Supplementation with vitamin D improves the embryo quality in in vitro fertilization (IVF) programs, independently of the patients' basal vitamin D status.

Purpose: The study aims to demonstrate the effects of Vitamin D (VD) supplementation, prior to oocyte pick-up within IVF protocols, in women with diverse VD status at the enrollment.

Methods: A total of 204 women eligible for intra-cytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles were included in the study and two homogeneous groups were selected from the database. Both group of patients with normal VD baseline level (> 40 ng/ml) and patients with low VD baseline level (< 20 ng/ml) were divided into control group and treatment group.

A successful twin healthy live birth achieved from eggs with a rare perivitelline space abnormality: A case report.

Background: Phenotypic dysmorphism is not rare to be found in the human oocyte, especially in the perivitelline space, which are among the most important aberration of the extra cytoplasmic component.

Case Presentation: The case is of a 30-yr-old woman with no previous pregnancy, attempting an in vitro fertilization treatment for the first time. Given the extraordinary quantity of granular particles found in the perivitelline space, visible after the stripping procedure, it was not possible to establish the presence and position of the first polar body to appreciate the correct oocyte maturation (metaphase 2).

A Multi-Institutional Informed Consent Proposal as a Prevention Tool for Combined Oral Contraceptive Intake and Thrombotic Risk.

Unlabelled: Combined oral contraceptives (COC), are among the most widely used contraceptive methods in the world today. Despite the different changes in terms of estrogen/progestogen combinations and dosages, the thromboembolic risk for a woman who takes combined oral contraceptives persists to date.

Methods: The review of relevant literature and international guidelines on prescription of combined oral contraceptives made it possible to create a proposal for informed consent to be used for prescribing.

Increased bioavailability of Vitamin D improved pregnancy outcomes in in vitro fertilization cycles, only in patients over 36 years: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Vitamin D (VitD) is a secosteroid hormone showing both antiproliferative and immunomodulatory effects. Its involvement in placental steroidogenesis and endometrial decidualization even plays a role in other gynecological functions, including assisted reproductive technology (ART). However, controversial data have been reported on its implication in pregnancy outcomes during In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) programs.

A fast and safe technique for sperm preparation in ICSI treatments within a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Recently a novel method based on horizontal sperm migration in injection dishes has been introduced as an additional tool for preparation of semen sample in assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures. In the present study, we evaluated both timing and reproductive outcomes in a randomized controlled study including 1034 intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures followed by fresh embryo transfer. Couples enrolled were divided into two sub-groups, namely conventional swim-up method (Group A), and horizontal sperm migration in injection dishes (Group B).

High progesterone levels on the day of HCG administration do not affect the embryo quality and the reproductive outcomes of frozen embryo transfers.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pre- mature progesterone rise on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration on the outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) of frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles using cleavage-stage embryos.

Methods: This was a retrospective, cohort study of 131 ovarian stimulation cycles followed by cleavage-stage frozen embryo transfers. The first group consisted of women undergoing FET due to premature luteinization during controlled ovarian stimulation (n = 56, P ≥1.