Serum androgen dynamics in young women aged 18-40 treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer: an observational, multicentric, prospective study in France.

Although the deleterious impact of chemotherapy regimen used to treat women of reproductive age with breast cancer on ovarian reserve has been extensively studied, hardly anything has been reported on the effect of these protocols on theca cell function and ovarian androgen secretion. The aim of this prospective multicentric cohort study was to describe serum levels of total testosterone and androstenedione during chemotherapy and 24-month follow-up in 250 patients <40 years treated for breast cancer. Mean basal levels of androstenedione and total testosterone at diagnosis were 1.68 ng/mL and 0.20 ng/mL respectively. No correlation with age was found. Serum levels of androstenedione and total testosterone rapidly decreased after chemotherapy completion, before slowly increasing and almost returning to basal levels in all patients during 2-year follow-up. In conclusion our study demonstrates a chemotherapy-induced alteration of ovarian thecal function, resulting in a significant decrease in serum androgen levels. This alteration of theca cell function adds to the well-known alteration of granulosa cell function, resulting in a global, but partly transient, ovarian failure in young women treated for breast cancer. These data bring new insight into ovarian physiology and emphasize the need for pre and post-treatment ovarian follow-up. Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov identifier NCT01114464.

Total blastocyst usable rate is a predictor of cumulative live birth rate in IVF cycles.

PURPOSE: Despite advances in IVF techniques, determining the prognostic factors influencing cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) remains crucial for optimizing outcomes. Among the various key performance indicators in the lab, blastulation rate, and more specifically Total Blastocyst Usable Rate (TBUR), has gained particular interest. In this study we aimed at determining if TBUR was significantly associated with CLBR. BASIC PROCEDURES: This monocentric retrospective case-control study was conducted in 317 consecutive IVF/ICSI cycles in 2014-2020 and leading to the formation of 3 usable blastocysts, including freeze all cycles. TBUR (usable blastocysts / 2PNs) was calculated and CLBR after 2-year follow up was recorded, including both fresh and frozen embyro transfers. CLBR was then compared between 2 groups according to TBUR (group 1: TBUR ≥50 % vs group 2: TBUR ≤30 %). MAIN FINDINGS: CLBR was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (57 vs. 41 %, p = 0.02). Adjusted logistic regression showed a statistically significant relationship between CLBR and TBUR, with a significantly lower chance of achieving a live birth in group 2 than in group 1 (OR = 0.408 [0.17-0.96]; p = 0.04). PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS: Although the monocentric design and the arbitrary choice of thresholds for TBUR and number of blastocysts call for caution when generalizing the findings and advocates for external validation, our results illustrate that TBUR is a valuable prognostic factor of CLBR in IVF cycles which might serve as a tool for lab monitoring, cycle analysis by medical staff and patients' counselling. These results fit well within the P4 medicine concept (Predictive, Preventive, Personalized, and Participatory), and advocate for further research in order to improve embryo culture conditions.

Female smoking does not affect live birth rate after frozen thawed blastocyst transfer cycle.

PURPOSE: The development of vitrification and blastocyst culture have recently led to a rapidly growing number of single frozen thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT) cycles worldwide. Although the impact of female smoking on spontaneous fertility is well established, its effect on assisted reproductive technologies (ART) outcome is still controversial, and no study has specifically evaluated its effect on FBT cycles' outcome. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in all consecutive FBT cycles conducted between 2012 and 2021 in a single University-based ART centre. Endometrial preparation was standard and based on hormonal replacement therapy. One or two blastocysts were transferred according to couple's history and embryo quality. Female smoking status was recorded for each cycle, and the association between female smoking status and Live Birth Rate (LBR) after FBT cycle was evaluated with univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1537 FBT cycles performed in non-smoking women and 397 FBT cycles performed in smoking women were included in the analysis. No independent association between female smoking status and LBR in FBT cycles was found after logistic regression (OR=1.07 [0.79-1.45], p = 0.649). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that female smoking might not impair endometrial receptiveness in non-stimulated FBT cycles. Further studies should nevertheless consider assessing more precisely the current smoking exposure.

[Retrospective validation of a model to predict the outcome of pregnancies of unknown location]. / Évaluation rétrospective d'un algorithme d'aide à la décision concernant les grossesses de localisation indéterminée.

OBJECTIVE: The prediction model M6 classifies pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) into a low-risk or a high-risk group in developing ectopic pregnancy (EP). The aim of this study was to validate the two-step M6 model's ability to classify PUL in French women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All women with a diagnosis of PUL over a year were included in this single center retrospective study. Patients with a diagnosis of EP at the first consultation of with incomplete data were excluded. For each patient, the M6 model calculator was used to classified them into "high risk of EP" and "low risk of EP" group. The reference standard was the final diagnostic: failed PUL (FPUL), intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) of EP. The statistical measures of the test's performance were calculated. RESULTS: Over the period, 255 women's consulted for a PUL, 197 has been included in the study. Final diagnosis were: 94 FPUL (94/197; 47.7%), 74 IUP (74/197; 37.6%) et 29 EP (29/197; 14.7%). The first step of the M6 model classified 16 women in the FPUL group of which 15 (15/16; 93.7%) correctly. The second step of the M6 model classified 181 women: 90 (90/181; 49.7%) in the "high risk of EP" group of which 63 (63/90; 70%) were FPUL/IUP and 27 (27/90; 30%) were EP. 91 (91/181; 50.3%) was classified in the "low risk of EP" group of which 90 (90/91; 98.9%) were FPUL/IUP and 1 (1/91; 1.1%) were EP. EP were correctly classified with sensitivity of 96.4%, negative predictive value of 98.9%, specificity of 58.8% and positive predictive value of 30.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The prediction model of PUL M6 classified EP in "high risk of EP group" with a sensitivity of 96.4%. It classified 50.3% of PUL in a "low risk of EP" group with a negative predictive value of 98.9%.