Clinical Efficacy of Oral Dydrogesterone Alone in Natural Cycle Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of oral dydrogesterone alone for luteal phase support in natural cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfer （NC-FET）. MethodsThe clinical data of 1 530 NC-FET cycles enrolled in our Reproductive Center from January 2019 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. According to different luteal support protocols， the patients were divided into oral dydrogesterone alone （group A， n=524）， vaginal progesterone soft capsules （group B， n=401） and vaginal progesterone soft capsules combined with dydrogesterone （group C， n=605）. The clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness ratio were compared among the three groups. The primary outcome was live birth rate. ResultsThe live birth rate was 43.13% （226/524） in group A， 39.15% （157/401） in group B， and 42.64% （258/605） in group C. There was no statistical difference among the three groups （P > 0.05）. No statistical difference was observed in the HCG positive rate， implantation rate， biochemical pregnancy rate， clinical pregnancy rate， spontaneous miscarriage rate， ectopic pregnancy rate， twin delivery rate， premature delivery rate and newborn weight among the three groups （P>0.05）. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the three luteal support regimens did not affect live birth rate. Pharmacoeconomic analysis showed that taking group B as a reference， the cost increased by 19 227.30 yuan for every 1% increase in live birth rate in group A. ConclusionsIn NC-FET cycle， oral dydrogesterone alone can achieve the same clinical outcomes as vaginal progesterone soft capsules and vaginal progesterone soft capsules combined with dydrogesterone. Compared with that of progesterone soft capsules， the cost of oral dydrogesterone alone is increased， a large sample and multicenter prospective study is needed to further confirm our results.

Comparison of clinical pregnancy rates between two types of endometrial preparation protocols for patients with thin endometrium in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles / 中国实用妇科与产科杂志

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical pregnancy rates between two types of endometrial preparation protocolsnatural cycle（NC）and hormone replacement cycle（HRT）-in patients with thin endometrium in the frozen-thawed embryo transfer（FET）cycles.METHODS: From January 2012 to December 2018,FET patients with endometrial thickness ≤7 mm on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin（h CG）trigger in Reproductive Medicine Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were selected as research subjects.According to the endometrial preparation protocols,they were divided into NC group and HRT group.Totally 117 pairs were successfully matched using the propensity score matching method.The matching variables were age,embryo type and number of transferred embryos,and the embryo implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate of the two matched groups were compared.RESULTS: There was no significant difference in embryo implantation rate（36.47% vs. 39.03%）or clinical pregnancy rate（44.40% vs. 52.10%）between NC group and HRT group（P> 0.05）.CONCLUSION: NC group and HRT group had similar pregnancy rate in patients with thin endometrium in FET cycles.Individualized protocols can be adopted according to the characteristics of patients with thin endometrium.

Human chorionic gonadotropin-administered natural cycle versus spontaneous ovulatory cycle in patients undergoing two pronuclear zygote frozen-thawed embryo transfer

OBJECTIVE: To compare human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)-administered natural cycle with spontaneous ovulatory cycle in patients undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FTET) in natural cycles. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the clinical outcome of a total of 166 consecutive FTET cycles that were performed in either natural cycle controlled by HCG for ovulation triggering (HCG group, n=110) or natural cycle with spontaneous ovulation (control group, n=56) in 166 infertile patients between January 2009 and November 2013. RESULTS: There were no differences in patients' characteristics between the 2 groups. The numbers of oocytes retrieved, mature oocytes, fertilized oocytes, grade I or II embryos and frozen embryos in the previous in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle in which embryos were frozen were comparable between the HCG and control groups. Significant differences were not also observed between the 2 groups in clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), embryo implantation rate, miscarriage rate, live birth rate and multiple CPR. However, the number of hospital visits for follicular monitoring was significantly fewer in the HCG group than in the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that HCG administration for ovulation triggering in natural cycle reduces the number of hospital visits for follicular monitoring without any detrimental effect on FTET outcome when compared with spontaneous ovulatory cycles in infertile patients undergoing FTET in natural ovulatory cycles.

N-glycoproteomic analysis of human follicular fluid during natural and stimulated cycles in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization / 대한생식의학회지

OBJECTIVE: Hyperstimulation methods are broadly used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in patients with infertility; however, the side effects associated with these therapies, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), have not been well studied. N-glycoproteomes are subproteomes used for the remote sensing of ovarian stimulation in follicular growth. Glycoproteomic variation in human follicular fluid (hFF) has not been evaluated. In this study, we aimed to identify and quantify the glycoproteomes and N-glycoproteins (N-GPs) in natural and stimulated hFF using label-free nano-liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-quad time-of-flight mass spectrometry. METHODS: For profiling of the total proteome and glycoproteome, pooled protein samples from natural and stimulated hFF samples were selectively isolated using hydrazide chemistry to obtain the total proteomes and glycoproteomes. N-GPs were validated by the consensus sequence N-X-S/T (92.2% specificity for the N-glycomotif at p<0.05). All data were compared between natural versus hyperstimulated hFF samples. RESULTS: We detected 41 and 44 N-GPs in the natural and stimulated hFF samples, respectively. Importantly, we identified 11 N-GPs with greater than two-fold upregulation in stimulated hFF samples compared to natural hFF samples. We also validated the novel N-GPs thyroxine-binding globulin, vitamin D-binding protein, and complement proteins C3 and C9. CONCLUSION: We identified and classified N-GPs in hFF to improve our understanding of follicular physiology in patients requiring assisted reproduction. Our results provided important insights into the prevention of hyperstimulation side effects, such as OHSS.

Comparative study between natural cycles and programmed cycles using exogenous steroid hormones for endometrial preparation in cryopreserved-thawed blastocyst transfer / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of cryopreserved-thawed blastocyst transfer (CT-BT) in natural or programmed cycles using exogenous steroid hormones. METHODS: A total of 221 CT-BT cycles were included and divided into two groups according to endometrial preparation protocols. In natural cycle group (n=116), monitoring was performed by transvaginal ultrasonography to detect ovulation. In programmed cycle group (n=105), oral estradiol valerate, 6 mg/day, was started on the third day of the menstrual cycle and administered continuously, and progesterone in oil 100 mg i.m. daily injection was started on cycle day 15. CT-BTs were performed on five days after ovulation in natural cycles and five days after the initiation of progesterone administration in programmed cycles. Pregnancy rates, implantation rates, and other clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Clinical characteristics of study subjects did not differ between the two groups. Post-thaw survival rates, number of transferred blastocysts, and number of good-quality blastocysts were not different. There were no statistically significant differences in implantation rates (21.1% vs. 19.4%), clinical pregnancy rates (36.2% vs. 36.2%), and ongoing pregnancy rates (28.4% vs. 27.6%) between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant differences were found in pregnancy rates and implantation rates between the two protocols. Our results suggest that both protocols are equally effective for endometrial preparation in CT-BT cycles.

A Case of Heterotopic Pregnancy in a Natural Cycle / 대한불임학회지

Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistency of intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy is about 1 to 30,000 pregnancy in a natural cycle. However, the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy has steadily increased because of rising incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery and the development of ovulation induction and assisted reproduction. Because heterotopic pregnancy is difficult to diagnose and it has high morbidity and mortality rate, one should always take this into consideration and should conduct careful and thorough gynecologic evaluation. We have experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 29-year old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain in a natural cycle and report this case with a brief review of literature.

A Case of Term Delivery in Heterotopic Pregnancy following a Natural Conception / 대한산부인과학회지

Heterotopic pregnancy, simultaneous intrauterine and extrauterine gestations, is a relatively rare conditon with an estimated incidence of 1 in 30,000 pregnancies in a natural cycle. But the incidence of heterotopic pregnancies has been increased because of rising incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery, intrauterine device, the use of various ovulation induction and assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, gamate intrafallopian insemination. The early diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is very difficult. So there is a higher maternal morbidity, mortality and fetal loss. Thus careful pelvic examination, combined with serial beta hCG determinations and transvaginal sonography to evaluate the adnexal region are important. We experienced a case of 34-years-old multiparous women with heterotopic pregnancy in natual cycle confirmed by surgical removal of ruptured right tubal pregnancy and sonographic finding of the intrauterine pregnancy, which carried the intrauterine pregnancy to term delivery without complication at 39+5 weeks of gestation, and report this case with a brief review of the literature.

A Case of Heterotopic Pregnancy in a Natural Cycle / 대한산부인과학회잡지

Heterotopic pregnancy is the coexistency of intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy. The incidence of heterotopic pregnancy is about 1 to 30,000 pregnancy in a natural cycle. However, the frequency of heterotopic pregnancy has steadily increased because of rising incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic surgery and the development of ovulation induction and assisted reproduction. The clinical diagnosis of heterotopic pregnancy is difficult due to low incidence. Many of the cases are diagnosed by rupture of ectopic mass that makes serious complication to mother and fetus. We experienced a case of heterotopic pregnancy in a 32-year old woman who presented with acute abdominal pain in a natural cycle and report this case with a brief review of literature.

A case of heterotopic pregnancy in a natural cycle: ultrasound diagnosis / 대한산부인과학회잡지

Heterotopic pregnancy in a natural cycle is rare case. This case occurs by one out of 30,000 cases of pregnancies. It is quite difficult to diagnose a heterotopic pregnancy clinically. But, recently, the availability of high-resolution sonography has improved the preoperative diagnosis rate. We present a case of spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy which was diagnosed pre-operatively by transvaginal ultrasound.