polarized optics. This study aimed to investigate possible factors contributing to the zona pellucida birefringence score and meiotic spindle visualization, and to evaluate whether these structures may predict intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes. Oocytes were divided into groups according to zona pellucida birefringence and meiotic spindle visualization.