Comparison of pregnancy rate between fresh embryo transfers and frozen-thawed embryo transfers following ICSI treatment

Background: The use of assisted reproductive technology [ART] is increasing in the world. The rate, efficacy and safety of ART are very different among countries. There is an increase in the use of intra cytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI], single fresh embryo transfer [ET] and frozen-thawed embryo transfer [FET]

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare pregnancy rate in fresh ET and FET

Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study 1014 ICSI-ET cycles [426 fresh ET and 588 FET] from 753 women undergoing ICSI treatment referred to Fatemezahra Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center in Babol, Iran from 2008 to 2013 were reviewed

Results: There were no significant differences between biochemical pregnancy rate [23% versus 18.8%, OR 1.301; 95% CI .95-1.774], gestational sac [95.6% versus 100% in FET, OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.54-0.67], and fetal heart activity [87.2% versus 93.6% OR .46; 95% CI .16-1.32] in fresh ET and FET cycles, respectively. P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all measures

Conclusion: Although, the result showed no significantly difference between the fresh ET and the FET cycles, however the embryos are able to be stored for subsequent ART. Therefore, we recommend FET cycles as an option alongside the fresh ET

Total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation in semen of patient with hyperviscosity

Semen hyperviscosity [SHV] is one of the factors involved in deficiency in sperm function. This research aimed to evaluate seminal plasma total antioxidant capacity [TAC] and malondialdehyde [MDA] levels in infertile patients with hyperviscous and non-hyperviscous semen samples to understand whether hyperviscous semen is associated with oxidative damage in infertile subjects. In this cross sectional study, 59 semen samples were provided by fertile [n=12] individuals as control, infertile patients with normal viscosity [n=25] and infertile patients with hyperviscosity [n=22]. After semen parameters examination, semen viscosity was studied by glass pipettes. Seminal plasma TAC and MDA levels were measured by ferric reducing of antioxidant power [FRAP] and thiobarbituric acid reaction [TBAR] methods, respectively. A probability less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant throughout the article. The mean of sperm parameters including: counts, motility and normal morphology in patients with hyperviscosity were significantly lower than those in non-hyperviscosity patients [p<0.05, p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively]. The mean of seminal plasma TAC value in seminal plasma of non-hyperviscosity patients [1710.31 +/- 458.67 micro mol/l] was significantly [p<0.01] higher than that of hyperviscosity group [1230.25 +/- 352 micro mol/l]. A trend toward a higher mean of seminal plasma MDA value was estimated for hyperviscous group compared with non-hyperviscous [1.01 +/- 0.41 nmol/ml vs. 0.94 +/- 0.28 nmol/l]; however, it was nonsignificant. Hyperviscous semen impairs seminal plasma TAC which is eventually associated with sperm membrane lipid peroxidation

effect of 8-methoxypsoralen on pituitary-gonad axis and ovarian function in mice

8-Methoxypsoralen [8-MOP] is a photoactive compound widely used in the treatment of proliferate disorders. The present study investigates the effects of 8-MOP on ovary function and pituitary-gonad axis in mice. In this experimental analytical study, 45 female Balb/C mice were divided into three groups [n=15], control, sham [olive oil injection] and experimental. The experimental group were received an intraperitoneal [i.p.] injection of the LD50 dose of 60 mg/kg 8-MOP. At 30 days after injection, the animals were sacrificed while in the proestrus stage and examined for morphological and histological changes their ovaries. Blood samples were collected and estrogen, luteinizing hormone [LH] and follicle stimulating hormone [FSH] levels were assessed by radioimmunoassay. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and the t test. The mean levels of estrogen and progesterone in the experimental group significantly decreased [p<0.001]. However, there was a significant increase in LH and FSH levels in this group compared to the control groups [p<0.001]. The mean number and diameter of the corpus luteum [CL] and the number of growing follicles in the experimental group significantly reduced compared to the control and sham groups [p<0.001]. The mean granulosa thickness in the experimental group also significantly decreased compared to the control and sham groups [p<0.001]. Our data indicated that 8-MOP can affect the levels of LH, FSH, estrogen and progesterone. Our findings further suggest that consecutive doses of 8-MOP may impair the female reproductive tract [or development]

In vitro maturation of germinal vesicle oocytes in stimulated intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles

This study evaluated in vitro maturation [IVM] of oocytes in the germinal vesicle [GV] stage in stimulated intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] cycles. A total of 26 women, aged 18-37 years, who were candidates for ICSI at the Fatemeh Zahra Infertility and Health Reproductive Research Center in 2007 were recruited for this study. We used the standard long protocol for ovarian stimulation. Follicles>11 mm were punctured 36-38 hours after administration of 10000 IU human chorionic gonadotrophin [hCG]. Immature oocytes were cultured for 24-30 hours. Oocytes that liberated polar bodies were injected by sperm prepared within the previous day. IVM fertilized oocytes were cultured an additional 24-30 hours for cleavage. The rates of maturation, fertilization and cleavage in IVM oocytes were recorded and statistically compared to in vivo matured sibling oocytes. There were 279 collected oocytes [mean +/- SD: 10.73 +/- 6.2], of which 4.08 +/- 2.79 were subjected to IVM. An average of 2.73 +/- 2.15 GV oocytes [70%] developed to metaphase II [MII]. Although the maturation rate significantly differed between the IVM and in vivo MII sibling oocyte groups [p=0.027], the numbers of fertilized oocytes [p=0.795] and cleaved embryos [p=0.529] were not significantly high in the in vivo group. Transfer of IVM embryos occurred in only three cases with one pregnancy that resulted in the delivery of a healthy baby. This study shows that culturing GV oocytes can produce acceptable numbers of four-cell embryos on the transfer day. The developmental competence of oocytes is not significantly different between early stage IVM and in vivo sibling embryos