Comparison between density gradient centrifugation method, an extended version of the horizontal swim up method and the combination of both for sperm selection.

Objective: To compare the degree of efficiency between density gradient centrifugation (DGC) method and an extended horizontal swim-up (SU) method.

Methods: A total of 97 couples undergoing in vitro fertilization were enrolled in the study. Semen samples were divided into three aliquots and treated using DGC, extended horizontal SU, and combined methods.

Impact of high magnification sperm selection on neonatal outcomes: a retrospective study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of the deselection of spermatozoa presenting vacuole-like structures using IMSI (intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection) with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) by means of neonatal outcomes.

Methods: In a retrospective two-center analysis, a total of 848 successful IMSI or ICSI cycles ending with a live birth, induced abortion, or intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) were included.

Results: The IMSI and ICSI groups included 332 and 655 babies or fetuses, respectively.

Relationship between follicular volume and oocyte competence, blastocyst development and live-birth rate: optimal follicle size for oocyte retrieval.

Objective: To analyze oocyte competence in gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) stimulation cycles with regard to maturity, fertilization and blastocyst rate, as well as clinical outcome (pregnancy and live-birth rate), in relation to follicular volume, measured by three-dimensional transvaginal sonography (3D-TVS), and follicular fluid composition.

Methods: This was a prospective single-center study conducted between June 2012 and June 2014, including 118 ovum pick-ups with subsequent embryo transfer. Ovarian stimulation was performed using the GnRHa long protocol.

How does closed system vitrification of human oocytes affect the clinical outcome? A prospective, observational, cohort, noninferiority trial in an oocyte donation program.

Objective: To evaluate whether is possible to vitrify oocytes in an aseptic (hermetically closed) fashion and maintain clinical results comparable with those of fresh oocytes.

Design: Prospective, observational, cohort, noninferiority trial.

Setting: Private in vitro fertilization center.

Pregnancy and birth outcomes following fresh or vitrified embryo transfer according to blastocyst morphology and expansion stage, and culturing strategy for delayed development.

Study Question: How do live birth rates (LBRs), following fresh and vitrified/warmed embryo transfer, compare according to morphological grade, developmental stage and culturing strategy of human blastocysts in vitro?

Summary Answer: Equivalent LBRs were obtained after fresh embryo transfer and after vitrified/warmed embryo transfer of blastocysts of top or non-top quality, while vitrification after prolonged embryo culture of blastocysts with delayed development had a positive impact on LBR.

What Is Known Already: Blastocyst morphology correlates with clinical outcome; however, few data are available on vitrified/warmed embryo transfer using non-top quality blastocysts. The aim of this study was to determine clinical outcomes of non-top quality blastocysts and blastocysts with delayed development that underwent vitrified/warmed embryo transfer.

The impact of paternal factors on cleavage stage and blastocyst development analyzed by time-lapse imaging-a retrospective observational study.

Purpose: Various time-lapse studies have postulated embryo selection criteria based on early morphokinetic markers. However, late paternal effects are mostly not visible before embryonic genome activation. The primary objective of this retrospective study was to investigate whether those early morphokinetic algorithms investigated by time-lapse imaging are reliable enough to allow for the accurate selection of those embryos that develop into blastocysts, while of course taking into account the correlation with the type of injected spermatozoa.

Intrauterine administration of human chorionic gonadotropin does not improve pregnancy and life birth rates independently of blastocyst quality: a randomised prospective study.

Background: Successful embryo implantation depends on a well-timed maternal-embryonic crosstalk. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) secreted by the embryo is known to play a key role in this process and to trigger a complex signal transduction cascade allowing the apposition, attachment, and invasion of the embryo into the decidualized uterus. Production of hCG was reported to be dependent on blastocyst quality and several articles suggested that intrauterine hCG injection increases pregnancy and implantation rates in IVF patients.

Ovarian stimulation in ART - Unwinding pressing issues.

Conventional controlled ovarian stimulation (cCOS) can cause significant discomfort, including ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Clearly, management of OHSS and poor responder patients requires new strategies to overcome these problems and facilitate the birth of a healthy child with the fewest stimulation cycles. Several alternative methods have been developed.

Effects of the czech propolis on sperm mitochondrial function.

Propolis is a natural product that honeybees collect from various plants. It is known for its beneficial pharmacological effects. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of propolis on human sperm motility, mitochondrial respiratory activity, and membrane potential.

Outpatient follicle monitoring: a plea for standardization in ultrasound based follicle monitoring and data transfer.

Background: The complexity of assisted reproductive technology (ART) increased during the last decades. New scientific and medical findings as well as the statutory requirements for improving the safety and the outcome of ART were the main impetus for its development. While therapy planning is done and ART is used by the IVF centers, the medical support and monitoring of patients is conducted by referring gynecologists.

Transfer of blastocysts with deviant morphological and morphokinetic parameters at early stages of in-vitro development: a case series.

Time-lapse imaging is increasingly applied as an adjunct to reproductive medicine. The gained information of the morphological and morphokinetic variables before the onset of transcription are supposed to be good predictors for the selection of the best embryo for transfer and are often seen in line with clinical outcomes. This retrospective case series investigated the outcome of transferred blastocysts that did not fulfil the proposed embryo scores at early cleavage or at later stages of development.

The time aspect in storing vitrified blastocysts: its impact on survival rate, implantation potential and babies born.

Study Question: Does the storage time of vitrified human blastocysts negatively impact their survival, the implantation potential of embryos or the malformation rate of babies born?

Summary Answer: There was no evidence that storage times of up to 6 years after vitrification (VIT) had a negative impact on blastocyst survival, the implantation potential of embryos or the malformation rate of babies born.

What Is Known Already: Although several thousand children have been born after blastocyst VIT, many aspects of this technique remain to be elucidated. New applications, such as fertility preservation, lead to long storage times of vitrified gametes or embryos but it remains to be determined if these vitrified embryos are stable over time.

Dietary supplementation of antioxidants improves semen quality of IVF patients in terms of motility, sperm count, and nuclear vacuolization.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the influence of an oral antioxidative supplementation on sperm quality of in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients, as analyzed by sperm motility according to the WHO criteria and motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME).

Methods: Semen samples were collected from 147 patients before undergoing an IVF/intracytoplasmic morphologically-selected sperm injection (IMSI) cycle and 2 - 12 months after an antioxidative supplementation. Semen analysis was evaluated according to WHO and MSOME criteria.

Lower intracellular concentration of cryoprotectants after vitrification than after slow freezing despite exposure to higher concentration of cryoprotectant solutions.

Study Question: What is the intracellular concentration of cryoprotectant (ICCP) in mouse zygotes during vitrification (VIT) and slow-freezing (SLF) cryopreservation procedures?

Summary Answer: Contrary to common beliefs, it was observed that the ICCP in vitrified zygotes is lower than after SLF, although the solutions used in VIT contain higher concentrations of cryoprotectants (CPs).

What Is Known Already: To reduce the likelihood of intracellular ice crystal formation, which has detrimental effects on cell organelles and membranes, VIT was introduced as an alternative to SLF to cryopreserve embryos and gametes. Combined with high cooling and warming rates, the use of high concentrations of CPs favours an intracellular environment that supports and maintains the transition from a liquid to a solid glass-like state devoid of crystals.

Sperm head vacuoles are not affected by in-vitro conditions, as analysed by a system of sperm-microcapture channels.

Since the introduction of the motile sperm organelle morphology examination, there has been increasing recognition of the fact that the presence of large nuclear vacuoles might have deleterious effects on embryo development. Nevertheless, one fundamental question still being debated is whether specific in-vitro conditions during the handling of semen have an impact on vacuole formation. This study's objective was to analyse whether incubation temperature (20, 37°C) or oxidative stress stimulates the formation of nuclear vacuoles.

The combination matters--distinct impact of lifestyle factors on sperm quality: a study on semen analysis of 1683 patients according to MSOME criteria.

Background: Poor sperm quality can negatively affect embryonic development and IVF outcome. This study is aimed at investigating the influence of various lifestyle factors on semen quality according to MSOME (motile sperm organelle morphology examination) criteria.

Methods: 1683 male patients undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in our clinic were surveyed about their age, BMI (body mass index), ejaculation frequency, nutrition, sports, sleeping habits and social behavior.

Blastocyst transfer after aseptic vitrification of zygotes: an approach to overcome an impaired uterine environment.

In some IVF cycles, no fresh embryo transfer in the stimulated cycle is advisable. The cryopreservation of zygotes and the transfer of blastocysts in a cryo-embryo transfer is an option to circumvent an inadequate uterine environment due to risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, inappropriate endometrium build up, endometrial polyps or uterine myomas. For this strategy, highly secure and safe cryopreservation protocols are advisable.

Effects of embryo transfer quality on pregnancy and live birth delivery rates.

Background: To analyze the effects of embryo transfer (ET) quality on clinical pregnancy (CPR) and live birth delivery rates (LBDR).

Methods: In a retrospective study at a single, private infertility center between November 2005 and December 2009 one thousand fifty-five day-3 and day-5 ETs following IVF/ICSI/IMSI were evaluated. We analyzed the impact of an atraumatic ET with a soft catheter (ET 1), after external guidance (ET 2), after probing of the cervix with a stylet (ET 3), or after grasping the portio vaginalis with a tenaculum (ET 4) on CPR and LBDR.

Comparison of P19-derived neuroprogenitor and naive cell survival after intracerebellar application into B6CBA mice.

Mouse embryonic carcinoma cells (P19 line) were studied for both their survival and developmental potential in the intact cerebellum of B6CBA mice. The P19 cells were cultured and labelled with green fluorescent protein using transfection. Cells were used for transplantation either in the undifferentiated stage or after 3 days of neurodifferentiation induced by retinoic acid.

Pregnancy after ovarian superovulation by transdermal delivery of follicle-stimulating hormone.

Because of its size of 32 kDa and physicochemical properties, urinary FSH cannot permeate intact skin. We report the first pregnancy after laser microporation and transdermal delivery of FSH for ovarian superovulation as a substitute for SC or IM injections.