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Vaiarelli A, Cimadomo D, Ruffa A, Rania E, Pittana E, Gallo C, Fiorenza A, Alviggi E, Alfano S, Carmelo R, Trabucco E, Alviggi C, Rosaria Campitiello M, Rienzi L, Maria Ubaldi F, Venturella R. Oocyte competence is comparable between progestin primed ovarian stimulation with Norethisterone acetate (NETA-PPOS) and GnRH-antagonist protocols: A matched case-control study in PGT-A cycles. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2024; 294:4-10. [PMID: 38171151 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2023.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To outline oocyte competence after progestin primed ovarian stimulation with Norethisterone acetate (NETA-PPOS) compared to conventional GnRH-antagonist protocol. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective matched case-control study involving advanced-maternal-age women undergoing ICSI with PGT-A. 89 NETA-PPOS were matched with 178 control patients based on maternal age and ovarian reserve biomarkers. Both groups underwent recombinant-FSH OS with GnRH-agonist ovulation trigger and collected ≥1 MII. In the study group, NETA (10 mg/day) was administered orally starting from day2 of the menstrual cycle. Euploid blastocyst rate per cohort of metaphase-II oocytes (EBR per MII) was the primary outcome. All other embryological and clinical outcomes were reported. Gestational age, birthweight and length were also assessed. RESULTS The EBR per MII was comparable among PPOS and control (13.9 % ± 19.3 % versus 13.3 % ± 17.9 %; the sample size allowed to exclude up to a 10 % difference). Blastocysts morphology and developmental rate were similar. No difference was reported for all clinical outcomes among the 61 and 107 vitrified-warmed euploid single blastocyst transfers respectively conducted. The cumulative live birth delivery rate per concluded cycles was also comparable (24.7 % versus 21.9 %). Neonatal outcomes were analogous. CONCLUSIONS Oocyte competence after NETA-PPOS and standard OS is comparable. This evidence is reassuring and, because of its lower cost and possibly higher patients' compliance, supports PPOS administration whenever the patients are indicated to freeze-all (e.g., fertility preservation, PGT-A, oocyte donation). More data are required about follicle recruitment, oocyte yield, gestational and perinatal outcomes. Randomized-controlled-trials are advisable to confirm our evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Vaiarelli
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, GENERA, Clinica Valle Giulia, Rome, Italy.
| | - Danilo Cimadomo
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, GENERA, Clinica Valle Giulia, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Ruffa
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, GENERA, Clinica Valle Giulia, Rome, Italy; Physiopathology of Reproduction and IVF Unit, Obstetrics and Gynecology 1U, Department of Surgical Sciences, Sant'Anna Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Erika Rania
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università degli Studi Magna Graecia di Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Erika Pittana
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, GENERA, Clinica Valle Giulia, Rome, Italy; Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Cinzia Gallo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università degli Studi Magna Graecia di Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Alessia Fiorenza
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università degli Studi Magna Graecia di Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Erminia Alviggi
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, GENERA, Clinica Ruesch, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Alfano
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, GENERA, Clinica Ruesch, Naples, Italy
| | - Ramona Carmelo
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, GENERA, Clinica Ruesch, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Alviggi
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Campitiello
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Physiopathology of Human Reproduction, ASL Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Laura Rienzi
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, GENERA, Clinica Valle Giulia, Rome, Italy; Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino "Carlo Bo", Urbino, Italy
| | | | - Roberta Venturella
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università degli Studi Magna Graecia di Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy
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Boudry L, Mateizel I, Wouters K, Papaleo E, Mackens S, De Vos M, Racca A, Adriaenssens T, Tournaye H, Blockeel C. Does dual oocyte retrieval with continuous FSH administration increase the number of mature oocytes in low responders? An open-label randomized controlled trial. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:538-547. [PMID: 38199789 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is there an increase in the total number of metaphase II (MII) oocytes between a conventional ovarian stimulation (OS) and a double uninterrupted stimulation? SUMMARY ANSWER There is no increase in the total number of MII oocytes when comparing one conventional OS to a continuous stimulation with double oocyte aspiration. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Based on the concept of multiple follicular waves, the combination of two stimulations in the same ovarian cycle has gained interest in patients with a low ovarian reserve. This so-called dual stimulation approach is usually characterized by a discontinuation of FSH administration for ∼5 days and appears to have a favourable impact on the number of retrieved oocytes without affecting the embryo quality or ploidy status. The outcomes of dual uninterrupted OS have not yet been studied. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This was an open-label randomized controlled trial (RCT) with superiority design, performed in a single tertiary centre. Subjects were randomized with a 1:1 allocation into two groups between October 2019 and September 2021. All patients underwent a conventional stimulation with recombinant FSH. When two or more follicles of 17 mm were present, the final inclusion criterion was assessed; randomization occurred only in the presence of ≤9 follicles of ≥11 mm. In Group A, ovulation was triggered with hCG, and oocyte retrieval (OR) was performed 34-36 h later, followed by a fresh single or double embryo transfer (SET or DET) on Day 3/5. In Group B, ovulation was triggered with GnRH agonist, followed by another OS, without discontinuation of the FSH administration. In the presence of one or more follicles of ≥17 mm, the second stimulation was completed with hCG. A freeze-all strategy (Day 3/5) was applied for both retrievals, followed by transfer of one or two embryos in an artificially prepared frozen-thawed cycle. In the absence of one or more follicles of ≥17 mm after 13 additional days of stimulation, the second cycle was cancelled. All ORs were executed by a senior fertility specialist who was blinded for the first treatment, and all follicles >10 mm were aspirated, according to routine clinical practice. The primary outcome was the total number of MII oocytes. Patients were followed up until all embryos were transferred, or until live birth was achieved. Other secondary outcomes included the number of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), the number of good quality embryos (Day 3/5), the ongoing pregnancy rate, and gonadotropin consumption. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Patients between 25 and 40 years old, with an anti-Müllerian hormone level of ≤1.5 ng/ml, antral follicle count of ≤6, or ≤5 oocytes after a previous stimulation, were included. At the start, 70 patients were eligible for participation in the trial, of whom 48 patients fulfilled the final inclusion criterium and were randomized. After drop-out of two patients, 23 patients were randomized to a single round of OS (Group A), and 23 patients were randomized to two uninterrupted rounds of OS (Group B). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Baseline characteristics were similar between both groups. The cumulative number of COCs and MII oocytes after completion of the second OR was similar in Group A and Group B [5.3 ± 2.7 versus 5.3 ± 3.0 (P = 0.95); 4.1 ± 2.4 versus 4.3 ± 2.7 (P = 0.77)]. Likewise, a comparable number of excellent and good quality embryos was available on Day 3 (3.0 ± 2.0 versus 2.7 ± 2.0; P = 0.63). In Group B, the cancellation rate due to insufficient response to the second round of stimulation was 39.1% (9/23). When focusing on the first stimulation in both groups, there were no significant differences regarding basal FSH, gonadotropin consumption, and the number of preovulatory follicles. After the first OR, the mean number of COC and MII oocytes was significantly higher in Group A (who had hCG triggering), compared to Group B (who had GnRH agonist triggering) [5.3 ± 2.7 versus 3.3 ± 2.2; difference 95% CI (0.54 to 3.45), P = 0.004 and 4.1 ± 2.4 versus 3.0 ± 2.2; difference 95% CI (-0.15 to 2.6), P = 0.05, respectively]. Likewise, the number of excellent and good quality embryos on Day 3 was significantly higher (3.0 ± 2.0 versus 1.9 ± 1.7; P = 0.02) in Group A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION This study was powered to demonstrate superiority for the number of MII oocytes after dual stimulation. Investigating the impact of dual stimulation on pregnancy rates would have required a larger sample size. Furthermore, the heterogeneity in embryo vitrification and transfer policies precluded a correct comparison of embryologic outcomes between both groups. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This is the first RCT investigating the role of continuous stimulation with double aspiration in low responders. Our results show no statistically significant differences in the cumulative number of MII oocytes between one conventional stimulation with fresh ET and two consecutive stimulations with a freeze-only approach. Furthermore, the observed suboptimal oocyte yield after agonist ovulation triggering in low responders in the dual uninterrupted OS group is a reason for concern and further scrutiny, given that previous RCTs have shown similar outcomes in normal and high responders after hCG and GnRH agonist triggers. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported in part by a research grant from Organon. H.T. received honoraria for lectures and presentations from Abbott, Cooper Surgical, Gedeon-Richter, Cook, Goodlife, and Ferring. L.B. received fees for lectures from Merck & Organon and support for attending ESHRE 2023. M.D.V. reports fees for lectures from Ferring, Merck, Organon, IBSA, Gedeon Richter, and Cooper Surgical and support for attending ASRM 2023. S.M. received honoraria for lectures and presentations from Abbott, Cooper Surgical, Gedeon-Richter, IBSA, and Merck. C.B. was on the Advisory board and received consulting fees from Theramex and received honoraria for lectures and presentations from Abbott, Ferring, Gedeon-Richter, IBSA, and Merck. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03846544. TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE 19 February 2019. DATE OF FIRST PATIENT’S ENROLMENT 28 October 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Boudry
- Brussels IVF, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - I Mateizel
- Brussels IVF, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - K Wouters
- Brussels IVF, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - E Papaleo
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - S Mackens
- Brussels IVF, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - M De Vos
- Brussels IVF, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - A Racca
- Department of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Instituto Bernabeu Venezia, Venezia, Italy
| | - T Adriaenssens
- Laboratory of Follicle Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - H Tournaye
- Brussels IVF, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - C Blockeel
- Brussels IVF, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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Wang Z, Liu D, Nie Y, Zhang Q. Cai's prescription inhibits granulosa cell apoptosis through ARHGAP4 on poor ovarian responders. J Ovarian Res 2024; 17:40. [PMID: 38355537 PMCID: PMC10865665 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01363-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Poor ovarian response (POR) is a big challenge for in vitro fertilization. The traditional Chinese medicine, Cai's Prescription of Tonifying Kidney and Strengthening Vitals (Cai's Prescription) has yielded satisfactory results for POR treatment clinically, but systematic scientific research of Cai's Prescription is not well reported. This study aimed to investigate the clinical effect of Cai's Prescription on poor ovarian responders and its biological mechanism. METHODS Serum was collected from poor ovarian responders, and IL-1β, INFγ, FSH, E2 and AMH levels were analyzed by ELISA. Ovarian antral follicles were identified and counted using transvaginal ultrasound. The embryo quality grading were done on day 3 after retrieval. We used high-throughput sequencing of granulosa cells to investigate the gene transcription patterns of ovarian granulosa cells in poor ovarian responders after Cai's Prescription pretreatment. The expression level of ARHGAP4 was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. The effects of ARHGAP4 for granulosa cells were analyzed by CCK-8 assay, annexin-V and PI staining, ELISA and western blot. The effects of Cai's Prescription on the expression of PI3K-Akt pathway and apoptosis were analyzed by western blot. RESULTS In this study, we found that Cai's Prescription pretreatment had the tendency to improve the ovarian reserve function and could increase the number of high quality embryos for poor ovarian responders. Through high-throughput sequencing of mRNA in granulosa cells, we discovered ARHGAP4, which is a member of GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) may be a candidate target for POR treatment. ARHGAP4 was significantly increased in poor ovarian responders and can be recovered after Cai's Prescription pretreatment. Mechanically, combining the cell line model and clinical tissue samples, we found that ARHGAP4 can accelerate cell apoptosis and inflammation response in granulosa cells via PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. In addition, Cai's Prescription pretreatment for three months significantly reduced the high level of ARHGAP4 in poor ovarian responders. CONCLUSION This study shows that the traditional Chinese medicine, Cai's Prescription yielded satisfactory results for poor ovarian responders clinically and ARHGAP4 may be a candidate target for POR treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| | - Denghao Liu
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yonghong Nie
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Qinhua Zhang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200040, China.
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Xu Z, Tong W, Yang Z, Zhang H, Chen X. Comparative efficacy of different growth hormone supplementation protocols in improving clinical outcomes in women with poor ovarian response undergoing assisted reproductive therapy: a network meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3377. [PMID: 38336836 PMCID: PMC10858197 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53780-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Growth hormone (GH) has a long-standing history of use as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of poor ovarian response (POR), but the optimal dosage and timing remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of different GH supplementation protocols through a network meta-analysis (NMA) and determine the optimal treatment protocol. This study was reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews for Network Meta-Analysis (PRISMA-NMA) statement. Databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Embase were searched until June 2023. A total of 524 records were retrieved in our search, and 23 clinical studies comprising 4889 cycles were involved. Seven different GH protocols were identified. Results showed that compared to the control group, daily administration of 4-8 IU of GH during the follicular phase of the stimulation cycle had the best comprehensive therapeutic effects on improving the number of retrieved oocytes, mature oocytes, endometrial thickness, and reducing gonadotropin requirements in POR patients undergoing assisted reproductive therapy, with a relatively brief treatment duration and a moderate total GH dose. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that this protocol could significantly improve the clinical pregnancy rate of POR patients in the randomized controlled trials (RCT) subgroup and the African subgroup. Therefore, its clinical application is suggested. Besides, the potential advantages of long-term GH supplementation protocol (using GH for at least 2 weeks before oocyte retrieval) has merit for further research. Rigorous and well-designed multi-arm RCTs are needed in the future to confirm the conclusions drawn from this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheyun Xu
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weiquan Tong
- Department of Emergency Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ze Yang
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, Hangzhou Women's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xingbei Chen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, China.
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Hsieh TB, Jin JP. Loss of Calponin 2 causes premature ovarian insufficiency in mice. J Ovarian Res 2024; 17:37. [PMID: 38336796 PMCID: PMC10854048 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01346-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a condition defined as women developing menopause before 40 years old. These patients display low ovarian reserve at young age and difficulties to conceive even with assisted reproductive technology. The pathogenesis of ovarian insufficiency is not fully understood. Genetic factors may underlie most of the cases. Actin cytoskeleton plays a pivotal role in ovarian folliculogenesis. Calponin 2 encoded by the Cnn2 gene is an actin associated protein that regulates motility and mechanical signaling related cellular functions. RESULTS The present study compared breeding of age-matched calponin 2 knockout (Cnn2-KO) and wild type (WT) mice and found that Cnn2-KO mothers had significantly smaller litter sizes. Ovaries from 4 weeks old Cnn2-KO mice showed significantly lower numbers of total ovarian follicles than WT control with the presence of multi-oocyte follicles. Cnn2-KO mice also showed age-progressive earlier depletion of ovarian follicles. Cnn2 expression is detected in the cumulus cells of the ovarian follicles of WT mice and colocalizes with actin stress fiber, tropomyosin and myosin II in primary cultures of cumulus cells. CONCLUSIONS The findings demonstrate that the loss of calponin 2 impairs ovarian folliculogenesis with premature depletion of ovarian follicles. The role of calponin 2 in ovarian granulosa cells suggests a molecular target for further investigations on the pathogenesis of POI and for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Bou Hsieh
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Jian-Ping Jin
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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Martirosyan YO, Silachev DN, Nazarenko TA, Birukova AM, Vishnyakova PA, Sukhikh GT. Stem-Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Unlocking New Possibilities for Treating Diminished Ovarian Reserve and Premature Ovarian Insufficiency. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2247. [PMID: 38137848 PMCID: PMC10744991 DOI: 10.3390/life13122247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advancements in assisted reproductive technology (ART), achieving successful pregnancy rates remains challenging. Diminished ovarian reserve and premature ovarian insufficiency hinder IVF success-about 20% of in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients face a poor prognosis due to a low response, leading to higher cancellations and reduced birth rates. In an attempt to address the issue of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), we conducted systematic PubMed and Web of Science research, using keywords "stem cells", "extracellular vesicles", "premature ovarian insufficiency", "diminished ovarian reserve" and "exosomes". Amid the complex ovarian dynamics and challenges like POI, stem cell therapy and particularly the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs), a great potential is shown. EVs trigger paracrine mechanisms via microRNAs and bioactive molecules, suppressing apoptosis, stimulating angiogenesis and activating latent regenerative potential. Key microRNAs influence estrogen secretion, proliferation and apoptosis resistance. Extracellular vesicles present a lot of possibilities for treating infertility, and understanding their molecular mechanisms is crucial for maximizing EVs' therapeutic potential in addressing ovarian disorders and promoting reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yana O. Martirosyan
- V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (T.A.N.); (A.M.B.); (P.A.V.); (G.T.S.)
| | - Denis N. Silachev
- V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (T.A.N.); (A.M.B.); (P.A.V.); (G.T.S.)
- Department of Functional Biochemistry of Biopolymers, A.N. Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana A. Nazarenko
- V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (T.A.N.); (A.M.B.); (P.A.V.); (G.T.S.)
| | - Almina M. Birukova
- V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (T.A.N.); (A.M.B.); (P.A.V.); (G.T.S.)
| | - Polina A. Vishnyakova
- V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (T.A.N.); (A.M.B.); (P.A.V.); (G.T.S.)
- Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia
| | - Gennadiy T. Sukhikh
- V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 117997 Moscow, Russia; (T.A.N.); (A.M.B.); (P.A.V.); (G.T.S.)
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Hood RB, Liang D, Tan Y, Ford JB, Souter I, Chavarro JE, Jones DP, Hauser R, Gaskins AJ. Serum and follicular fluid metabolome and markers of ovarian stimulation. Hum Reprod 2023; 38:2196-2207. [PMID: 37740688 PMCID: PMC10628502 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What metabolic pathways and metabolites in the serum and follicular fluid are associated with peak estradiol levels and the number of mature oocytes? SUMMARY ANSWER In the serum metabolome, mostly fatty acid and amino acid pathways were associated with estradiol levels and mature oocytes while in the follicular fluid metabolome, mostly lipid, vitamin, and hormone pathways were associated with peak estradiol levels and mature oocytes. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Metabolomics has identified several metabolic pathways and metabolites associated with infertility but limited data are available for ovarian stimulation outcomes. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A prospective cohort study of women undergoing IVF from 2009 to 2015. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS A total of 125 women undergoing a fresh IVF cycle at a fertility clinic in the Northeast United States who provided a serum and follicular fluid sample. Untargeted metabolomics profiling was conducted using liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry in two chromatography columns (C18 and hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC)). The main ovarian stimulation outcomes were peak serum estradiol levels and number of mature oocytes. We utilized adjusted generalized linear regression models to identify significant metabolic features. Models were adjusted for age,BMI, initial infertility diagnosis, and ovarian stimulation protocol. We then conducted pathway analysis using mummichog and metabolite annotation using level-1 evidence. MAIN RESULTS AND ROLE OF CHANCE In the serum metabolome, 480 and 850 features were associated with peak estradiol levels in the C18 and HILIC columns, respectively. Additionally, 437 and 538 features were associated with mature oocytes in the C18 and HILIC columns, respectively. In the follicular fluid metabolome, 752 and 929 features were associated with peak estradiol levels in the C18 and HILIC columns, respectively, Additionally, 993 and 986 features were associated with mature oocytes in the C18 and HILIC columns, respectively. The most common pathways associated with peak estradiol included fatty acids (serum and follicular fluid), hormone (follicular fluid), and lipid pathways (follicular fluid). The most common pathways associated with the number of mature oocytes retrieved included amino acids (serum), fatty acids (serum and follicular fluid), hormone (follicular fluid), and vitamin pathways(follicular fluid). The vitamin D3 pathway had the strongest association with both ovarian stimulation outcomes in the follicularfluid. Four and nine metabolites were identified using level-1 evidence (validated identification) in the serum and follicular fluid metabolomes, respectively. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Our sample was majority White and highly educated and may not be generalizable to thewider population. Additionally, residual confounding is possible and the flushing medium used in the follicular fluid could have diluted our results. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The pathways and metabolites identified by our study provide novel insights into the biologicalmechanisms in the serum and follicular fluid that may underlie follicular and oocyte development, which could potentially be used to improve ovarian stimulation outcomes. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by the following grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P30-ES019776, R01-ES009718, R01-ES022955, P30-ES000002, R00-ES026648, and T32-ES012870), and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (P30DK046200). The authors have no competing interests to disclose. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B Hood
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Youran Tan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jennifer B Ford
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irene Souter
- Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jorge E Chavarro
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dean P Jones
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, & Critical Care Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Russ Hauser
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Audrey J Gaskins
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Coticchio G, Ezoe K, Lagalla C, Zacà C, Borini A, Kato K. The destinies of human embryos reaching blastocyst stage between Day 4 and Day 7 diverge as early as fertilization. Hum Reprod 2023; 38:1690-1699. [PMID: 37381073 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What clinical and laboratory differences emerge from parallel direct comparison of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage between Days 4, 5, 6, and 7 (Days 4-7)? SUMMARY ANSWER Increasing times to blastocyst formation are associated with a worse clinical outcome and perturbations in developmental patterns appear as early as the fertilization stage. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Previous evidence indicates that later times to blastocyst development are associated with a worse clinical outcome. However, the vast majority of these data concern Day 5 and Day 6 blastocysts, while Day 4 and Day 7 blastocysts remain less thoroughly investigated. In addition, studies comparing in parallel the developmental patterns and trajectories of Day 4-7 blastocysts are lacking. This leaves unanswered the question of when and how differences among such embryos emerge. Acquisition of such knowledge would significantly contribute to understanding the relative impact of intrinsic and extrinsic causes of embryo developmental kinetics and competence. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This retrospective study involved time-lapse technology (TLT) monitoring of Day 4 (N = 70), Day 5 (N = 6147), Day 6 (N = 3243), and Day 7 (N = 149) blastocysts generated in 9450 ICSI cycles. Oocyte retrievals were carried out after clomiphene citrate-based minimal ovarian stimulation, between January 2020 and April 2021. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Couples included in the study presented with different diagnoses, mainly male factor and unexplained infertility. Cases involving cryopreserved gametes or surgically retrieved sperm were excluded. Microinjected oocytes were assessed by a combined TLT-culture system. Day 4-7 blastocyst groups were compared in terms of morphokinetics (pronuclear dynamics, cleavage patterns and timings, and embryo quality) and clinical outcome. Clinically usable blastocysts were cryopreserved and transferred in single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfers (SVBT). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE From 19 846 microinjected oocytes, 17 144 zygotes (86.4%) were obtained. Overall, the blastocyst development rate was 56.0%. Rates of blastocysts formation on Days 4, 5, 6, and 7 were 0.7%, 64.0%, 33.8%, and 1.6%, respectively. The average expanded blastocyst development times were 98.4 ± 0.4, 112.4 ± 0.1, 131.6 ± 0.1, and 151.2 ± 0.5 h in the Day 4-7 groups, respectively. Female age was positively associated with longer times to blastocyst development. Rates of both inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) morphological grade A blastocysts were negatively associated with the day of blastocyst development (P < 0.0001). The differences in development times and intervals increased progressively until blastocyst expansion (P < 0.0001 for all development times). Strikingly, such differences were already markedly evident as early as the time of pronuclear fading (tPNf) (20.6 ± 0.3, 22.5 ± 0.0, 24.0 ± 0.0, 25.5 ± 0.3; Days 4-7, respectively; P < 0.0001). Rates of cleavage anomalies (tri-/multi-chotomous mitosis or rapid cleavage) occurring at the first or second/third division cycles were also positively associated with longer times to blastocyst development. Implantation, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth rates were progressively reduced with increasing blastocyst development times (P < 0.0001), even after stratification for maternal age. When controlled for female age, male age, number of previous embryo transfer cycles, morphological grade of the ICM and TE, and progesterone supplementation, the probabilities of implantation, clinical, and ongoing pregnancy and live birth were significantly decreased in Day 6 blastocysts in comparison to Day 5 blastocysts. Follow-up data on birth length, weight, and malformations were comparable among the four blastocyst groups. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The study is limited by its retrospective design. Having been obtained from a single centre, the data require independent validation. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This study extends previous data on the relation between time of blastocyst formation and clinical outcome. It also indicates that differences in developmental times and patterns of Day 4-7 blastocysts occur as early as the fertilization stage, possibly dictated by intrinsic gamete-derived factors. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was supported by the participating institutions. The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Carlotta Zacà
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, 9.baby Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Borini
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, 9.baby Bologna, Italy
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Hu YL, Wang Y, Geng LH, Meng XQ, Xu HJ, Adu-Gyamfi EA, Zhong ZH, Wan Q, Ding YB. Effects of sequential cleavage and blastocyst embryo transfer on pregnancy outcomes in patients with poor ovarian response. J Reprod Immunol 2023; 155:103780. [PMID: 36481385 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2022.103780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The management of patients with poor ovarian response (POR) remains a major challenge for fertility specialists in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of sequential transfer on pregnancy outcomes in patients with POR. A total of 3579 POR patients who underwent the first frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle were enrolled from January 2018 to April 2021. The patients were divided into three groups according to the embryo transfer (ET) strategy adopted: a study group that included POR patients in whom a cleavage-stage embryo (day 3) and a blastocyst (day 5/6) were transferred (sequential transfer group), and two control groups in whom two cleavage-stage embryos (D3-dET group) or two blastocysts (D5/6-dET group) were transferred. The study group was matched with the control groups at a ratio of 1:4 by propensity score matching (PSM). The main pregnancy outcomes measured were the live birth rate and multiple pregnancy rate. After PSM, the live birth rate in the sequential transfer group was significantly higher than that in the D3-dET group (44.2% vs. 34.3%, P = 0.019), and was similar to that in the D5/6-dET group (44.2% vs. 45.3%; P = 0.90). In addition, there was no increase in the risk of multiple pregnancy among POR patients undergoing sequential transfer compared with both D3-dET (26.7% vs. 25.6%, P = 0.85) and D5/6-dET (26.7% vs. 28.4%, P = 0.97) groups. These findings imply that sequential transfer is an effective option for POR patients and could be utilized after careful consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ling Hu
- Chengdu Jinjiang Hospital for Women's and Children's Health, Chengdu 610011, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Li-Hong Geng
- Chengdu Jinjiang Hospital for Women's and Children's Health, Chengdu 610011, China
| | - Xiang-Qian Meng
- Chengdu Jinjiang Hospital for Women's and Children's Health, Chengdu 610011, China
| | - Hai-Jiao Xu
- Chengdu Jinjiang Hospital for Women's and Children's Health, Chengdu 610011, China
| | - Enoch Appiah Adu-Gyamfi
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Zhao-Hui Zhong
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Qi Wan
- Chengdu Jinjiang Hospital for Women's and Children's Health, Chengdu 610011, China.
| | - Yu-Bin Ding
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Childrens' Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400000, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction and Development of the Ministry of Education of China, Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Public Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
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10
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Marchante M, Buigues A, Ramirez-Martin N, Martinez J, Pellicer N, Pellicer A, Herraiz S. Single intraovarian dose of stem cell- and platelet-secreted factors mitigates age-related ovarian infertility in a murine model. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2023; 228:561.e1-561.e17. [PMID: 36706857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic administration of soluble factors from bone marrow-derived stem cells combined with activated platelet-rich plasma (SC-PRP) restored ovarian function, mediated through paracrine signaling, in murine models of chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage and human tissue from poor responder patients. However, the effects against age-related infertility and the efficacy of local administration have not been evaluated yet. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess whether a single intraovarian dose of stem cells combined with activated platelet-rich plasma can recover ovarian function, oocyte quality, and developmental competence in older mice. STUDY DESIGN The effects of stem cells combined with activated platelet-rich plasma against age-related infertility were assessed following controlled ovarian stimulation in an aging murine model reproducing 3 physiological stages of women's reproductive life, namely young, advanced maternal age, and menopausal (n=12 animals per group). Female mice were randomized to receive a single intraovarian injection (10 μL/ovary) of either saline, activated platelet-rich plasma, or stem cells combined with activated platelet-rich plasma. Seven days later, the mice were stimulated, naturally mated, and sacrificed to harvest their ovaries for histologic assessment and molecular analysis and their oviducts to evaluate oocyte maturation and to assess early embryo development. RESULTS A single intraovarian injection of stem cells combined with activated platelet-rich plasma promoted follicle activation and development in young, advanced maternal age, and old mice. Furthermore, stem cells combined with activated platelet-rich plasma rescued fertility in older mice by enhancing the quantity and quality of ovulated mature oocytes and supporting early embryo development to the blastocyst stage in all the evaluated ages. These fertility outcomes were positively associated with mitochondrial quality, treatment-increased mitochondrial DNA copy numbers, and reduced oxidative damage and apoptosis. Finally, the effects observed by histologic analysis were supported at the proteomic level. Functional proteomic analyses revealed molecular mechanisms involved in oocyte maturation and quality, mitochondrial function, and recovery of the ovarian stroma. CONCLUSION Bone marrow-derived stem cells combined with activated platelet-rich plasma is a promising treatment with the potential to improve the reproductive outcomes of women with age-related infertility, exceeding the restorative effects of platelet-rich plasma alone. Although further research in human ovarian samples is still required, the autologous nature of stem cell factors collected by noninvasive mobilization, their combination with platelet-rich plasma, and the local administration route suggest that stem cells combined with activated platelet-rich plasma treatment could be a potentially effective and safe application for future clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Marchante
- IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain; Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Anna Buigues
- IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain; Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS la Fe), Valencia, Spain
| | - Noelia Ramirez-Martin
- IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain; Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS la Fe), Valencia, Spain
| | - Jessica Martinez
- IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain; Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS la Fe), Valencia, Spain
| | - Nuria Pellicer
- Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS la Fe), Valencia, Spain
| | - Antonio Pellicer
- Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS la Fe), Valencia, Spain; IVI-RMA Valencia, Valencia, Spain; IVI-RMA Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Sonia Herraiz
- IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain; Reproductive Medicine Research Group, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS la Fe), Valencia, Spain.
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Di Guardo F, Pluchino N, Drakopoulos P. Treatment modalities for poor ovarian responders. Ther Adv Reprod Health 2023; 17:26334941221147464. [PMID: 36713768 PMCID: PMC9880576 DOI: 10.1177/26334941221147464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicola Pluchino
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Panagiotis Drakopoulos
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair
Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt,IVF Athens, Athens, Greece
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12
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Ge QL, Teng XM, Chen MX, Li KM, Ng EHY, Chen ZQ. The impact of the embryo banking on the cumulative live birth rate in women with poor ovarian response according to the Bologna criteria. Reprod Med Biol 2023; 22:e12533. [PMID: 37638350 PMCID: PMC10457668 DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate the impact of embryo banking on the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) and the time to live birth (TTLB) in poor ovarian responders (POR) according to the Bologna criteria. Methods A total of 276 infertile women undergoing IVF with POR were included in this retrospective study. They were divided into two groups with (n = 121) or without (n = 155) embryo banking at the discretion of the attending physicians. A total of 656 and 405 stimulation cycles were started in the two groups respectively during the 24 month follow-up. Results The biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth rate per transfer were comparable between two groups (p > 0.05). The CLBR was significantly lower in the banking group than in the non-banking group (31.4% (38/121) and 43.2% (67/151), p < 0.05). TTLB was significantly longer in the banking group (20.5 months vs. 16.0 months, p < 0.001). In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the cumulative incidence of live birth was significantly lower in the banking group compared with the non-banking group (Log rank test, chi-square = 21.958, p < 0.001). Conclusions Embryo banking in women undergoing IVF with POR based on the Bologna criteria reduces CLBR and lengthens TTLB when compared with no embryo banking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu Lin Ge
- Center of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalTongji University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xiao Ming Teng
- Center of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalTongji University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Miao Xin Chen
- Center of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalTongji University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Kun Ming Li
- Center of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalTongji University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Ernest Hung Yu Ng
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionHong KongChina
| | - Zhi Qin Chen
- Center of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant HospitalTongji University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
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Lv JB, Han Y, Wang XY, Yuan LN, Diao JR, Fan YZ, Luo HN. New AMH cutoff values for warning of decreased ovarian response based on MCL characteristics in young women: a retrospective study using a propensity score-matching analysis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022; 22:962. [PMID: 36564774 PMCID: PMC9789575 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-05294-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Menstrual cycle length (MCL) and ovarian response varies widely among women of childbearing age. They are provided with anti-Mu¨llerian hormone (AMH) cutoffs for "normal" and "weakened" ovarian responses, which give an early warning of the onset of decreased ovarian response. METHODS This was a retrospective study in women aged 21 to 35 years with MCLs of 21-35 days receiving in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment at Center for Reproductive Medicine from October 2018 to October 2021. Intergroup variables were balanced using propensity score matching based on age and BMI, and each case patient (patients with MCLs of 21-25 days) was matched with three control patients (patients with MCLs of 26-35 days). A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to calculate the AMH cutoff values. RESULTS We included 135 patients with MCLs of 21-25 days and 405 matched control patients with MCLs of 26-35 days who received IVF treatment. The case group had significantly fewer retrieved oocytes, lower AMH values and higher initial and total Gonadotropin (Gn) levels during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation than the control group. The ovarian response began to decrease when AMH was < 3.5 ng/ml in the case group and < 2.7 ng/ml in the control group. CONCLUSION In young women with MCLs of 21-35 days, short MCL was negatively correlated with AMH values and the number of oocytes retrieved. In patients with MCLs of 21-25 days and 26-35 days, the AMH cutoff values corresponding to the onset of decreased ovarian response were 3.5 ng/ml and 2.7 ng/ml, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Bei Lv
- grid.265021.20000 0000 9792 1228Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Han
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032Tianjin Key Laboratory of Human Development and Reproductive Regulation, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Nankai University Afliated Maternity Hospital, No 156 Sanma Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300100 China
| | - Xin-Yan Wang
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032Tianjin Key Laboratory of Human Development and Reproductive Regulation, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Nankai University Afliated Maternity Hospital, No 156 Sanma Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300100 China
| | - Li-Na Yuan
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032Tianjin Key Laboratory of Human Development and Reproductive Regulation, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Nankai University Afliated Maternity Hospital, No 156 Sanma Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300100 China
| | - Jun-Rong Diao
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032Tianjin Key Laboratory of Human Development and Reproductive Regulation, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Nankai University Afliated Maternity Hospital, No 156 Sanma Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300100 China
| | - Ya-Zhen Fan
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032Tianjin Key Laboratory of Human Development and Reproductive Regulation, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Nankai University Afliated Maternity Hospital, No 156 Sanma Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300100 China
| | - Hai-Ning Luo
- grid.216938.70000 0000 9878 7032Tianjin Key Laboratory of Human Development and Reproductive Regulation, Tianjin Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Nankai University Afliated Maternity Hospital, No 156 Sanma Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300100 China
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Yıldırım Köpük Ş, Yücetürk A, Utkan Korun ZE, Karaosmanoğlu Ö, Çakıroğlu Y, Tıraş B. What should be the strategy in case of a big follicle at the start of the cycle? Shall we start the stimulation or postpone it to the next cycle? Turk J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 19:275-280. [DOI: 10.4274/tjod.galenos.2022.15943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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15
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Li J, Lyu S, Lyu S, Gao M. Pregnancy Outcomes in Double Stimulation versus Two Consecutive Mild Stimulations for IVF in Poor Ovarian Responders. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11226780. [PMID: 36431256 PMCID: PMC9699477 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11226780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To compare pregnancy outcomes between double stimulation (DouStim) and two consecutive mild stimulations in poor ovarian responders, this study retrospectively analyzed 281 patients diagnosed as having poor ovarian response (POR) who underwent oocytes retrieval for in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) from January 2018 to December 2020. They were divided into two groups: the DouStim group (n = 89) and the two consecutive mild stimulations group (n = 192). The results illustrated that there were no significant differences in the number of oocytes and 2PNs between the two groups. The number of frozen embryos [1 (0, 2) versus 1(0, 2)] was significantly lower and the proportion of patients without frozen embryos (39.3% versus 26.0%) was significantly higher in the DouStim group than in the two consecutive mild stimulations group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) between the two groups (p > 0.05). The intra-subgroup comparison showed that in young POR patients under 35 years old, there were no significant differences in clinical indicators and pregnancy outcomes (p > 0.05). In elderly POR patients aged 35 years and above, the number of frozen embryos [1 (0, 1.5) versus 1 (0.25, 2)] (p < 0.01) was significantly lower in the DouStim group than in the two consecutive mild stimulations group, but the pregnancy outcomes were not significantly different (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the DouStim protocol is inferior to the two consecutive mild stimulations protocol in terms of the number of frozen embryos, which mainly occurs in elderly patients, but there is no difference in pregnancy outcomes between the two protocols.
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Li X, Wang Z, Wang H, Xu H, Sheng Y, Lian F. Role of N-acetylcysteine treatment in women with advanced age undergoing IVF/ICSI cycles: A prospective study. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:917146. [PMID: 36267623 PMCID: PMC9577027 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.917146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The main objective of this study was to explore the efficacy of a new antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) supplementation in reproductive outcomes of advanced age women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET), and the effect on the expression of L-glutathione (GSH) in follicular fluid (FF) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number of granulosa cells. Methods The present prospective randomized controlled study was conducted in 200 patients with advanced age women undergoing GnRH antagonist protocol. The treatment group (group A) consisted of 100 women who received N-acetylcysteine treatment from the menstrual phase of the previous cycle for about 45 days using the GnRH antagonist protocol. The control group (group B) consisted of 100 women who received the same protocol without N-acetylcysteine. Total gonadotrophin dosage the number of oocyte received, high-quality blastocysts, and pregnancy outcomes were compared between two groups. Pregnancy outcomes included biochemical pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy rate, embryo implantation rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, multiple pregnancy rate, and ongoing pregnancy rate. Follicular fluid (FF) was collected after oocytes were gathered. The GSH content in the FF was tested with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mtDNA copy number of the granulosa cells was measured using real-time PCR techniques. Results Total doses of Gn in the NAC treatment group were less than those in the control group (2385.50 ± 879.19 vs. 2527.63 ± 1170.33, P = 0.047). Compared with the control, the number of high-quality blastocysts in NAC treatment increased significantly (1.82 ± 2.12 vs. 1.43 ± 1.58, p = 0.014). Clinical pregnancy rates did not differ in both groups (all P > 0.05). At the same time, the GSH content in the FF differed significantly between the two groups (1.88 ± 1.23 vs. 1.07 ± 0.70, p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in the mtDNA copy number between the two groups (P = 0.157). Conclusion A combination of NAC and Gn treatment is capable of improving the ovarian response to superovulation drugs in assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) and also in aged populations. The addition of NAC during IVF can improve the quality of blastocysts in advanced age female subjects. However, more clinical trials are required to be designed to confirm this conclusion in future. Ethics and dissemination The experiment solicited approval from the Institutional ethics committee of the Affiliated Reproductive Hospital of Shandong University. All the participants provided written informed consent. This survey was conducted as per the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant amendments. Trial registration number www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100048297.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiufang Li
- The First Clinical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China,Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Zhongqing Wang
- Medical College of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China,Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan Golden Time Health Nursing Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Huidan Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Haiyan Xu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yan Sheng
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Fang Lian
- Integrative Medicine Research Centre of Reproduction and Heredity, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China,*Correspondence: Fang Lian
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Nargund G, Datta A, Campbell S, Patrizio P, Chian R, Ombelet W, Von Woolf M, Lindenberg S, Frydman R, Fauser BC. The case for mild stimulation for IVF: ISMAAR recommendations. Reprod Biomed Online 2022; 45:1133-1144. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2022.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Development of a predictive model for luteal phase oocyte retrieval in poor responders undergoing natural cycle IVF. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7695. [PMID: 35545640 PMCID: PMC9095724 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11602-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study is the development of a prediction model indicating successful application of Oocyte Retrieval performed during the Luteal Phase (LuPOR) in poor responders, as defined by the retrieval of at least one MII oocyte. Recruitment included 1688 poor responders diagnosed as per Bologna Criteria, undergoing natural cycle ICSI between 2012 and 2020. Oocyte collections were performed during the follicular phase and during the luteal phase similarly. Antral Follicle Count (AFC), Estradiol (E2) levels evaluated on both trigger days prior to Follicular Phase Oocyte Retrieval (FoPOR) and LuPOR, and the number of small follicles 8–12 mm that were not aspirated during FoPOR were identified as predictive factors indicative of an efficient LuPOR practice with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.86, 0.86, 0.89 as well as 0.82 respectively. The combination of the above-mentioned characteristics into a prediction model provided an AUC of 0.88, specificity and a sensitivity of 0.73 and 0.94 respectively and an accuracy of 0.89. The model provided a positive predictive value (PPV) of 93.5% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 46.8%. The clinical conclusion of the present study aims to be of added value to the clinician, by providing a prediction model defining the POR population benefiting from LuPOR. The high PPV of this model may renders this tool helpful for the practitioner that considers LuPOR.
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Gungor ND, Gurbuz T, Onal M. Comparison of complication rates after transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte pick-up procedures with respect to ovarian response. Clin Exp Reprod Med 2022; 49:142-148. [PMID: 35698777 PMCID: PMC9184882 DOI: 10.5653/cerm.2021.04875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The aim of this study was to compare the complication rates of oocyte pick-up (OPU) procedures via transvaginal ultrasonography in patients with different levels of ovarian reserve. Methods In total, 789 patients who underwent OPU procedures for in vitro fertilization (IVF) were included in the study. Results Individuals with normal ovarian reserve had a 2.947-fold higher risk of complications in OPU procedures than individuals with low ovarian reserve, and individuals with high ovarian reserve had a 7.448-fold higher risk of complications than individuals with low ovarian reserve. In addition, a higher number of IVF trials was associated with an increased risk of complications. Conclusion The results of this study show that OPU has a higher risk of complications, particularly severe pain, in patients with high ovarian reserve. It is thought that complications can be reduced by preferring mild stimulation in patients with high ovarian reserve. Collecting fewer oocytes is also associated with a lower risk of complications from OPU. Even if a patient’s reserve is very good, fewer and higher-quality oocytes should be targeted with the use of the lowest possible dose of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Dokuzeylul Gungor
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF Center, BAU Goztepe Medical Park Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
- Corresponding author: Nur Dokuzeylul Gungor Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF Center, BAU Goztepe Medical Park Hospital, Merdivenkoy, E5 Uzeri, 23 Nisan Sokagi No. 17, 34732 Kadikoy/Istanbul, Turkey Tel: +90-5323834965 E-mail:
| | - Tugba Gurbuz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medistate Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Murat Onal
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF Center, Gynolife Hospital, Lefkosa, Cyprus
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Vaiarelli A, Cimadomo D, Gennarelli G, Guido M, Alviggi C, Conforti A, Livi C, Revelli A, Colamaria S, Argento C, Giuliani M, De Angelis C, Matteo M, Canosa S, D’Alfonso A, Cimadomo V, Rienzi L, Ubaldi FM. Second stimulation in the same ovarian cycle: an option to fully-personalize the treatment in poor prognosis patients undergoing PGT-A. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:663-673. [PMID: 35128583 PMCID: PMC8995212 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02409-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Our primary objective was to assess whether immediately undergoing a second stimulation in the same ovarian cycle (DuoStim) for advanced-maternal-age and/or poor-ovarian-reserve (AMA/POR) patients obtaining ≤ 3 blastocysts for preimplantation-genetic-testing-for-aneuploidies (PGT-A) is more efficient than the conventional-approach. METHODS All AMA/POR patients obtaining ≤ 3 blastocysts after conventional-stimulation between 2017 and 2019 were proposed DuoStim, and 143 couples accepted (DuoStim-group) and were matched for the main confounders to 143 couples who did not accept (conventional-group). GnRH-antagonist protocol with recombinant-gonadotrophins and agonist trigger, intra-cytoplasmatic-sperm-injection (ICSI) with ejaculated sperm, PGT-A and vitrified-warmed euploid single-blastocyst-transfer(s) were performed. The primary outcome was the cumulative-live-birth-delivery-rate per intention-to-treat (CLBdR per ITT) within 1 year. If not delivering, the conventional-group had 1 year to undergo another conventional-stimulation. A cost-effectiveness analysis was also conducted. RESULTS The CLBdR was 10.5% in the conventional-group after the first attempt. Only 12 of the 128 non-pregnant patients returned (165 ± 95 days later; drop-out = 116/128,90.6%), and 3 delivered. Thus, the 1-year CLBdR was 12.6% (N = 18/143). In the DuoStim-group, the CLBdR was 24.5% (N = 35/143; p = 0.01), 2 women delivered twice and 13 patients have other euploid blastocysts after a LB (0 and 2 in the conventional-group). DuoStim resulted in an incremental-cost-effectiveness-ratio of 23,303€. DuoStim was costlier and more effective in 98.7% of the 1000 pseudo-replicates generated through bootstrapping, and the cost-effectiveness acceptability curves unveiled that DuoStim would be more cost-effective than the conventional-approach at a willingness-to-pay threshold of 23,100€. CONCLUSIONS During PGT-A treatments in AMA/POR women, DuoStim can be suggested in progress to rescue poor blastocyst yields after conventional-stimulation. It might indeed prevent drop-out or further aging between attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Vaiarelli
- GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. De Notaris, 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.
| | - Danilo Cimadomo
- grid.487136.f0000 0004 1756 2878GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. De Notaris, 2b, 00197 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maurizio Guido
- grid.158820.60000 0004 1757 2611MeSVA Department, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - Carlo Alviggi
- grid.4691.a0000 0001 0790 385XDepartment of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandro Conforti
- grid.4691.a0000 0001 0790 385XDepartment of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Alberto Revelli
- GeneraLife IVF, Livet, Turin Italy ,grid.7605.40000 0001 2336 6580Obstetrics and Gynaecology SCDU1, Physiopathology of Reproduction and IVF Unit, Sant’Anna Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Silvia Colamaria
- grid.487136.f0000 0004 1756 2878GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. De Notaris, 2b, 00197 Rome, Italy
| | - Cindy Argento
- grid.487136.f0000 0004 1756 2878GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. De Notaris, 2b, 00197 Rome, Italy
| | - Maddalena Giuliani
- grid.487136.f0000 0004 1756 2878GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. De Notaris, 2b, 00197 Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo De Angelis
- grid.7841.aDepartment of Gynecological, Obstetrical, and Urological Sciences, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Operative Unit of Obstetrics, Fabia Mater Clinic, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Matteo
- grid.10796.390000000121049995Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Physiopathology and Reproductive Unit, University Hospital of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | | | - Angela D’Alfonso
- grid.158820.60000 0004 1757 2611MeSVA Department, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | | | - Laura Rienzi
- grid.487136.f0000 0004 1756 2878GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. De Notaris, 2b, 00197 Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Maria Ubaldi
- grid.487136.f0000 0004 1756 2878GeneraLife IVF, Clinica Valle Giulia, via G. De Notaris, 2b, 00197 Rome, Italy
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Sik BA, Ozolcay O, Aba YA, Sismanoglu A, Savas S, Oral S. Prevention of Premature Ovulation by Administration of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist the day After Ovulation Triggering in Diminished Ovarian Reserve Patients. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE GINECOLOGIA E OBSTETRICIA : REVISTA DA FEDERACAO BRASILEIRA DAS SOCIEDADES DE GINECOLOGIA E OBSTETRICIA 2022; 44:245-250. [PMID: 35139574 PMCID: PMC9948117 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1736297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the present retrospective study was to investigate the effectiveness of single-dose gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist administration, the day after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) triggering for final oocyte maturation, on the prevention of premature luteinization in patients with diminished ovarian reserve in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. The secondary objective of the study was to search the effect of this protocol on pregnancy outcomes. METHODS This is a retrospective study including 267 infertile patients who have single antral follicle seen with ultrasonography on the 2nd or 3rd day of the menstrual cycle before starting IVF treatment. We randomized patients into two groups. The case group comprised patients who had single-dose GnRH antagonist injection the day after hCG triggering formed, and the patients who had the standard treatment regime formed the control group. In both groups, the oocytes were collected 36 hours after hCG injection. RESULTS The premature ovulation rate was significantly low in the case group compared with the control group (6.86 versus 20.6% per scheduled cycle) (p = 0.022). Also, the oocyte retrieval rate (93.14 versus 67.87% per scheduled cycle) (p = 0.013), the oocyte maturity rate (79.42 versus 47.87%) (p = 0.041), the fertilization rate (65.68 versus 34.54%) (p = 0.018), and the embryo transfer rate per scheduled cycle (44.11 versus 18.78%) (p = 0.003) were higher in the GnRH antagonist group than in the control group. CONCLUSION The administration of GnRH antagonist the day after hCG trigger in IVF treatments of patients with diminished ovarian reserve enabled a significant decrease in the rate of premature ovulation but had no effect on live birth rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bulat Aytek Sik
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Sisli Kolan International Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ozan Ozolcay
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Istanbul IVF Centre, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Yilda Arzu Aba
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Bandirma Onyedi Eylül University, Balıkesir, Turkey
| | - Alper Sismanoglu
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Sisli Kolan International Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sifa Savas
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Istanbul IVF Centre, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Serkan Oral
- Department of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Sisli Kolan International Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
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Di Guardo F, Blockeel C, De Vos M, Palumbo M, Christoforidis N, Tournaye H, Drakopoulos P. Poor ovarian response and the possible role of natural and modified natural cycles. Ther Adv Reprod Health 2022; 16:26334941211062026. [PMID: 35072076 PMCID: PMC8771731 DOI: 10.1177/26334941211062026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
About 20% of women undergoing in vitro fertilization struggle with poor ovarian response, indicating a poor prognosis related to low response following ovarian stimulation. Indeed, poor ovarian response, that is associated with both high cancelation rates and low live birth rates, still represents one of the most important therapeutic challenges in in vitro fertilization. In this context, natural cycle/modified natural cycle–in vitro fertilization, as a ‘milder’ approach, could be a reasonable alternative to high-dose/conventional ovarian stimulation in poor ovarian responders, with the aim to retrieve a single oocyte with better characteristics that may result in a single top-quality embryo, transferred to a more receptive endometrium. Moreover, modified natural cycle–in vitro fertilization may be cost-effective because of the reduced gonadotropin consumption. Several studies have been published during the last 20 years reporting conflicting results regarding the use of natural cycle/modified natural cycle–in vitro fertilization in women with poor ovarian response; however, while most of the studies concluded that mild stimulation regimens, including natural cycle/modified natural cycle–in vitro fertilization, have low, but acceptable success rates in this difficult group of patients, others did not replicate these findings. The aim of this narrative review is to appraise the current evidence regarding the use of natural cycle/modified natural cycle–in vitro fertilization in poor ovarian responders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Di Guardo
- Gynecology and Obstetrics Section, Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Christophe Blockeel
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michel De Vos
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marco Palumbo
- Gynecology and Obstetrics Section, Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Herman Tournaye
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Panagiotis Drakopoulos
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
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Liu X, Wen W, Wang T, Tian L, Li N, Sun T, Wang T, Zhou H, Zhang N, Qu P, Mol BW, Li W, Shi J. OUP accepted manuscript. Hum Reprod 2022; 37:1806-1815. [PMID: 35595197 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deac113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xitong Liu
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Wen Wen
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Tao Wang
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Li Tian
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Na Li
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Ting Sun
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Ting Wang
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Hanying Zhou
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Na Zhang
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Pengfei Qu
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
- Translational Medicine Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Ben W Mol
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Aberdeen Centre for Women's Health Research, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Wentao Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Juanzi Shi
- The Assisted Reproduction Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
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Tian M, Zeng S, Cai S, Reichetzeder C, Zhang X, Yin C, Kuang W, Cheng K, Jiang Y, Tao M, Zeng Y, Lin G, Li J, Gong F, Hocher B. 25(OH)VitD and human endocrine and functional fertility parameters in women undergoing IVF/ICSI. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:986848. [PMID: 36105399 PMCID: PMC9464865 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.986848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin D plays an important role in reproduction. Evidence shown that free 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)VitD) was more accurate than total 25(OH)VitD in reflecting the status of 25(OH)VitD during pregnancy. However, the relationship between free 25(OH)VitD and female fertility parameters has not been reported yet. Therefore, this study aims to compare the correlation of free and total 25(OH)VitD with fertility parameters in infertility females undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). METHODS According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 2569 infertility patients who received IVF-ET or ICSI treatment for the first time participated in this study. Five milliliter peripheral blood samples of the patients were collected on the day before embryo transfer (ET). Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits was used to detect free 25(OH)VitD and total 25(OH)VitD, and clinical information was collected. Spearman's rho was used to evaluate the association between the variables. RESULTS The median (IQR) of free 25(OH)VitD was 4.71 (4.11-5.31) pg/mL and total 25(OH)VitD was 19.54 (16.52-22.83) ng/m. The correlation between them, however, was week (rho=0.311). Compared to total 25(OH)VitD, free 25(OH)VitD was slightly better correlated with basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (rho=0.041, P=0.036), basal estradiol (E2) (rho=0.089, P<0.001), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) (rho=-0.057, P=0.004), antral follicle count (AFC) (rho=-0.053, P=0.007), E2 (rho=-0.080, P<0.001), number of oocytes retrieval (rho=-0.079, P<0.001) and progesterone (P)/E2 on hCG trigger day (rho=0.081, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Overall, there was only a rather weak correlation of free as well as total 25(OH)VitD with human endocrine and functional fertility parameters in women undergoing IVF/ICSI. Neither free nor total 25(OH)VitD seems to play a major role in human embryo implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Tian
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Suimin Zeng
- Department of Pathology, The First Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yiyang, China
| | - Sufen Cai
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Christoph Reichetzeder
- Department of Nutritional Toxicology, Institute for Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Chenjun Yin
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Weihong Kuang
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Kexin Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yao Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Mingqiu Tao
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuan Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Ge Lin
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Stem Cells and Reproductive Engineering, Ministry of Health, Changsha, China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Fei Gong
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Key Laboratory of Stem Cells and Reproductive Engineering, Ministry of Health, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Berthold Hocher, ; Fei Gong,
| | - Berthold Hocher
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- Institute of Reproductive and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Fifth Department of Medicine (Nephrology/Endocrinology/Rheumatology), University Medical Centre Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Medical Diagnostics, IMD, Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Berthold Hocher, ; Fei Gong,
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Mauries C, Ranisavljevic N, Mollevi C, Brunet C, Hamamah S, Brouillet S, Anahory T. "Short agonist stop" protocol, an ovarian stimulation for poor responders in in vitro fertilization (IVF): A pilot study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1056520. [PMID: 36465628 PMCID: PMC9714551 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1056520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Poor responder patients remain a challenge in assisted reproductive technologies. The "short agonist stop" (SAS) stimulation protocol uses a double stimulation (flare up effect with the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist (GnRH-a) then gonadotropins) associated with a less strenuous blockage (discontinuation of GnRH-a) to favor follicular recruitment in order to obtain a better ovarian response. This study aims to compare the number of oocytes obtained after a SAS stimulation protocol with those obtained after the previous stimulation protocol, in the same women, with poor ovarian response (POR) diagnosed according to the POSEIDON criteria. DESIGN This therapeutic observational retrospective cohort from 2018 to 2022, with a case-control evaluation compared with the same patients' previous performance, included women with POR undergoing IVF with SAS stimulation protocol. The primary outcome was the number of total oocytes recovered and secondary outcomes were the numbers of mature oocytes, total embryos observed at day 2 and usable cleaved embryos and blastocysts (day 5/6). RESULTS 63 patients with SAS and previous cycles were included. In the SAS group, the mean number of oocytes was significantly higher: 7.3 vs 5.7, p=0.018 in comparison with the previous attempt. So was the number of mature oocytes (5.8 vs 4.1, p=0.032) and the total mean number of embryos obtained at day 2 (4.1 versus 2.7, p=0.016). The SAS stimulation generated 84 usable embryos: 57 cleaved embryos and 27 blastocysts. The mean number of usable embryos was similar in both groups (1.64 vs 1.31, respectively, p=0.178). In total, out of 63 patients, after the SAS protocol, and subsequent embryo transfers (fresh and frozen, n=54), 9 patients had ongoing pregnancies and no miscarriage occurred. The cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate (cOPR) after the SAS protocol was 14.3% (9/63) per oocyte pick-up and 16.7% (9/54) per transfer. CONCLUSION SAS stimulation is a short and original protocol strengthening the therapeutic arsenal of poor responders, that may offer promising results for those patients with low prognosis and previous failed IVF. Results must be confirmed with a randomized controlled trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Mauries
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Montpellier University Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- *Correspondence: Charlotte Mauriès,
| | - Noemie Ranisavljevic
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Montpellier University Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Mollevi
- Institute Desbrest of Epidemiology and Public Health, Montpellier University Hospital, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Cecile Brunet
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Montpellier University Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Samir Hamamah
- Department of Reproductive Biology-CECOS, Montpellier University Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Embryo Development Fertility Environment, University of Montpellier, INSERM 1203, Montpellier, France
| | - Sophie Brouillet
- Department of Reproductive Biology-CECOS, Montpellier University Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Embryo Development Fertility Environment, University of Montpellier, INSERM 1203, Montpellier, France
| | - Tal Anahory
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Montpellier University Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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Geber S, Geber LP, Valle M, Sampaio M. Four consecutive minimal ovarian stimulation (TetraStim) is a feasible alternative to increase the number of oocytes and improve live birth rates in poor responders who do not accept oocyte donation. Gynecol Endocrinol 2021; 37:1003-1007. [PMID: 34160347 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2021.1922887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To present our experience using four consecutive minimal COS (TetraStim) followed by oocyte retrieval and vitrification to increase the number of oocytes in patients with POR for whom oocyte donation is not an option. METHODS We performed an observational study evaluating 128 poor responders submitted to TetraStim instead of oocyte donation cycles. Patients were submitted to four consecutive minimal COS started at luteal phase, oocyte retrieval, oocyte vitrification/warming, ICSI, endometrial priming and embryo transfer. We evaluated the number of vitrified oocytes, survival rate after warming, fertilization rate, cleavage rate, number of embryos transferred, clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate and live birth rate. RESULTS The mean age was 38.1 ± 3.1 years. A total of 791 oocytes were recovered (6.1 ± 2.7/patient), 682 (86.2%) Metaphase II (5.3 ± 2.4/patient) were vitrified, 95.3% survived warming (5.1 ± 2.3/patient), 82% showed normal fertilization after ICSI (4.2 ± 2/patient), 79.2% reached cleavage stage (3.3 ± 1.6/patient), 313 cleavage stage embryos were transferred to 115 patients (2.7 ± 0.7/patient) and 14.7% of the patients had surplus embryos that were vitrified. Clinical pregnancy rate per patient was 31.3% and live birth rate per patient was 22.6%. CONCLUSION To our knowledge this is the first study that demonstrates that TetraStim can be an effective alternative for patients with POR with an indication to perform IVF with donated oocytes, but do not agree to use. TetraStim is a feasible alternative to increase the number of oocytes and embryos and improve pregnancy rates with no dropouts and very low cycle cancelation rate. However, randomized controlled studies must be performed to compare TetraStim with other treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selmo Geber
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Medical School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- ORIGEN, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Luiza P Geber
- ORIGEN, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marcello Valle
- ORIGEN, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marcos Sampaio
- ORIGEN, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Dirican EK, Olgan S, Sakinci M, Caglar M. Blastocyst versus cleavage transfers: who benefits? Arch Gynecol Obstet 2021; 305:749-756. [PMID: 34487220 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-021-06224-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This retrospective cohort study determined the relative efficacy of blastocyst and cleavage-stage transfers in patients with differing numbers of zygotes. METHODS A total of 1116 women whose embryo transfers were planned independently of patient characteristics were included. Cleavage-stage (D3) and blastocyst-stage (D5) transfer outcomes were analyzed per number of zygotes. The D5 group included transfer cancellations as the intention-to-treat population. The effect of the embryo transfer date on the clinical outcomes (clinical pregnancy and implantation rates) was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS Among the patients, 584 and 532 underwent D3 and D5 embryo transfers, respectively. The clinical pregnancy rates were significantly higher in D5 patients with ≥ 6 zygotes (25.7% vs 48.3%). The multivariate logistic regression analysis for clinical pregnancy did not show significant differences between the blastocyst and cleavage-stage transfers in patients with ≤ 5 zygotes (0.874 [0.635-1.204]). Compared to the cleavage-stage, blastocyst-stage transfers for patients with ≥ 6 zygotes resulted in a three-fold increase in clinical pregnancy rates (3.122 [1.797-5.425]). CONCLUSION Blastocyst transfers were not inferior to cleavage-stage embryo transfers among patients with few zygotes and were preferable for patients with several zygotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enver Kerem Dirican
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Akdeniz University, 07100, Antalya, Turkey.
| | - Safak Olgan
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Akdeniz University, 07100, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Sakinci
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Akdeniz University, 07100, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Mete Caglar
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproduction, Akdeniz University, 07100, Antalya, Turkey
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Li L, Ning N, Wei JA, Huang QL, Lu Y, Pang XF, Wu JJ, Zhou JB, Zhou JW, Luo GA, Han L. Metabonomics Study on the Infertility Treated With Zishen Yutai Pills Combined With In Vitro Fertilization-embryo Transfer. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:686133. [PMID: 34349647 PMCID: PMC8327273 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.686133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Zishen Yutai Pills (ZYP) is a safe and well quality-controlled TCM preparation with promising effects in many fields of reproduction, including prevention of miscarriage, increase of pregnancy rate during in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The plasma of patients was collected from a clinical trial, namely, “Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine vs placebo on live births among women undergoing in vitro fertilization, a multi-center randomized controlled trial.” Plasma samples were analyzed with metabonomics method. UPLC-MS technology was used to establish the plasma metabolic fingerprint. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied for comparing the differences of plasma metabolites between ZYP group and placebo group, 44 potential metabolites were screen out and identified. Pathway analysis was conducted with database mining. Compared with placebo, chemicals were found to be significantly down-regulated on HCG trigger day and 14 days after embryo transplantation, including trihexosylceramide (d18:1/26:1), glucosylceramide(d18:1/26:0), TG(22:6/15:0/22:6), TG(22:4/20:4/18:4). Compared with placebo, some chemicals were found to be significantly up-regulated on HCG trigger day and 14 days after embryo transplantation, i.e., PIP3(16:0/16:1), PIP2(18:1/18:1), tauroursodeoxycholic acid, L-asparagine, L-glutamic acid, kynurenic acid, 11-deoxycorticosterone, melatonin glucuronide, hydroxytyrosol. These metabolites were highly enriched in pathways including sphingolipid metabolism, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid metabolism, aminoacyl tRNA biosynthesis, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism. This study revealed metabolic differences between subjects administered with ZYP and placebo. Relating metabolites were identified and pathways were enriched, providing basis on the exploration on the underlying mechanisms of ZYP combined with IVF-ET in the treatment of infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- Molecular Biology and Systems Biology Team of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences), Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Ning
- Guangzhou Baiyunshan Zhongyi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian-An Wei
- Molecular Biology and Systems Biology Team of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences), Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiu-Ling Huang
- Guangzhou Baiyunshan Zhongyi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Lu
- Molecular Biology and Systems Biology Team of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences), Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiu-Fei Pang
- Guangzhou Baiyunshan Zhongyi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing-Jing Wu
- Molecular Biology and Systems Biology Team of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences), Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie-Bin Zhou
- Guangzhou Baiyunshan Zhongyi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie-Wen Zhou
- Guangzhou Baiyunshan Zhongyi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guo-An Luo
- Molecular Biology and Systems Biology Team of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences), Guangzhou, China
| | - Ling Han
- Molecular Biology and Systems Biology Team of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences), Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Guangzhou, China.,State key laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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29
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Conforti A, Esteves SC, Humaidan P, Longobardi S, D'Hooghe T, Orvieto R, Vaiarelli A, Cimadomo D, Rienzi L, Ubaldi FM, Zullo F, Alviggi C. Recombinant human luteinizing hormone co-treatment in ovarian stimulation for assisted reproductive technology in women of advanced reproductive age: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2021; 19:91. [PMID: 34154604 PMCID: PMC8215738 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-021-00759-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several studies suggest that luteinizing hormone (LH) could improve IVF outcome in women of advanced reproductive age by optimizing androgen production. In this review, we assessed the role of recombinant-human LH (r-hLH) and recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (r-hFSH) co-treatment in ovarian stimulation for assisted reproductive technology in women of advanced reproductive age candidates for assisted reproduction. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using a preregistered protocol we systematically searched Medline/PubMed, Scopus and the ISI Web of Science databases to identify randomized controlled trials in which r-hFSH monotherapy protocols were compared with r-hFSH/r-hLH co-treatment in women ≥35 years undergoing fresh IVF cycles. We calculated the pooled odds ratio (OR) for dichotomous data and the weight mean difference (WMD) for continuous data with an associated 95% confidence interval (CI). The meta-analyses were conducted using the random-effect model. P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Subgroup analyses of all primary and secondary outcomes were performed only in women aged 35-40 years. RESULTS Twelve studies were identified. In women aged between 35 and 40 years, r-hFSH/r-hLH co-treatment was associated with higher clinical pregnancy rates (OR 1.45, CI 95% 1.05-2.00, I2 = 0%, P = 0.03) and implantation rates (OR 1.49, CI 95% 1.10-2.01, I2 = 13%, P = 0.01) versus r-hFSH monotherapy. Fewer oocytes were retrieved in r-hFSH/r-hLH-treated patients than in r-hFSH-treated patients both in women aged ≥35 years (WMD -0.82 CI 95% -1.40 to - 0.24, I2 = 88%, P = 0.005) and in those aged between 35 and 40 years (WMD -1.03, CI - 1.89 to - 0.17, I2 = 0%, P = 0.02). The number of metaphase II oocytes, miscarriage rates and live birth rates did not differ between the two groups of women overall or in subgroup analysis. CONCLUSION Although more oocytes were retrieved in patients who underwent r-hFSH monotherapy, this meta-analysis suggests that r-hFSH/r-hLH co-treatment improves clinical pregnancy and implantation rates in women between 35 and 40 years of age undergoing ovarian stimulation for assisted reproduction technology. However, more RCTs using narrower age ranges in advanced age women are warranted to corroborate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Conforti
- University of Naples Federico II, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
| | - Sandro C Esteves
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas, Brazil
- Department of Surgery, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Peter Humaidan
- Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Fertility Clinic, Skive Regional Hospital, Skive, Denmark
| | | | - Thomas D'Hooghe
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Merck, Leuven, Belgium
- KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Raoul Orvieto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Tarnesby-Tarnowski Chair for Family Planning and Fertility Regulation, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Alberto Vaiarelli
- Clinica Valle Giulia, G.EN.E.R.A. Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Cimadomo
- Clinica Valle Giulia, G.EN.E.R.A. Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Rienzi
- Clinica Valle Giulia, G.EN.E.R.A. Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Maria Ubaldi
- Clinica Valle Giulia, G.EN.E.R.A. Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Fulvio Zullo
- University of Naples Federico II, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Alviggi
- University of Naples Federico II, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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30
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Jiao Z, Bukulmez O. Potential roles of experimental reproductive technologies in infertile women with diminished ovarian reserve. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:2507-2517. [PMID: 34100154 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02246-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In assisted reproductive technology treatment, diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is a condition of utmost clinical and scientific relevance because of its negative influence on patient outcomes. The current methods of infertility treatment may be unsuitable for many women with DOR, which support the need for development of additional approaches to achieve fertility restoration. Various techniques have been tried to improve the quality and increase the quantity of oocytes in DOR patients, including mitochondrial transfer, activation of primordial follicles, in vitro culture of follicles, and regeneration of oocytes from various stem cells. Herein, we review the science behind these experimental reproductive technologies and their potential use to date in clinical studies for infertility treatment in women with DOR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zexu Jiao
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Fertility and Advanced Reproductive Medicine Assisted Reproductive Technologies Program, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Orhan Bukulmez
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Fertility and Advanced Reproductive Medicine Assisted Reproductive Technologies Program, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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31
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Pantou A, Giannelou P, Grigoriadis S, Maziotis E, Tzonis P, Koutsouni A, Pappa C, Philippou A, Koutsilieris M, Pantos K, Simopoulou M, Sfakianoudis K. Evaluating different strategies for poor ovarian response management: a retrospective cohort study and literature review. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1500:93-111. [PMID: 34046896 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This retrospective study compares four different strategies for managing poor ovarian response (POR), namely, conventional stimulation (300 IUs) IVF-fresh embryo transfer (CONVF), mild stimulation (150 IUs) IVF-fresh embryo transfer (MILDF), mild stimulation embryo banking (MILDB), and embryo banking in natural cycles (NATB). In total, 796 POR patients were considered eligible. Statistical analysis revealed a shorter duration of stimulation and a lower required amount of gonadotropins in MILDF compared with CONVF (9.34 ± 1.17 versus 10.37 ± 1.14; 1402 ± 176 versus 3110 ± 343, P < 0.001). Comparing MILDF and MILDB, a higher number of available oocytes and embryos was observed in MILDB (2.36 ± 1.15 versus 6.58 ± 1.11; 1.72 ± 1.02 versus 3.51 ± 0.61, P < 0.001). Moreover, the MILDB presented with a lower number of required oocyte retrievals and a higher number of oocytes per oocyte retrieval compared with NATB (3.90 ± 1.56 versus 7.15 ± 1.80; 1.95 ± 0.74 versus 0.89 ± 0.20, P < 0.001). Data indicate that MILDF is equally efficient and associated with a shorter duration of stimulation and a lower required amount of gonadotropins compared with CONVF. Embryo accumulation may be more efficient compared with a fresh embryo transfer. MILDB may be a more efficient approach compared with NATB. To conclude, embryo accumulation following mild stimulation appears to form the optimal strategy for POR management. More studies are needed to verify these conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agni Pantou
- Centre for Human Reproduction, Genesis Athens Clinic, Athens, Greece.,Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Polina Giannelou
- Centre for Human Reproduction, Genesis Athens Clinic, Athens, Greece.,Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Sokratis Grigoriadis
- Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelos Maziotis
- Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Tzonis
- Centre for Human Reproduction, Genesis Athens Clinic, Athens, Greece.,Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Charikleia Pappa
- Centre for Human Reproduction, Genesis Athens Clinic, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastassios Philippou
- Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Michael Koutsilieris
- Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Mara Simopoulou
- Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Pabuccu EG, Arslanca T, Ucar U, Keles G, Celikel O, Pabuccu R. Follicular flushing using double lumen needle yields more oocytes in mono-follicular poor responders. J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2021; 50:102150. [PMID: 33872815 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogoh.2021.102150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy of follicular flushing (FF) with double lumen needle and direct follicular aspiration with single lumen needle in terms of oocyte yield in mono-follicular responder patients undergoing assisted reproduction techniques (ART). MATERIALS AND METHODS Prospective 'quasi-experimental' study was carried out in an IVF center. Infertile women 18-42 years of age with diminished ovarian reserve who revealed a single follicle >17 mm on the day of oocyte retrieval were included in the study. Follicular flushing up to 8 times was performed in FF group using an 17-G double lumen needle. Direct follicular aspiration using a 17-G single lumen needle without FF was performed in direct aspiration group. Total numbers of collected oocytes, metaphase 2 oocytes, fertilization and pregnancy rates were compared among groups. RESULTS A total of 206 women underwent oocyte retrieval procedure; 106 women were assigned to FF and 100 women into direct aspiration arm. Overall oocyte retrieval rate was 50.4% in all cases. The total oocyte retrieval rate was higher (65/106, 61.9%) in FF group, than in direct aspiration group (39/100, 39%, p = 0.001). Metaphase 2 oocyte rate was also higher in FF group (47/106, 44.3% vs 29/100, 29% p = 0.04). Fertilization rates, total number of patients with a cleavage stage embryo and grade 1 cleavage embryo were similar among the groups (p>0.5). Numbers of positive hCG, ongoing pregnancy and miscarriage rates were similar among groups. CONCLUSION Follicular flushing using double lumen needle in mono-follicular responder patients with diminished ovarian reserve yields more oocytes and mature oocytes than direct aspiration of follicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emre G Pabuccu
- Ufuk University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Tufan Arslanca
- Ufuk University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Gurhan Keles
- Centrum Clinic Assisted Reproduction Center, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ozgul Celikel
- Yenimahalle Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Recai Pabuccu
- Ufuk University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara, Turkey; Centrum Clinic Assisted Reproduction Center, Ankara, Turkey
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Cozzolino M, Cecchino GN, Bosch E, Garcia-Velasco JA, Garrido N. Minimal ovarian stimulation is an alternative to conventional protocols for older women according to Poseidon's stratification: a retrospective multicenter cohort study. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:1799-1807. [PMID: 33851314 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02185-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether minimal ovarian stimulation (mOS) is as effective as conventional ovarian stimulation (cOS) for older women belonging to different groups according to the Poseidon criteria. MATERIAL AND METHODS Observational retrospective multicentre cohort including women from Poseidon's groups 2 and 4 that underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF). We performed a mixed-effects logistic regression model, adding as a random effect the patients and the stimulation cycle considering the dependence of data. Survival curves were employed as a measure of the cumulative live birth rate (CLBR). The primary outcomes were live birth rate per embryo transfer and CLBR per consecutive embryo transfer and oocyte consumed until a live birth was achieved. RESULTS A total of 2002 patients underwent 3056 embryo transfers (mOS = 497 and cOS = 2559). The live birth rates per embryo transfer in mOS and cOS showed no significant difference in both Poseidon's groups. Likewise, the logistic regression showed similar live birth rates between the two protocols in Poseidon's groups 2 (OR 1.165, 95% CI 0.77-1.77; p = 0.710) and 4 (OR 1.264 95% CI 0.59-2.70; p = 0.387). However, the survival curves showed higher CLBR per oocyte in women that received mOS (Poseidon group 2: p < 0.001 and Poseidon group 4: p = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS Minimal ovarian stimulation is a good alternative to COS as a first-line treatment for patients belonging to Poseidon's groups 2 and 4. The number of oocytes needed to achieve a live birth seems inferior in mOS strategy than cOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Cozzolino
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 - Torre A, Planta 1ª, 46026, Valencia, Spain. .,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, 310 Cedar St, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA. .,Rey Juan Carlos University, Calle Tulipán, 28933, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Gustavo Nardini Cecchino
- Rey Juan Carlos University, Calle Tulipán, 28933, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Gynaecology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Reproductive Medicine, Mater Prime, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Juan Antonio Garcia-Velasco
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 - Torre A, Planta 1ª, 46026, Valencia, Spain.,Rey Juan Carlos University, Calle Tulipán, 28933, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.,IVI-RMA, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicolás Garrido
- IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 - Torre A, Planta 1ª, 46026, Valencia, Spain
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34
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Kim YJ, Park Y, Park YR, Kim YS, Lee HR, Lee SJ, Kim MJ, Kwack K, Ko JJ, Lee JH. Role of RGMc as a Neogenin Ligand in Follicular Development in the Ovary. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9030280. [PMID: 33801938 PMCID: PMC7999520 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9030280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There is currently no cure for infertility in women with a poor ovarian response (POR). Neogenin is reported to be abundantly expressed in the ovary; however, its role in mammalian follicular development is unclear and its ligand and signaling pathway remain uncertain. We systematically investigated the role of neogenin and the ligand repulsive guidance molecule c (RGMc) during follicular development. We treated hyperstimulated mouse ovaries with RGMc and analyzed follicular development. Furthermore, we investigated clusters of up/downregulated genes in RGMc-treated ovaries using whole-transcriptome next-generation sequencing (NGS). In addition, we investigated whether expression of up/downregulated factors identified by NGS was also altered in cumulus cells (CCs) of patients with a POR. The number of oocytes was 40% higher in RGMc-treated ovaries than in control ovaries. NGS data indicated that prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) was involved in the RGMc signaling pathway during follicular development. RGMc treatment significantly elevated the PGD2 level in culture medium of CCs obtained from patients with a POR. Our results demonstrate that RGMc as neogenin ligand promotes follicular development in ovaries via the PGD2 signaling pathway. Therefore, it may be possible to use RGMc for ovarian stimulation in patients with a POR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jin Kim
- CHA Fertility Center Seoul Station, Seoul 04637, Korea; (Y.J.K.); (Y.R.P.); (Y.S.K.); (H.R.L.)
| | - YoungJoon Park
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Gyeonggi-do, Seongnam 13488, Korea;
| | - Yeo Reum Park
- CHA Fertility Center Seoul Station, Seoul 04637, Korea; (Y.J.K.); (Y.R.P.); (Y.S.K.); (H.R.L.)
| | - Young Sang Kim
- CHA Fertility Center Seoul Station, Seoul 04637, Korea; (Y.J.K.); (Y.R.P.); (Y.S.K.); (H.R.L.)
| | - Hye Ran Lee
- CHA Fertility Center Seoul Station, Seoul 04637, Korea; (Y.J.K.); (Y.R.P.); (Y.S.K.); (H.R.L.)
| | - Sang Jin Lee
- Institute of Animal Genetic Resources Affiliated with Traditional Hanwoo Co., Ltd., Boryeong 33402, Korea;
| | - Myung Joo Kim
- CHA Fertility Center Seoul Station, Seoul 04637, Korea; (Y.J.K.); (Y.R.P.); (Y.S.K.); (H.R.L.)
- Correspondence: (M.J.K.); (K.K.); (J.J.K.); (J.H.L.)
| | - KyuBum Kwack
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Gyeonggi-do, Seongnam 13488, Korea;
- Correspondence: (M.J.K.); (K.K.); (J.J.K.); (J.H.L.)
| | - Jung Jae Ko
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Gyeonggi-do, Seongnam 13488, Korea;
- Correspondence: (M.J.K.); (K.K.); (J.J.K.); (J.H.L.)
| | - Jae Ho Lee
- CHA Fertility Center Seoul Station, Seoul 04637, Korea; (Y.J.K.); (Y.R.P.); (Y.S.K.); (H.R.L.)
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Gyeonggi-do, Seongnam 13488, Korea;
- Correspondence: (M.J.K.); (K.K.); (J.J.K.); (J.H.L.)
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35
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Bulletti C, Allegra A, Mignini Renzini M, Vaiarelli A. How fixed versus variable gonadotropin dose during controlled ovarian stimulation could influence the management of infertility patients undergoing IVF treatment: a national Delphi consensus. Gynecol Endocrinol 2021; 37:255-263. [PMID: 32588675 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2020.1770214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Define how and when fixed starting gonadotropin doses can be used in current clinical ART practices in Italy. METHODS A Delphi conference consisting of three rounds was performed in order to define the ideal clinical conditions in which fixed-gonadotropin-dose during COS should be applied. During the conference, 19 statements about the current ART practice were provided to a panel of twenty-nine national experts. Median score was 5 (IQ:4-6) in all Delphi rounds. RESULTS Eleven statements (57.9%) were classified as shareable with high-degree of convergence, 2 (10.5%) as shareable with low convergence and 6 (31.6%) as un-shareable with high convergence. The panel reached high consensus regarding some statements: (i) fixed FSH-dose in normoresponders and poor-responder, (ii) importance of predicting ovarian response before COS, considering multiple markers to select the right stimulation protocol for each patient, (iii) importance of therapy simplification and standardization to improve efficiency during COS. Moreover, a low-convergence was reached about use of GnRH antagonist as first treatment line and drug storage at room temperature. However from these findings, the debate remains open regarding some other statements: (a) usefulness of Bologna-criteria to define poor-responders; (b) efficacy to change always stimulation protocol after a failure IVF; (c) utility of AMH-dosed with standardized automatic mode to define normo-responder patients; (d) usefulness to modify the dosage of 12.5 IU/die during COS to improve stimulation effectiveness. CONCLUSION Controlled ovarian stimulation remains a challenging clinical step in Assisted Reproductive Technique, especially in some specific patient groups for which no clinical consensus is available. This study is the first attempt to describe the shared clinical opinion regarding the fixed versus variable gonadotropin dose in the real IVF practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Bulletti
- Ostetricia e Ginecologia, EXTRA OMNES Medicina e Salute Riproduttiva, Cattolica, Italy
| | | | | | - Alberto Vaiarelli
- GENERA Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Rome, Italy
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Yang H, Zheng C, Zheng Q, Xu H, Li X, Hao M, Fang Y. Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for poor ovarian responders undergoing in vitro fertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a protocol for systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e039122. [PMID: 33622939 PMCID: PMC7907865 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) is the routine regimen used to generate a sufficient number of follicles during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment. Poor ovarian response is a challenge encountered by many clinicians during COH and poor ovarian responders (PORs) usually have higher follicle stimulating hormone levels, lower levels of anti-Mullerian hormone and few oocytes retrieved, which have been attributed mainly to advanced maternal age and poor follicle reserve or other reasons that could impair ovarian response during ovarian stimulation. Over the last few decades, researchers have proposed a series of strategies and ovarian stimulation protocols to improve pregnancy outcomes in patients with POR during their IVF/ICSI treatment. However, clinical decisions regarding COH protocols in PORs during IVF/ICSI treatment remain controversial. Traditional pairwise meta-analysis only allows the direct comparison of two protocols in COH for patients with POR. However, many of these COH protocols have not been compared directly in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Thus, we aim to use network meta-analysis (NMA) to assess the clinical effectiveness and safety of COH protocols and to generate treatment rankings of these COH protocols for the most clinically important and commonly reported outcomes events. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, SinoMed, CNKI, WanFang database and Chongqing VIP information databases will be searched for all RCTs of COH for POR women during IVF/ICSI from inception to 31 March 2020. Primary outcomes will include live birth rate and number of oocytes retrieved. Secondary outcomes will include ongoing pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome rate, multiple pregnancy rate and cycle cancellation rate. Pairwise meta-analysis and Bayesian NMA will be conducted for each outcome. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis will be performed to assess the robustness of the findings. The generation of NMA plots and subsequent results will be performed by using R V.4.0.1. The assessment of confidence in network estimates will use the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis)web application (see https://cinema.ispm.unibe.ch/). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This review does not require ethics approval and the results of the NMA will be submitted to a peer-review journal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huisheng Yang
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chensi Zheng
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Reproductive medicine center, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiyan Zheng
- Department of Endocrinology Nephropathy, Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Huanfang Xu
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaotong Li
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mingzhao Hao
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yigong Fang
- Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Zhang X, Feng T, Yang J, Hao Y, Li S, Zhang Y, Qian Y. A flexible short protocol in women with poor ovarian response over 40 years old. J Ovarian Res 2021; 14:3. [PMID: 33402208 PMCID: PMC7786950 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-020-00761-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian responsiveness to controlled ovarian stimulation is essential for a successful clinical outcome in assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles. We aimed to find a suitable new ovulation stimulation protocol for poor ovarian response (POR) patients over 40 years old. METHODS A retrospective analysis of 488 ART cycles was evaluated from January 2015 to June 2019. Comparisons were made between the flexible short protocol (FSP), routine short protocol and mild stimulation protocol. RESULTS Compared with the routine short protocol, the FSP delayed the gonadotropin start time and reduced the total gonadotropin dose per stimulation cycle. At the same time, compared with the mild stimulation protocol, the FSP improved oocyte quality and embryo quality and improved embryo implantation potential after transfer. Furthermore, the use of the FSP reduced the probability of premature ovulation, as it inhibited the premature luteinizing hormone (LH) surge to a certain extent. CONCLUSIONS The FSP yielded better outcomes than other protocols for patients with POR over 40 years old in our study. However, further prospective studies are needed to provide more substantial evidence and to determine whether the FSP can be successful for both patients over 40 years group and younger POR patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Zhang
- Reproductive Medical Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 121 Jiangjiayuan, 210011, Nanjing, China
| | - Ting Feng
- Reproductive Medical Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 121 Jiangjiayuan, 210011, Nanjing, China
| | - Jihong Yang
- Reproductive Medical Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 121 Jiangjiayuan, 210011, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingying Hao
- Reproductive Medical Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 121 Jiangjiayuan, 210011, Nanjing, China
| | - Suying Li
- Reproductive Medical Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 121 Jiangjiayuan, 210011, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Reproductive Medical Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 121 Jiangjiayuan, 210011, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Qian
- Reproductive Medical Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 121 Jiangjiayuan, 210011, Nanjing, China.
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Kahyaoglu I, Dogru H, Kaplanoglu I, Ozgu-Erdinc A, Dilbaz S, Mollamahmutoglu L. Effect of antagonist start day on cycle outcomes in poor responders. J Hum Reprod Sci 2021; 14:400-405. [PMID: 35197686 PMCID: PMC8812400 DOI: 10.4103/jhrs.jhrs_75_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Despite the great advances in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), management of poor responders has remained a great challenge. Gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-ant) has been offered as a patient friendly protocol. In the literature, conflicting data exists about the effect of the GnRH-ant starting day on cycle outcomes. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of GnRH-ant starting day on cycle outcomes of patients with poor ovarian response defined by Bologna criteria. Setting and Design: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at an ART clinic of a tertiary hospital. Materials and Methods: A total of 361 cycles using flexible GnRH-ant, 195 in Group A (GnRH-ant administered before day 6 of stimulation) and 166 cycles in Group B (GnRH-ant started on or after day 6), were selected retrospectively for the study. Statistical analysis: Statistical analysis of data was carried out using using IBM SPSS Statistics Software (20.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Independent samples t-test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to analyze the variables. Results: Total antral follicle count was significantly higher in Group A compared to Group B (P = 0.009). Duration of stimulation was significantly shorter (P < 0.01) and total dose of gonadotropin used was lower in Group A when compared to Group B (P < 0.01). While higher number of oocytes was retrieved from Group A (P = 0.037), no between-group differences were observed in number of mature oocytes, fertilized oocytes, clinical pregnancy rate or ongoing pregnancy rate (OPR) per embryo transfer (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Early GnRH-ant start may point out a favourable response to ovarian stimulation in poor responders. However, clinical or OPRs were not different from the late GnRH-ant start group.
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Esteves SC, Conforti A, Sunkara SK, Carbone L, Picarelli S, Vaiarelli A, Cimadomo D, Rienzi L, Ubaldi FM, Zullo F, Andersen CY, Orvieto R, Humaidan P, Alviggi C. Improving Reporting of Clinical Studies Using the POSEIDON Criteria: POSORT Guidelines. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:587051. [PMID: 33815269 PMCID: PMC8017440 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.587051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The POSEIDON (Patient-Oriented Strategies Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number) criteria were developed to help clinicians identify and classify low-prognosis patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) and provide guidance for possible therapeutic strategies to overcome infertility. Since its introduction, the number of published studies using the POSEIDON criteria has increased steadily. However, a critical analysis of existing evidence indicates inconsistent and incomplete reporting of critical outcomes. Therefore, we developed guidelines to help researchers improve the quality of reporting in studies applying the POSEIDON criteria. We also discuss the advantages of using the POSEIDON criteria in ART clinical studies and elaborate on possible study designs and critical endpoints. Our ultimate goal is to advance the knowledge concerning the clinical use of the POSEIDON criteria to patients, clinicians, and the infertility community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro C. Esteves
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Campinas, Brazil
- Department of Surgery (Division of Urology), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- *Correspondence: Sandro C. Esteves, ; orcid.org/0000-0002-1313-9680
| | - Alessandro Conforti
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples, Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Sesh K. Sunkara
- Department of Women’s Health, Faculty of Life Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Luigi Carbone
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples, Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Silvia Picarelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples, Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Laura Rienzi
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, GENERA, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Fulvio Zullo
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples, Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Claus Yding Andersen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Raoul Orvieto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Peter Humaidan
- Faculty of Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Fertility Clinic Skive, Skive Regional Hospital, Skive, Denmark
| | - Carlo Alviggi
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples, Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Le H, Nguyen DD, Cao AT, Nguyen HTL, Tham DC, Le TD, Hugues JN. Comparative Effectiveness of Mild or Conventional GnRH-Antagonist Protocols for Ovarian Stimulation in Poor Responders (Poseidon Group 4). FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2020; 2:606036. [DOI: 10.3389/frph.2020.606036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims: A panel of experts (the Poseidon Group) introduced a new and more detailed stratification for poor ovarian responders in order to predict the prognosis of IVF outcome according to the sensitivity to FSH. However, various arguments about the management strategy of these patients still remain, including the convenience and the cost. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the efficacy of mild and conventional GnRH antagonist ovarian stimulation prescribed in patients classified in Poseidon Group 4.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 359 poor responder patients (Poseidon Group 4) treated with mild or conventional GnRH antagonist stimulation regimens from 8/2017 to 7/2019 at Tam Anh Hospital ART Center. The main outcomes were the index of Follicular Output Rate (FORT) or Follicle to Oocyte Index (FOI), the number of day-2 embryos and top-quality embryos obtained. The t-test and Mann–Whitney U test in SPSS v25.0 was used to analyze the continuous data and Chi-squared/Exact test was used for binary variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was done by using Stata versions 15.0 to measure association between primary endpoints with stimulation regimen controlled for covariates and possible confounding factors.Results: In the overall group of poor responders, the conventional GnRH antagonist protocol performed better than the mild protocol. Subsequently, data were analyzed according to the AFC. In women with AFC < 3, no significant differences were observed between the 2 regimens regarding FORT (p = 0.71), FOI (p = 0.12), the number of day-2-embryos (p = 0.052) and the number of top-quality embryos (p = 0.26). In contrast, in women with AFC ≥ 3, mild stimulation regimen resulted in significantly poorer outcome compared to the conventional GnRH antagonist regimen, regarding FORT (p < 0.01), FOI (p < 0.01), the number of day-2-embryos (p < 0.01) and top-quality embryos (p = 0.01).Conclusions: Considering poor responders classified in Poseidon Group 4, both ovarian stimulation regimens resulted in similar outcome for patients with a very low ovarian reserve (AFC < 3). In contrast, the GnRH conventional antagonist protocol with maximum initial FSH dose (300–375 IU/day) and supplementary LH (75–150 IU/day) was more effective than the mild one for patients whose ovarian reserve was less reduced. The Clinical Trial was approved by the Ethnical Biomedical Research Committee Tam Anh General Hospital.
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Yang S, Liu N, Li Y, Zhang L, Yue R. Efficacy of the delayed start antagonist protocol for controlled ovarian stimulation in Bologna poor ovarian responders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2020; 303:347-362. [PMID: 33236173 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-020-05894-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with a poor ovarian response (POR) represent the most difficult group of population to deal with in the clinical fertility practice. Bologna criteria are the first uniform definition of POR. Choosing a suitable controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) protocol which could give adequate oocytes to maximize the chance of obtaining at least one euploid blastocyst is crucial in the management for such patients. The delayed start antagonist protocol is a novel COS protocol designed for POR patients, however, its real efficacy is controversial compared to conventional protocols. The present study aims to summarize all available studies on this topic and perform a meta-analysis to explore the real treatment effect of this novel protocol in terms of reproductive outcomes. STUDY DESIGN PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library from database establishment to June 2019 were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which compared delayed start antagonist protocol (Del) to conventional controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) protocols (Con) in terms of reproductive outcomes, were included. The RevMan 5.3 was used to perform statistical analysis. The primary outcomes were the cycle cancellation rate, the clinical pregnancy rate and the miscarriage rate. RESULTS 5 RCTs yielding 514 patients were eligible, of which 5, 5, 4 studies were included in analyzing the cycle cancellation rate, the clinical pregnancy rate, and the miscarriage rate respectively. Synthesized data of meta-analysis showed: delayed start antagonist protocol introduced a lower risk of cycle cancellation [risk ratio (RR) = 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.45, 0.90), P = 0.01; 5 RCTs, 514 women (Del:Con = 256:258); I2 = 0%; with rates of 16.02% (Del) vs. 26.36% (Con)], an increased chance to get clinical pregnancy [RR = 2.30, 95% CI (1.38, 3.82), P = 0.001; 5 RCTs, 514 women (Del:Con = 256:258); I2 = 0%; with rates of 16.80% (Del) vs. 7.36% (Con)], and a comparable miscarriage rate [RR = 0.55, 95% CI (0.24, 1.23), P = 0.15; 4 RCTs, 58 women (Del:Con = 41:17) I2 = 17%; with rates of 19.51% (Del) vs. 35.29% (Con)] compared to conventional COS protocols. CONCLUSIONS Delayed start antagonist protocol was a potentially valuable alternation for poor ovarian responders. However, future RCTs with large sample size and more scientific design are needed to verify its validity and draw a sound conclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Yang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center For Women's Reproductive Health In Hunan Province, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Nenghui Liu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Clinical Research Center For Women's Reproductive Health In Hunan Province, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
| | - Yanping Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center For Women's Reproductive Health In Hunan Province, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center For Women's Reproductive Health In Hunan Province, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Rongya Yue
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center For Women's Reproductive Health In Hunan Province, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
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Sciorio R, Antonini E, Engl B. Live birth following a single oocyte fertilized with ICSI and embryo biopsy at blastocyst stage: a case report. Gynecol Endocrinol 2020; 36:1038-1041. [PMID: 32252573 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2020.1751110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In this report, we present a case of a couple who obtained a live birth with a single oocyte fertilized by ICSI. Two oocytes were collected at 35.5 hours (h) post trigger and both were at metaphase II when sperm injection was performed (38 h). At 18 h post injection, one oocyte was fertilized, developed to the blastocyst stage and underwent to trophectoderm biopsy for preimplantation genetic testing on day 5. Following biopsy, the blastocyst was vitrified and 4 h after warming procedure, the euploid blastocyst was replaced to the uterine cavity. Healthy live birth was obtained after 39 weeks of gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romualdo Sciorio
- Edinburgh Assisted Conception Programme, EFREC, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Donna Salus women's health & fertility, Bolzano, Italy
| | | | - Bruno Engl
- Donna Salus women's health & fertility, Bolzano, Italy
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Luo Y, Sun L, Dong M, Zhang X, Huang L, Zhu X, Nong Y, Liu F. The best execution of the DuoStim strategy (double stimulation in the follicular and luteal phase of the same ovarian cycle) in patients who are poor ovarian responders. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2020; 18:102. [PMID: 33059712 PMCID: PMC7566062 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-020-00655-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients found to be poor ovarian responders (POR) are a challenging patient population for any assisted reproduction technology. Despite attempts at various controlled ovarian stimulation schemes, reproductive outcomes in this patient population have not improved. In recent years, the DuoStim protocol (both follicular and luteal phase stimulation during the same menstrual cycle) has shown a potential for use in patients with POR. METHODS This retrospective study reviewed the medical records of 304 women who were diagnosed as POR and underwent the DuoStim protocol. We compared follicular phase stimulation (FPS) data and luteal phase stimulation (LPS) data of the same patients. We also compared the effects of different trigger drugs including urine human chorionic gonadotropin (uHCG; 10,000 IU), recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin (rHCG; 250 μg), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a; 0.2 mg) at the FPS and LPS stages. RESULTS POR undergoing the DuoStim protocol resulted in a significantly higher number of oocytes retrieved, normal fertilised oocytes, cleaved embryos, cryopreserved embryos, and good quality embryos at the LPS stage than at the FPS stage. Trigger drugs at the FPS stage did not affect the FPS stage data. Regardless of the stage, rHCG and GnRH-a yielded significantly more cryopreserved embryos and good quality embryos than uHCG. CONCLUSION The use of GnRH-a or rHCG as the trigger drug may be better than uHCG in both the FPS and LPS stages for POR undergoing the DuoStim protocol. This will increase the number of good quality embryos at the LPS stage. We found that the LPS stage results in more oocytes (and therefore more embryos) than the FPS stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqun Luo
- grid.412601.00000 0004 1760 3828The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, 613 Huangpu Avenue West, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510630 Guangdong Province China
- grid.459579.3Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No. 521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou, 511400 Guangdong Province China
| | - Li Sun
- grid.459579.3Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No. 521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou, 511400 Guangdong Province China
| | - Mei Dong
- grid.459579.3Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No. 521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou, 511400 Guangdong Province China
| | - Xiqian Zhang
- grid.459579.3Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No. 521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou, 511400 Guangdong Province China
| | - Li Huang
- grid.459579.3Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No. 521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou, 511400 Guangdong Province China
| | - Xiulan Zhu
- grid.459579.3Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No. 521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou, 511400 Guangdong Province China
| | - Yingqi Nong
- grid.459579.3Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No. 521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou, 511400 Guangdong Province China
| | - Fenghua Liu
- grid.459579.3Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, No. 521 Xingnan Road, Guangzhou, 511400 Guangdong Province China
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The Conundrum of Poor Ovarian Response: From Diagnosis to Treatment. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:diagnostics10090687. [PMID: 32932955 PMCID: PMC7555981 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10090687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent striking advances in assisted reproductive technology (ART), poor ovarian response (POR) diagnosis and treatment is still considered challenging. Poor responders constitute a heterogeneous cohort with the common denominator of under-responding to controlled ovarian stimulation. Inevitably, respective success rates are significantly compromised. As POR pathophysiology entails the elusive factor of compromised ovarian function, both diagnosis and management fuel an ongoing heated debate depicted in the literature. From the criteria employed for diagnosis to the plethora of strategies and adjuvant therapies proposed, the conundrum of POR still puzzles the practitioner. What is more, novel treatment approaches from stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma intra-ovarian infusion to mitochondrial replacement therapy have emerged, albeit not claiming clinical routine status yet. The complex and time sensitive nature of this subgroup of infertile patients indicates the demand for a consensus on a horizontally accepted definition, diagnosis and subsequent effective treating strategy. This critical review analyzes the standing criteria employed in order to diagnose and aptly categorize POR patients, while it proceeds to critically evaluate current and novel strategies regarding their management. Discrepancies in diagnosis and respective implications are discussed, while the existing diversity in management options highlights the need for individualized management.
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Live birth following a single oocyte fertilized with ICSI and embryo transfer on day 2: a case report. ZYGOTE 2020; 28:516-518. [PMID: 32880243 DOI: 10.1017/s0967199420000404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
In this report, we present a case of a couple who obtained a live birth with a single oocyte fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The oocyte was collected at 36 h post trigger and was found to be at metaphase II when sperm injection was performed. At 18 h post injection, the oocyte was found to be fertilized with two clear pronuclei. The embryo divided and generated a four-cell embryo on day 2, which was replaced to the uterine cavity. Pregnancy test gave a positive β-human chorionic gonadotropin result, the scan performed at 7 weeks, revealed the presence of one amniotic sac with fetal heartbeat. Healthy live birth was obtained after 39 weeks of gestation.
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Drakopoulos P, Bardhi E, Boudry L, Vaiarelli A, Makrigiannakis A, Esteves SC, Tournaye H, Blockeel C. Update on the management of poor ovarian response in IVF: the shift from Bologna criteria to the Poseidon concept. Ther Adv Reprod Health 2020; 14:2633494120941480. [PMID: 32844159 PMCID: PMC7416136 DOI: 10.1177/2633494120941480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the considerate progress to which assisted reproduction technology (ART)
has been subject since 1978, some issues remain unresolved. Notably, the
clinical management of patients with a poor ovarian response is still a
challenge in everyday practice, frustrating to both the patient and the
fertility expert. Poor ovarian responders (PORs) embody 9–24% of patients
undergoing ovarian stimulation, meaning that up to one in four patients conceals
a poor reproductive prognosis. The last decade has witnessed the attempts of the
medical community to standardize diagnosis of POR with the developing of the
Bologna Criteria and the subsequent evolution of the low prognosis patient
elaborated in the POSEIDON classification. The aim of this article is to
summarize all evidence concerning etiology and management of poor ovarian
response, including the most recent advances and future prospects in this
regard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Drakopoulos
- Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Erlisa Bardhi
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Liese Boudry
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alberto Vaiarelli
- G.EN.E.R.A., Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonis Makrigiannakis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Sandro C Esteves
- ANDROFERT-Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic, Brazil, São Paulo
| | - Herman Tournaye
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christophe Blockeel
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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Mishieva N, Martazanova B, Bogatyreva K, Korolkova A, Kirillova A, Veyukova M, Burmenskaya O, Abubakirov A, Sukhikh GT. Cumulus cell gene expression in luteal-phase-derived oocytes after double stimulation in one menstrual cycle. Reprod Biomed Online 2020; 41:518-526. [PMID: 32593508 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION Does double stimulation (DuoStim) affect cumulus cell gene expression in luteal-phase-derived oocytes? DESIGN This prospective observational study included 39 patients with reduced ovarian reserve. Fifteen patients (group 1) underwent IVF with a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist in the follicular phase and 24 patients (group 2) underwent DuoStim. A total of 149 cumulus cell samples were divided into two groups according to the phase of the cycle: group 1 included 55 follicular-phase-derived oocytes and group 2 included 94 luteal-phase-derived oocytes. The expression levels of the following genes were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction: HAS2, VCAN, ALCAM, PTGS2, GREM1, ITPKA, TRPM7, SDC4, CALM2, SPSB2, TP53I3, PGR and PFKP. RESULTS The expression of 10 out of 13 genes in cumulus cells was similar between DuoStim luteal-phase-derived oocytes and follicular-phase-derived oocytes. A significant increase in the mRNA levels of VCAN (15.542 ± 6.8 versus 20.353 ± 10.58; P = 0.001), SDC4 (1.016 ± 0.65 versus 1.318 ± 0.97; P = 0.013), and TP53I3 (0.185 ± 0.09 versus 0.270 ± 0.11; P = 1.19E-05) was observed in group 2. The number of oocytes collected (5.57 ± 2.3 versus 5.7 ± 2.7; P > 0.05) and the number of blastocysts were comparable between the groups (2.1 ± 2.1 versus 2.7 ± 2.2; P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The DuoStim approach leads to changes in the follicular environment. It affects the expression levels of VCAN, SDC4, and TP53I3 in the cumulus cells of luteal-phase-derived oocytes. These results, however, did not correlate with oocyte maturation, embryo quality and pregnancy rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nona Mishieva
- Kulakov National Medical Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Akademika Oparina Street, 4 Moscow 117497, Russia
| | - Bella Martazanova
- Kulakov National Medical Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Akademika Oparina Street, 4 Moscow 117497, Russia.
| | - Khava Bogatyreva
- Kulakov National Medical Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Akademika Oparina Street, 4 Moscow 117497, Russia
| | - Anna Korolkova
- Kulakov National Medical Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Akademika Oparina Street, 4 Moscow 117497, Russia
| | - Anastasia Kirillova
- Kulakov National Medical Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Akademika Oparina Street, 4 Moscow 117497, Russia
| | - Maria Veyukova
- Kulakov National Medical Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Akademika Oparina Street, 4 Moscow 117497, Russia
| | - Olga Burmenskaya
- Kulakov National Medical Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Akademika Oparina Street, 4 Moscow 117497, Russia
| | - Aydar Abubakirov
- Kulakov National Medical Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Akademika Oparina Street, 4 Moscow 117497, Russia
| | - Gennady T Sukhikh
- Kulakov National Medical Research Centre of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Akademika Oparina Street, 4 Moscow 117497, Russia
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The Feasibility of All-Blastocyst-Culture and Single Blastocyst Transfer Strategy in Elderly Women: A Retrospective Analysis. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:5634147. [PMID: 32462004 PMCID: PMC7243003 DOI: 10.1155/2020/5634147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Objective To investigate the feasibility and clinical outcome of the all-blastocyst-culture and single blastocyst transfer strategy in women aged ≥35 years. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients aged ≥35 years undergoing IVF/ICSI was performed from January 2017 to April 2019 in the reproductive center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. A total of 155 cases treated with ovarian hyperstimulation by prolonged protocol and implemented single (84 cases) or double (71 cases) blastocyst transfer were collected. Then, patients were further divided into <38 yr. group and ≥38 yr. group, and the laboratory and clinical outcomes were compared between the groups. Results The double-blastocyst-transfer (DBT) group showed higher clinical pregnancy rate and multiple pregnancy rate and lower neonatal birth weight than those in the single-blastocyst-transfer (SBT) group (P < 0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in the embryo implantation rate, biochemical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, preterm delivery rate, and term birth rate. For patients < 38 yr., SBT significantly reduced the multiple pregnancy rate and increased the neonate birth weight without significant reduction in the clinical pregnancy rate. While in the ≥38 yr. group, there are no differences in pregnancy outcomes between SBT and DBT. Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of MII oocytes was positively correlated with the live birth rate (OR = 1.18) and negatively correlated with the miscarriage rate (OR = 0.844), suggesting that elderly patients with relatively normal ovarian reserve would obtain better prospect in pregnancy. The number of fetal heart beat in pregnancy was negatively correlated with the live birth rate (OR = 0.322) and positively correlated with the preterm birth rate (OR = 7.16). Conclusion The strategy of all-blastocyst-culture and single blastocyst transfer is feasible, safe, and effective for elderly patients with normal ovarian reserve, which would reduce the multiple pregnancy rate.
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Calabre C, Schuller E, Goltzene MA, Rongières C, Celebi C, Meyer N, Teletin M, Pirrello O. Follicular flushing versus direct aspiration in poor responder IVF patients: a randomized prospective study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2020; 248:118-122. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Vaiarelli A, Cimadomo D, Petriglia C, Conforti A, Alviggi C, Ubaldi N, Ledda S, Ferrero S, Rienzi L, Ubaldi FM. DuoStim - a reproducible strategy to obtain more oocytes and competent embryos in a short time-frame aimed at fertility preservation and IVF purposes. A systematic review. Ups J Med Sci 2020; 125:121-130. [PMID: 32338123 PMCID: PMC7721001 DOI: 10.1080/03009734.2020.1734694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that follicular development occurs in a wave-like model during the ovarian cycle, where up to three cohorts of follicles are recruited to complete folliculogenesis. This understanding overtakes the previous dogma stating that follicles grow only during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Therefore, in in vitro fertilization (IVF), novel protocols regarding ovarian stimulation have been theorized based on the use of gonadotrophins to prompt the growth of antral follicles at any stage of the menstrual cycle. These unconventional protocols for ovarian stimulation aim at a more efficient management of poor-prognosis patients, otherwise exposed to conflicting outcomes after conventional approaches. DuoStim appears among these unconventional stimulation protocols as one of the most promising. It combines two consecutive stimulations in the follicular and luteal phases of the same ovarian cycle, aimed at increasing the number of oocytes retrieved and embryos produced in the short time-frame. This protocol has been suggested for the treatment of all conditions requiring a maximal and urgent exploitation of the ovarian reserve, such as oncological patients and poor responders at an advanced maternal age. At present, data from independent studies have outlined the consistency and reproducibility of this approach, which might also reduce the drop-out between consecutive failed IVF cycles in poor-prognosis patients. However, the protocol must be standardized, and more robust studies and cost-benefit analyses are needed to highlight the true clinical pros and cons deriving from DuoStim implementation in IVF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Vaiarelli
- Clinica Valle Giulia, G.EN.E.R.A. Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Danilo Cimadomo
- Clinica Valle Giulia, G.EN.E.R.A. Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Cecilia Petriglia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cagliari, Policlinico Universitario Duilio Casula, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Alessandro Conforti
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Carlo Alviggi
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Nicolò Ubaldi
- Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Sergio Ledda
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Susanna Ferrero
- Clinica Valle Giulia, G.EN.E.R.A. Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Rienzi
- Clinica Valle Giulia, G.EN.E.R.A. Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Maria Ubaldi
- Clinica Valle Giulia, G.EN.E.R.A. Centers for Reproductive Medicine, Rome, Italy
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