Ultrastructural Evaluation of the Human Oocyte at the Germinal Vesicle Stage during the Application of Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

After its discovery in 1825 by the physiologist J.E. Purkinje, the human germinal vesicle (GV) attracted the interest of scientists.

A UK-wide cross-sectional survey of practice exploring current trends in endometrial preparation for frozen-thawed embryo replacement.

In the United Kingdom, between 2012 and 2017 the annual number of frozen-thawed embryo replacement (FER) cycles doubled, while fresh cycles declined. With FER now accounting for 34% of IVF cycles, the aim of this UK-wide survey of IVF clinics was to determine current trends in the management of FER. A senior clinician in each of the 84 UK IVF clinics was asked to complete an online survey between September 2018 and February 2019 focussing on their clinic's first-line protocols for FER.

Repeated hyperstimulation affects the ultrastructure of mouse fallopian tube epithelium.

Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) is routinary used in assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) to increase the yields of mature oocytes. The possibility that patients with a history of failures or poor-responders may develop side-effects following these treatments is still debated. Epidemiological studies reported controversial results about pregnancy outcome and the risk of developing gynecological cancers.

Is there any relationship between human sperm parameters and protamine deficiency in different groups of infertile men?

Objective: Abnormality in Histone-Protamine replacements has been indicated to cause sperm DNA damage and infertility. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships between sperm parameters in oligospermia, asthenospermia, and teratospermia with protamine deficiency in infertile men.

Material And Method: In this case-control study, we had three experimental groups including oligospermia (n=100), asthenospermia (n=100), and teratospermia (n=100) as well as normospermia (n=100) as controls.

First successful live birth following the use of MSOME and time lapse for sperm and embryo selections in a patient with severe male factor infertility: A case report.

We report a case of healthy live birth from a couple diagnosed with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT). They failed three ICSI cycles in the past 11 years. In the last cycle, the ovarian stimulation was done with antagonist protocol and six oocytes were aspirated.

The influence of ovarian hyperstimulation drugs on morphometry and morphology of human oocytes in ICSI program.

Objective: To compare the influences of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) drugs using recombinant follicular stimulating hormone (rFSH) versus human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG) on morphometry and morphology of MII oocytes in ICSI cycles.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective study, 363 MII oocytes from 50 ICSI cycles with male factor infertility were evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups according to the protocols of COH: I- rFSH and II- hMG.

Developmental and cytogenetic assessments of preimplantation embryos derived from in-vivo or in-vitro matured human oocytes.

Aneuploidy is of great relevance to embryo selection, as it represents one of the important causes of implantation failure. Furthermore, immature oocytes, retrieved during gonadotrophin-stimulated IVF cycles, are generally discarded in clinics; whereas, there was no detectable comprehensive evidence on higher rates of aneuploidy based on maturity status on the day of oocyte retrieval. As well, the correlation between embryo morphology on aneuploidy remains unclear.

Clinical implications of mitochondrial DNA quantification on pregnancy outcomes: a blinded prospective non-selection study.

Study Question: Can quantification of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in trophectoderm (TE) biopsy samples provide information concerning the viability of a blastocyst, potentially enhancing embryo selection and improving IVF treatment outcomes?

Summary Answer: This study demonstrated that euploid blastocysts of good morphology, but with high mtDNA levels had a greatly reduced implantation potential.

What Is Known Already: Better methods of embryo selection leading to IVF outcome improvement are necessary, as the transfer of chromosomally normal embryos of high morphological grade cannot guarantee the establishment of an ongoing pregnancy. The quantity of mtDNA in embryonic cells has been proposed as a new biomarker of viability-higher levels of mtDNA associated with reduced implantation potential.

Mitochondrial DNA quantification as a tool for embryo viability assessment: retrospective analysis of data from single euploid blastocyst transfers.

Study Question: Does the amount of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in blastocyst biopsy specimens have the potential to serve as a biomarker of euploid embryo implantation ability, independent of morphology?

Summary Answer: The results of this study strongly suggest that elevated mtDNA levels, above a previously defined threshold, are strongly associated with blastocyst implantation failure and represent an independent biomarker of embryo viability.

What Is Known Already: Improved methods of embryo selection are highly desirable in order to increase the efficiency of IVF treatment. At present, even the transfer of chromosomally normal embryos of high morphological grade cannot guarantee that a pregnancy will follow.

Causes and estimated incidences of sex-chromosome misdiagnosis in preimplantation genetic diagnosis of aneuploidy.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis of aneuploidy (PGD-A) with comprehensive chromosome analysis has been known to improve pregnancy outcomes. Accuracy in detecting sex chromosomes becomes important when selecting against embryos at risk for sex-linked disorders. A total of 21,356 PGD-A cycles consisting of day-3 (cleavage) or day-5 (blastocyst) biopsies were received at the same laboratory for PGD-A via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or array comparative genome hybridization (aCGH) from multiple fertility centres.

Validation-verification of a highly effective, practical human testicular tissue in vitro culture-cryopreservation procedure aimed to optimize pre-freeze and post-thaw motility.

Purpose: The aim of our paper was to validate a testicular biopsy procedure that simplifies handling, processing, and cryopreservation, while at the same time optimizes sperm motility before freezing and after thawing.

Methods: Two prospective studies were conducted to verify, optimize, and understand the virtues of pre-freeze testicular tissue IVC at different temperatures (21, 30, or 37 °C). Testicular tissue was obtained from clinical specimens designated for whole tissue cryopreservation (i.

Validation of microSecure vitrification (μS-VTF) for the effective cryopreservation of human embryos and oocytes.

A novel, aseptic closed system vitrification (VTF) technique for the cryopreservation of embryos and oocytes has been developed and clinically validated in this study. It combines the practicality of embryo-containing sterile flexipettes stored safely and securely with 0.3 ml CBS™ embryo straws possessing weld seals.

Potential risk of monochorionic dizygotic twin blastocyst formation associated with early laser zona dissection of group cultured embryos.

Objective: To document the risk of in vitro monochorionic dizygotic twin formation in the implementation of a program of blastocyst biopsy with preimplantation genetic screening (PGS).

Design: Case report.

Setting: Private infertility laboratory.

Ultrastructure of in vitro Matured Human Oocytes.

Background: Approximately 20% of recovered oocytes are immature and discarded in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures. These oocytes represent a potential resource for both clinical and basic science application.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ultrastructure architecture of in vitro matured human oocytes using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

The effect of immature oocytes quantity on the rates of oocytes maturity and morphology, fertilization, and embryo development in ICSI cycles.

Purpose: The goal was to evaluate the role of the number of retrieved immature oocytes on mature oocyte counts and morphology, and also the rates of fertilization and embryo development in ICSI cycles.

Methods: 101 ICSI cycles were included in this prospective evaluation. Patients were divided into 2 groups of A (≤ 2 immature oocytes) and B (> 2 immature oocytes).

Acute Effects of Ruta graveolens L. on Sperm Parameters and DNA Integrity in Rats.

Background: Increase in world population is one of the serious and threatening issues in this century. Therefore, it is vitally important to find safe and effective contraceptive methods, especially for men which already have few choices in this regard. Medicinal plants that were used for contraception in ancient times could be good sources of investigation in this filed.

Follow up of infertile patients after failed ART cycles: a preliminary report from Iran and Turkey.

Objectives: Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has become an established and increasingly successful form of treatment for infertility. However, significant numbers of cycles fail after embryo transfer (ET) and it becomes necessary to follow up the infertile couples after failed ART treatments. The main goal was to follow up the infertile patients after failed IVF/ICSI+ET treatments in Iran and Turkey.

Ovarian follicular volume and follicular surface area are better indicators of follicular growth and maturation, respectively, than is follicular diameter.

Because ovarian follicular growth occurs in three dimensions, and because follicular maturation (increased E(2)) is a result of an increase in the three-dimensional follicular surface area where testosterone (E(2) precursor)-producing theca interna cells are located, the three-dimensional follicular volume and the three-dimensional follicular surface area describe the three-dimensional follicular growth and maturation, respectively, more accurately than does the two-dimensional follicular diameter alone. Therefore, we present a mathematical model that describes the relationship of the two-dimensional follicular diameter, the three-dimensional follicular volume, and the three-dimensional follicular surface area to the three-dimensional follicular growth and maturation.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) pregnancy outcome is enhanced by shorter intervals from semen collection to sperm wash, from sperm wash to IUI time, and from semen collection to IUI time.

Objective: To determine whether IUI pregnancy was affected by [1] place of semen collection (home vs. clinic), and [2] intervals from collection to sperm wash (C-SW), from sperm wash to IUI (SW-IUI), and from collection to IUI (C-IUI).

Design: Retrospective study.