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A randomized, non-inferiority trial on the DuoStim strategy in PGT-A cycles
Is the DuoStim strategy an effective alternative to two conventional ovarian stimulation cycles in poor-prognosis patients undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) to improve euploidy rates and obtain the first euploid embryo in less time?Concordance of PGT for aneuploidies between blastocyst biopsies and spent blastocyst culture medium
Non-invasive preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (niPGT-A) avoids the possible detrimental impact of invasive PGT-A on embryo development and clinical outcomes. Does cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from spent blastocyst culture medium (BCM) reflect embryonic chromosome status better than trophectoderm (TE) biopsy?Preimplantation genetic testing for human blastocysts with potential parental contamination using a quantitative parental contamination test (qPCT): an evidence-based study
Is it possible to develop a quantitative method for detecting parental DNA contamination in conventional IVF using preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A)?Ovulation induction using sequential letrozole/gonadotrophin in infertile women with PCOS: a randomized controlled trial
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common ovarian endocrine disease in women of reproductive age (Conway et al., 2014), with an incidence among premenopausal women of up to 20% when applying Rotterdam criteria (Yildiz et al., 2012). Oligo-ovulation is the most important and classic clinical manifestation of PCOS (Escobar-Morreale, 2018), and the resulting infertility is the major cause of anovulatory infertility (Balen and Michelmore, 2002), which affects many infertile women of reproductive age.PGT for structural chromosomal rearrangements in 300 couples reveals specific risk factors but an interchromosomal effect is unlikely
What factors affect the proportion of chromosomally balanced embryos in structural rearrangement carriers? Is there any evidence for an interchromosomal effect (ICE)?Comparison of different endometrial preparation protocols on frozen embryo transfer pregnancy outcome in patients with normal ovulation
What is the effect of letrozole use in patients undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET) with normal ovulation? Although the number of FETs is increasing, an optimal protocol for FET (particularly vitrified–warmed embryo transfer) is yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate letrozole use on patients with normal menstrual cycles compared with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) cycles and natural cycles.Supporting first FSH dosage for ovarian stimulation with machine learning
Although significant strides have been made in the last 40 years, the mean pregnancy rate after an IVF cycle still hovers around 30%, with a 20% chance of delivery (De Geyter et al., 2018). An important requisite to the success of an IVF cycle is the availability of a certain number of mature oocytes (metaphase III [MII]); usually obtained after ovarian stimulation.Does the HCG trigger dose used for IVF impact luteal progesterone concentrations? a randomized controlled trial
Is there an association between the ovulation trigger dose of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and endogenous progesterone production during the luteal phase?Similar fertilization rates and preimplantation embryo development among testosterone-treated transgender men and cisgender women
What are the effects of testosterone treatment on oocyte fertilization and preimplantation embryo development among transgender men who have undergone fertility preservation?Comparison of predictive models for cumulative live birth rate after treatment with ART
Can a machine learning model better predict the cumulative live birth rate for a couple after intrauterine insemination or embryo transfer than Cox regression based on their personal characteristics?Non-invasive embryo selection strategy for clinical IVF to avoid wastage of potentially competent embryos
Can a non-invasive embryo transfer strategy provide a reference for embryo selection to be established?Testicular biopsy for fertility preservation in early-diagnosed Klinefelter patients: patient characteristics and long-term follow-up
Which early-diagnosed Klinefelter syndrome patients have been offered cryopreservation of testicular tissue as part of fertility preservation before spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) loss? Do these Klinefelter syndrome patients present with behavioural, cognitive and/or psychological problems? Does a testicular biopsy procedure have long-term effects on the gonadal development of Klinefelter syndrome patients?Pregnancy, fertility concerns and fertility preservation procedures in a national study of French breast cancer survivors
What are the real-life oncofertility practices in young women diagnosed with breast cancer?Does underlying infertility in natural conception modify the epigenetic control of imprinted genes and transposable elements in newborns?
Does the epigenetic control of imprinted genes and transposable elements at birth differ according to time to conception in natural conception and after intrauterine insemination (IUI)?A meta-analysis of serum lipid profiles in premature ovarian insufficiency
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), defined as loss of normal ovarian functions before the age of 40 years, occurs in at least 1% of all women. It affects the reproductive system and causes many health problems and psychological stress. Abnormal serum lipid profile leads to cardiovascular diseases, which are strongly associated with high mortality in patients with POI. To date, several studies have examined the levels of different serum lipids in patients with POI. The results, however, are either inconclusive or inconsistent.A microenvironment of high lactate and low pH created by the blastocyst promotes endometrial receptivity and implantation
Is the blastocyst's idiosyncratic metabolic production of lactate, and creation of a specialized microenvironment at the implatation site, an important mediator of maternal–fetal signalling to promote endometrial receptivity and implantation?Is oxytocin receptor antagonist administration around embryo transfer associated with IVF treatment success? A systematic review and meta-analysis
A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate whether the administration of an oxytocin receptor antagonist (OTR-a) around embryo transfer is associated with live birth and pregnancy achievement in IVF treatment. Multiple databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing the outcome of IVF treatment with administration of an OTR-a before, during or after embryo transfer versus administration of placebo/nil. The literature search identified 11 eligible RCT.Comparison of methods for isolation and quantification of circulating cell-free DNA from patients with endometriosis
Endometriosis is a common oestrogen-dependent benign disease, which is defined by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside of the uterus. Clinical features associated with endometriosis are chronic pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, dysmenorrhoea and infertility (Bulun, 2009; Burghaus et al., 2019). Endometriosis can be detected in 25–50% of infertile women, and 30–50% of women with endometriosis are infertile (Bulletti et al., 2010). Endometriosis affects the receptivity of the endometrium and the development of the oocyte and embryo, leading to significant lower pregnancy rates by natural conception and by IVF (Barnhart et al., 2002; de Ziegler et al., 2010).Clinical outcomes and utilization from over a decade of planned oocyte cryopreservation
An age-related decline in fertility is a well-known physiologic effect related to decreases in oocyte quantity and quality (ACOG and ASRM, 2014). Older women who conceive naturally have an increased risk of fetal chromosomal abnormalities and pregnancy loss (Spandorfer and Chung, 2004). Despite this association, a global shift towards delayed childbearing has occurred (OECD Family Database, OECD, 2019). Age at first birth and the proportion of pregnancies in women over the age of 35 years have been increasing in the USA since 1980 (Martin et al., 2019).IVF impact on the risk of recurrence of endometrial adenocarcinoma after fertility-sparing management
Do IVF treatments after conservative management of endometrial atypical hyperplasia or grade 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma (AH/EC) increase the risk of disease recurrence?The inhibition of WIP1 phosphatase accelerates the depletion of primordial follicles
What role does wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (WIP1) play in the regulation of primordial follicle development?Lower risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in natural versus artificial frozen–thawed embryo transfer cycles: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Frozen–thawed embryo transfer (FET) has increased steadily worldwide over the past few years (De Geyter et al., 2020; Zegers-Hochschild et al., 2020). In 2015, FET accounted for about 40% of all IVF cycles in Europe (De Geyter et al., 2020). The freeze-all strategy has reported successful results with higher live birth rates and lower incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome compared with fresh embryo transfer (Roque et al., 2019; Wei et al., 2019). Some studies have suggested that singletons born after FET also have better neonatal outcomes compared with singletons born after fresh embryo transfer, e.g.Whether to transfer mosaic embryos: a cytogenetic view of true mosaicism by amniocentesis
Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies has increasingly been employed for embryo selection, resulting in a recent surge in mosaic embryos. According to the cytogenetic results, which types of mosaic embryo survive early pregnancy, progress to the second trimester and finally result in a live birth?Impact of chronic endometritis in infertility: a SWOT analysis
Chronic endometritis is a pathology often associated with reproductive failure, but there are still no clear recommendations on whether its inclusion in the initial study of infertile couples is necessary. In this discussion paper, based on a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis, the different aspects of the repercussions of chronic endometritis in fertility are evaluated. To avoid possible subjectivity in the analysis and results of this study, the researchers followed the Oxford criteria for the evaluation of evidence.Influence of ethnicity on different aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review
This systematic review aimed to assess variations in the clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) belonging to different ethnicities. A search was performed for studies comparing various clinical aspects of PCOS in two or more different ethnic groups. After screening 2264 studies, 35 articles were included in the final analysis. In comparison with White women with PCOS (wPCOS), East Asian women with PCOS (eaPCOS) were less hirsute, whereas Hispanic women with PCOS (hPCOS), South Asian women with PCOS (saPCOS) and Middle Eastern women with PCOS (mePCOS) were more hirsute.Spatial and temporal changes in follicle distribution in the human ovarian cortex
How does follicle distribution evolve in the human ovarian cortex between the ages of 20 and 35 years?miR-532-3p: a possible altered miRNA in cumulus cells of infertile women with advanced endometriosis
Is the profile of microRNA (miRNA) altered in cumulus cells of infertile women with early (EI/II) and advanced (EIII/IV) endometriosis?An artificial intelligence model based on the proteomic profile of euploid embryos and blastocyst morphology: a preliminary study
The two main factors responsible for the success of an IVF treatment are the endometrium and the embryo (Edwards et al., 1984). Non-invasive methods (morphological and morphokinetic) as well as invasive methods (genetic testing) are currently used in IVF laboratories in embryo selection. However, new approaches to select embryos are still being investigated due to the limited improvement in live birth rate over the last few years (Dyer et al., 2016; De Geyter et al., 2018).Do fertility tracking applications offer women useful information about their fertile window?
To characterize mobile fertility tracking applications (apps) to determine the use of such apps for women trying to conceive by identifying the fertile window.A revolutionary joins the establishment: Reproductive Biomedicine Online turns 20
This commentary highlights the publishing revolution achieved by Robert Edwards in founding Reproductive Biomedicine Online. It corrects some inaccuracies in the account given by Roger Gosden in his recently published book Let There Be Life: An Intimate Portrait of Robert Edwards and His IVF Revolution.Same-sex male couples and single men having children using assisted reproductive technology: a quantitative analysis
How do same-sex male couples (SSMC) and single men perceive their experience of using assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Canada; what factors contribute to their experience and the decisions made throughout the ART process?The prevalence, promotion and pricing of three IVF add-ons on fertility clinic websites
How are IVF clinic websites advertising three common IVF add-ons: assisted hatching, time-lapse embryo imaging and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A)?Empathetic application of machine learning may address appropriate utilization of ART
The value of artificial intelligence to benefit infertile patients is a subject of debate. This paper presents the experience of one aspect of artificial intelligence, machine learning, coupled with patient empathy to improve utilization of assisted reproductive technology (ART), which is an important aspect of care that is under-recognized. Although ART provides very effective options for infertile patients to build families, patients often discontinue ART when further treatment is likely to be beneficial and most of these patients do not achieve pregnancy without medical aid.Candidate genes for age at menarche are associated with endometriosis
Are the candidate genes for age at menarche associated with a risk of endometriosis?The performance of the Elecsys® anti-Müllerian hormone assay in predicting extremes of ovarian response to corifollitropin alfa
What is the performance of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) as measured by the Elecsys® AMH assay in predicting ovarian response in women treated with 150 µg corifollitropin alfa (CFA)?Maternal and perinatal outcomes in programmed versus natural vitrified–warmed blastocyst transfer cycles
Do maternal and perinatal outcomes differ between natural and programmed frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles?Cytogenetic testing of pregnancy loss tissue: a meta-analysis
Of all clinically recognized pregnancies, about 15% end in loss (Nybo Andersen et al., 2000; Rai and Regan, 2006). The great majority of pregnancy losses occur within the first trimester of pregnancy (Baird, 2009; Farr et al., 2007). Aneuploidy of the embryo is an important female age-related genetic cause of pregnancy loss and can be tested in pregnancy loss tissue (Hassold and Hunt, 2001; Rai and Regan, 2006). A proportion of couples (1–3%) not only suffer from one ‘sporadic’ pregnancy loss but from recurrent pregnancy loss, meaning two or more pregnancy losses (historically three or more losses) (Ford and Schust, 2009).Prospective randomized multicentre comparison on sibling oocytes comparing G-Series media system with antioxidants versus standard G-Series media system
Does the inclusion of three antioxidants (A3), acetyl-l-carnitine (ALC), N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) improve human embryo development and pregnancy potential?Durations of intrauterine balloon therapy and adhesion reformation after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis: a randomized controlled trial
Does placing an intrauterine balloon for different durations (7, 14 or 28 days) affect the recurrence of intrauterine adhesions after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis?Context-based infertility care
Over the last few months we have reflected in these pages on a number of challenging issues that need to be addressed if clinical research in our field is to continue to impact on day-to-day infertility care (Macklon et al., 2019; Fauser and Macklon, 2019). As articulated by others (Horwitz et al 2017; Kent et al. 2018), we have argued that limiting clinical practice to only those interventions that have been shown to be ‘effective’ for a group of patients included in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) threatens to prevent rather than encourage the development of a clinically useful evidence-based medicine (EBM) for individual patients.Identification of research priorities in infertility and assisted reproduction: an international, multicentre study
What are the main research interests among patients of assisted reproductive technologies (ART)?‘There is only one thing that is truly important in an IVF laboratory: everything’ Cairo Consensus Guidelines on IVF Culture Conditions
This proceedings report presents the outcomes from an international expert meeting to establish consensus guidelines on IVF culture conditions. Topics reviewed and discussed were: embryo culture – basic principles and interactions; temperature in the IVF laboratory; humidity in culture; carbon dioxide control and medium pH; oxygen tension for embryo culture; workstations – design and engineering; incubators – maintaining the culture environment; micromanipulation – maintaining a steady physcochemical environment; handling practices; assessment practices; culture media – buffering and pH, general composition and protein supplementation, sequential or single-step media for human embryo culture; use and management – cold chain and storage; test equipment – calibration and certification; and laboratory equipment and real-time monitoring.Risk factors associated with pre-eclampsia in pregnancies conceived by ART
What are the factors associated with the increased incidence of pre-eclampsia in pregnancies conceived through IVF using autologous oocytes?Ovarian stimulation for oocyte vitrification does not modify disease-free survival and overall survival rates in patients with early breast cancer
Does ovarian stimulation for oocyte vitrification affect disease-free survival and overall survival rates in women with early breast cancer?Controversies in ART: can the IVF laboratory influence preimplantation embryo aneuploidy?
Published reports have indicated that rates of preimplantation embryo aneuploidy in a control donor population may vary between IVF centres. This suggests that location-specific conditions, in the clinic, IVF or genetics laboratory, may be influencing the chromosome dynamics or diagnosis. More recent reports suggest that rates of embryo mosaicism, representing mitotic errors, may vary between IVF centres. This would suggest perhaps a laboratory-controlled variable is influencing mitotic cell division during preimplantation embryo development.Use of progestins to inhibit spontaneous ovulation during ovarian stimulation: the beginning of a new era?
Advances in oocyte and embryo cryopreservation for assisted reproduction prompted new approaches to ovarian stimulation. Attention has been paid to progesterone and its derivatives to block the LH surge, as oocyte vitrification removes possible harmful effects of progestins on endometrial receptivity. This review summarizes the current status of progestin use to inhibit ovulation during ovarian stimulation compared with conventional ovarian stimulation. Progestin-primed ovarian stimulation is shown to effectively inhibit spontaneous ovulation, without affecting the number of retrieved oocytes and embryo quality.Childbirth close to natural menopause: does age at menopause matter?
Does a successful spontaneous pregnancy in the years close to natural menopause depend on age at menopause?Differential impacts of gonadotrophins, IVF and embryo culture on mouse blastocyst development
Conception via assisted reproductive technology (ART) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Underlying differences between ART-conceived and in-vivo-conceived embryos that contribute to this increased risk are, however, not known.Human growth hormone for poor responders: a randomized placebo-controlled trial provides no evidence for improved live birth rate
Does the addition of human growth hormone (HGH) to an IVF cycle improve the live birth rate in previously documented poor responders to FSH?Protective effect of oestrogen receptor α-PvuII transition against idiopathic male infertility: a case-control study and meta-analysis
Is there any genetic association between oestrogen receptor alpha [ERα]-PvuII polymorphism and idiopathic male infertility?
