Do very young oocyte donors negatively impact live birth rates in their recipients?

To understand whether there was an association between very young oocyte donors and adverse outcomes, this was a single centre retrospective study (Lister Fertility Clinic, London) examining data collected between 1st January 2010 and 31st December 2021. A total of 1,182 oocyte donors were included in the final analysis. Data was categorised by donor age in years; ≤22, 23-25, 26-28, 29-31, 32-34.

Good practice in clinical embryology laboratories: Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists Guidelines 2024.

Clinical embryology is a dynamic and ever-evolving field, and as such clinical practice guidelines must be regularly reviewed and updated. Accordingly, this document supersedes previous good clinical practice in clinical embryology guidance, developing, and updating where necessary, existing good practice guidelines. The Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists (ARCS) suggests this Good Laboratory Practice framework as appropriate and effective to ensure the best possible care for all individuals undertaking fertility treatment.

Menstrual cycles and the impact upon performance in elite British track and field athletes: a longitudinal study.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of menstrual disorders and the perceived effect of menstrual cycles upon performance in elite athletes.

Methodology: A longitudinal survey in the form of a questionnaire was sent to female track and field athletes at British Athletics every 6 months, over a five-year period between 1st October 2014 and 1st October 2019 in the United Kingdom (UK).

Results: 128 athletes completed an average of 4.

The Clinical Application of Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Female Reproductive System: A Narrative Review.

Platelet-rich plasma is an autologous plasma containing platelets prepared from fresh whole blood drawn from a peripheral vein. Through processing, it can be prepared to contain supraphysiologic levels of platelets at three to five times greater than the level of normal plasma. PRP has been explored both in vivo and ex vivo in the human endometrium model in its ability to harness the intrinsic regenerative capacity of the endometrium.

INvestigational Study Into Transplantation of the Uterus (INSITU): a cross-sectional survey among women with uterine factor infertility in the UK assessing background, motivations and suitability.

Importance: The study summarises the selection prescreen criteria currently used in the UK for a uterus transplant and highlights the number of women who are suitable to proceed.

Objectives: To assess the demographics, motivations, reasons and suitability among women with absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI) to undergo uterine transplantation (UTx).

Design: A cross-sectional survey.

Exploring the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of women of reproductive age towards fertility and elective oocyte cryopreservation for age-related fertility decline in the UK: a cross-sectional survey.

Study Question: What are the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards fertility and elective oocyte cryopreservation (OC) for age-related fertility decline (ARFD) in women in the UK?

Summary Answer: Awareness of OC for ARFD has reportedly improved compared to studies carried out almost a decade ago, but inconsistencies in knowledge remain regarding the rate of miscarriage amongst specific age groups, the financial costs and optimal age to undergo OC for ARFD.

What Is Known Already: The age of first-time motherhood has increased amongst western societies, with many women of reproductive age underestimating the impact of age on fertility. Further understanding of women's awareness of their fertility, the options available to preserve it and the barriers for seeking treatment earlier are required in order to prevent the risk of involuntary childlessness.

Fertility preservation and realignment in transgender women.

Medical care for transgender people is multi-faceted and attention to individual reproductive aspirations and planning are an essential, yet often overlooked aspect of care. Given the impact of hormonal therapy and other gender affirmation procedures on reproductive function, extensive counselling and consideration of fertility preservation is recommended prior to their commencement. This review article explores the reproductive aspirations of transgender women and considers the current disparity between stated desires regarding utilisation of fertility preservation services.

Development of a nutrition screening tool to identify need for dietetic intervention in female infertility.

Background: One in seven couples are impacted by infertility in the UK, and female infertility is often associated with several health conditions impacted by nutrition. Despite many studies aimed at identifying the critical role of nutrition in infertility, there is currently no screening tool that identifies nutritional risk factors for infertility.

Aim: To propose a self-administered screening tool to identify women who would benefit from nutritional intervention to promote fertility.

Age-related fertility decline: is there a role for elective ovarian tissue cryopreservation?

Age-related fertility decline (ARFD) is a prevalent concern amongst western cultures due to the increasing age of first-time motherhood. Elective oocyte and embryo cryopreservation remain the most established methods of fertility preservation, providing women the opportunity of reproductive autonomy to preserve their fertility and extend their childbearing years to prevent involuntary childlessness. Whilst ovarian cortex cryopreservation has been used to preserve reproductive potential in women for medical reasons, such as in pre- or peripubertal girls undergoing gonadotoxic chemotherapy, it has not yet been considered in the context of ARFD.

Does egg-sharing negatively impact on the chance of the donor or recipient achieving a live birth?

This study aimed to discover whether egg sharing compromises the chance of donors or recipients achieving a live birth. A descriptive cohort study was performed of 4,545 fertility patients and 5,316 stimulation cycles at a London based fertility clinic between 2010 and 2019. There was no significant difference in clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) or live birth rate (LBR) between egg sharers and standard IVF patients or between egg sharing recipients and non-egg sharing recipients.

Uterine Transplantation in 2021: Recent Developments and the Future.

Uterine transplantation has evolved rapidly over the last decade. As the number of cases performed increases exponentially worldwide, emerging evidence continues to improve collective knowledge and understanding of the procedure, with the aim of improving both surgical and reproductive outcomes. Although currently restricted to women with absolute uterine factor infertility, increasing awareness as a method of fertility restoration has resulted in a demand for the procedure to be undertaken in transgender women.

Options for acquiring motherhood in absolute uterine factor infertility; adoption, surrogacy and uterine transplantation.

Key Content: Following the diagnosis of absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI), women may experience considerable psychological harm as a result of a loss of reproductive function and the realisation of permanent and irreversible infertility.Adoption enables women with AUFI, and their partners, to experience social and legal parenthood, also often providing benefits for the adopted child.Surrogacy offers the opportunity to have genetically related offspring.

Exploring the knowledge and attitudes of women of reproductive age from the general public towards egg donation and egg sharing: a UK-based study.

Study Question: What are the knowledge and views of UK-based women towards egg donation (ED) and egg sharing (ES)?

Summary Answer: Lacking knowledge of the practices of ED and ES could be an influential factor in donor egg shortages, rather than negative perceptions or lack of donor anonymity and financial incentives.

What Is Known Already: The increasing age of women trying to conceive has led to donor egg shortages, with ED and ES failing to meet demand. Indeed, in recent years in the UK, ES numbers have fallen.

Uterine Transplantation Using Living Donation: A Cross-sectional Study Assessing Perceptions, Acceptability, and Suitability.

Unlabelled: A uterine transplantation is a nonvital, quality-of-life-enhancing solid organ transplant. Given improvements in donor risk profile and the anticipated shortage of suitable deceased donors, nondirected donation could facilitate sustainability as uterine transplantation moves from research into the clinical realm. The aim of this article is to determine perceptions and identify motivations of potential nondirected living uterus donors and assess acceptability and suitability.

Fertility treatment and cancers-the eternal conundrum: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Study Question: Does fertility treatment (FT) significantly increase the incidence of breast, ovarian, endometrial or cervical cancer?

Summary Answer: Overall, FT does not significantly increase the incidence of breast, ovarian or endometrial cancer and may even reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.

What Is Known Already: Infertility affects more than 14% of couples. Infertility and nulliparity are established risk factors for endometrial, ovarian and breast cancer, yet the association with FT is more contentious.

Perceptions and Motivations for Uterus Transplant in Transgender Women.

Importance: Uterus transplant has been demonstrated to be a viable fertility-restoring treatment for women categorized as female at birth with absolute uterine factor infertility. Recent advancements, as well as considerations of fairness and equality in reproductive care, have now led to the possibility of uterus transplant being undertaken in transgender women.

Objective: To investigate the reproductive aspirations of transgender women and their perceptions of uterus transplant.

Uterine Transplantation: Review of Livebirths and Reproductive Implications.

Uterine transplantation (UTx) is a fertility restoring treatment for women with absolute uterine factor infertility. At a time when there is no question of the procedure's feasibility, and as the number of livebirths begins to increase exponentially, various important reproductive, fetal, and maternal medicine implications have emerged. Detailed outcomes from 17 livebirths following UTx are now available, which are reviewed herein, along with contextualized extrapolation from pregnancy outcomes in other solid organ transplants.

A systematic review exploring the patient decision-making factors and attitudes towards pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy and gender selection.

Introduction: Pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is in high demand worldwide, with ongoing debate among medical societies as to which patient groups it should be offered. The psychological aspects for patients regarding its use, lag behind the genomic technological advances, leaving couples with limited decision-making support. The development of this technology also leads to the possibility for its utilization in gender selection.

Endometrial autotransplantation in rabbits: Potential for fertility restoration in severe Asherman's syndrome.

Objective: Uterine transplantation is now considered a feasible treatment for women with absolute uterine factor infertility and has been successfully performed for a woman with Asherman's syndrome (AS). The endometrium is a clinically and histologically distinct entity from the surrounding myometrium. Endometrial transplantation (ETx) may offer a less invasive option, with less immunogenic impact, to restore fertility in women with severe AS.

Human uterine transplantation: a review of outcomes from the first 45 cases.

Uterine transplantation restores reproductive anatomy in women with absolute uterine factor infertility and allows the opportunity to conceive, experience gestation, and acquire motherhood. The number of cases being performed is increasing exponentially, with detailed outcomes from 45 cases, including nine live births, now available. In light of the data presented herein, including detailed surgical, immunosuppressive and obstetric outcomes, the feasibility of uterine transplantation is now difficult to refute.

The vaginal microbiome in uterine transplantation.

Women with congenital absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI) often need vaginal restoration to optimise sexual function. Given their lack of procreative ability, little consideration has previously been given to the resultant vaginal microbiome (VM). Uterine transplantation (UTx) now offers the opportunity to restore these women's reproductive potential.