-
Linzagolix therapy versus a placebo in patients with endometriosis-associated pain: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, Phase 3 study (EDELWEISS 3) Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-04-22 Jacques Donnez, Christian Becker, Hugh Taylor, Francisco Carmona Herrera, Olivier Donnez, Andrew Horne, Maciej Paszkowski, Felice Petraglia, Stefan P Renner, Amisha Patel, Mitra Boolell, Elke Bestel, Marie-Madeleine Dolmans
STUDY QUESTION Does linzagolix administered orally once daily for up to 3 months at a dose of 75 mg alone or 200 mg in combination with add-back therapy (ABT) (1.0 mg estradiol; 0.5 mg norethindrone acetate, also known as norethisterone acetate [NETA]) demonstrate better efficacy than placebo in the management of endometriosis-related dysmenorrhea and non-menstrual pelvic pain? SUMMARY ANSWER Combining
-
Gut bacteriome and mood disorders in women with PCOS Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-04-14 S Lee, M V Tejesvi, E Hurskainen, O Aasmets, J Plaza-Díaz, S Franks, L Morin-Papunen, J S Tapanainen, T S Ruuska, S Altmäe, E Org, A Salumets, R K Arffman, T T Piltonen
STUDY QUESTION How does the gut bacteriome differ based on mood disorders (MDs) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and how can the gut bacteriome contribute to the associations between these two conditions? SUMMARY ANSWER Women with PCOS who also have MDs exhibited a distinct gut bacteriome with reduced alpha diversity and a significantly lower abundance of Butyricicoccus compared to women
-
Improving vitrification efficiency of human in vitro matured oocytes by the addition of LEA proteins Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-04-09 Lu Li, Xingyu Bi, Xueqing Wu, Zhongrong Chen, Yunxia Cao, Gang Zhao
STUDY QUESTION Can the addition of late embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) proteins as a cryoprotective agent during the vitrification cryopreservation of in vitro matured oocytes enhance their developmental potential after fertilization? SUMMARY ANSWER LEA proteins improve the developmental potential of human in vitro matured oocytes following cryopreservation, mostly by downregulating FOS genes, reducing
-
Using the theory of planned behavior to predict parents’ disclosure of donor conception to their children: a longitudinal study Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-04-09 Johan Paulin, Kimmo Sorjonen, Gunilla Sydsjö, Claudia Lampic
STUDY QUESTION Can the application of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) help predict heterosexual parents’ disclosure of donor conception to their children? SUMMARY ANSWER Parents with a stronger will to act in accordance with social norms favoring disclosure were more likely to start the disclosure process within the next 5–9 years. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In contrast to single mothers by choice
-
An evaluation of sexual function and health-related quality of life following laparoscopic surgery in individuals living with endometriosis Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-04-02 Leesa Van Niekerk, Shaunagh Pugh, Antonina Mikocka-Walus, Cecilia Ng, Rebecca O’Hara, Mike Armour, Mathew Leonardi, Subhadra Evans
STUDY QUESTION What is the relationship between sexual function, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and laparoscopic surgery in individuals living with endometriosis? SUMMARY ANSWER A higher number of laparoscopic surgeries is significantly associated with poorer HRQoL and greater levels of sexual dysfunction in individuals with endometriosis. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Prior research indicates that
-
Menarche—a journey into womanhood: age at menarche and health-related outcomes in East Asians Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-25 Jian-Shiun Chiou, Ying-Ju Lin, Cherry Yin-Yi Chang, Wen-Miin Liang, Ting-Yuan Liu, Jai-Sing Yang, Chen-Hsing Chou, Hsing-Fang Lu, Mu-Lin Chiu, Ting-Hsu Lin, Chiu-Chu Liao, Shao-Mei Huang, I-Ching Chou, Te-Mao Li, Peng-Yan Huang, Tzu-Shun Chien, Hou-Ren Chen, Fuu-Jen Tsai
STUDY QUESTION Are there associations of age at menarche (AAM) with health-related outcomes in East Asians? SUMMARY ANSWER AAM is associated with osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes (T2D), glaucoma, and uterine fibroids, as demonstrated through observational studies, polygenic risk scores, genetic correlations, and Mendelian randomization (MR), with additional findings indicating a causal effect of BMI and
-
Urinary gonadotropin assay on 24-h collections as a tool to detect early central puberty onset in girls: determination of predictive thresholds Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Clément Janot, Pauline Perrin, Véronique Raverot, Patricia Bretones, René Ecochard, Sarah Malburet-Testori, Marc Nicolino, Zoé Robert, Florence Roucher-Boulez, Carine Villanueva, Kevin Perge, Ingrid Plotton
STUDY QUESTION Is the 24-h urinary gonadotropin assay an effective diagnostic tool in central precocious puberty (CPP) in girls? SUMMARY ANSWER This study is the first to provide 24-h urinary gonadotropin assay data, using an electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (CMIA), and to report its usefulness as a tool for the diagnosis of CPP. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Data about the GnRH test in the diagnosis of
-
Adolescents diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome under the Rotterdam criteria but not meeting the diagnosis under the updated guideline Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 Jin Ju Kim, Kyu Ri Hwang, Dayong Lee, Sunmie Kim, Young Min Choi
STUDY QUESTION What are the characteristics of adolescents diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) based on the 2003 Rotterdam criteria, but who do not meet the diagnosis according to the international evidence-based guideline? SUMMARY ANSWER Adolescents who had features of PCOS but did not meet the evidence-based guideline adolescent criteria exhibited unfavorable metabolic profiles compared
-
Ready for polygenic risk scores? An analysis of regulation of preimplantation genetic testing in European countries Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-22 M Siermann, V van der Schoot, E M Bunnik, P Borry
STUDY QUESTION Would the different regulatory approaches for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) in Europe permit the implementation of preimplantation genetic testing using polygenic risk scores (PGT-P)? SUMMARY ANSWER While the regulatory approaches for PGT differ between countries, the space provided for potential implementation of PGT-P seems limited in all three regulatory models. WHAT IS KNOWN
-
Targeting osteopontin alleviates endometriosis and inflammation by inhibiting the RhoA/ROS axis and achieves non-invasive in vitro detection via menstrual blood Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-21 Han Wang, Binming Wang, Meiling Wu, Jiefang Lu, Ping Duan
STUDY QUESTION How does osteopontin (OPN) in endometriosis ectopic stromal cells (EESCs) participate in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and achieve non-invasive detection in vitro? SUMMARY ANSWER Targeted OPN regulates endometriosis’s necroptosis and inflammatory state by inhibiting the RhoA/reactive oxygen species (ROS) axis, thereby alleviating endometriosis and enabling non-invasive detection
-
Estimating the impact of bias in causal epidemiological studies: the case of health outcomes following assisted reproduction Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-21 Adrian R Walker, Christos A Venetis, Signe Opdahl, Georgina M Chambers, Louisa R Jorm, Claire M Vajdic
Researchers interested in causal questions must deal with two sources of error: random error (random deviation from the true mean value of a distribution), and bias (systematic deviance from the true mean value due to extraneous factors). For some causal questions, randomization is not feasible, and observational studies are necessary. Bias poses a substantial threat to the validity of observational
-
The impact of ovarian stimulation on the human endometrial microenvironment Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-21 Anat Chemerinski, May Shen, Nuriban Valero-Pacheco, Qingshi Zhao, Trystn Murphy, Lea George, Alex Lemenze, Lauren Sherman, Debra Heller, Xiaowei Chen, Tracy Wu, Peter G McGovern, Sara S Morelli, Ripla Arora, Aimee M Beaulieu, Nataki C Douglas
STUDY QUESTION How does ovarian stimulation (OS), which is used to mature multiple oocytes for ART procedures, impact the principal cellular compartments and transcriptome of the human endometrium in the periovulatory and mid-secretory phases? SUMMARY ANSWER During the mid-secretory window of implantation, OS alters the abundance of endometrial immune cells, whereas during the periovulatory period
-
Systematic molecular analyses for 115 karyotypically normal men with isolated non-obstructive azoospermia Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-21 Yuki Muranishi, Yoshitomo Kobori, Yuko Katoh-Fukui, Satoshi Tamaoka, Atsushi Hattori, Akiyoshi Osaka, Hiroshi Okada, Kazuhiko Nakabayashi, Kenichiro Hata, Tomoko Kawai, Hiroko Ogata-Kawata, Toshiyuki Iwahata, Kazuki Saito, Masafumi Kon, Nobuo Shinohara, Maki Fukami
STUDY QUESTION Do copy-number variations (CNVs) in the azoospermia factor (AZF) regions and monogenic mutations play a major role in the development of isolated (non-syndromic) non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) in Japanese men with a normal 46, XY karyotype? SUMMARY ANSWER Deleterious CNVs in the AZF regions and damaging sequence variants in eight genes likely constitute at least 8% and approximately
-
First trimester maternal tryptophan metabolism and embryonic and fetal growth: the Rotterdam Periconceptional Cohort (Predict Study) Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-18 Sofie K M van Zundert, Nina C M van Egmond, Lenie van Rossem, Sten P Willemsen, Pieter H Griffioen, Ron H N van Schaik, Mina Mirzaian, Régine P M Steegers-Theunissen
STUDY QUESTION What is the association between first trimester maternal tryptophan (TRP) metabolites and embryonic and fetal growth? SUMMARY ANSWER Higher 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) concentrations are associated with reduced embryonic growth and fetal growth and with an increased risk of small-for-gestational age (SGA), while higher kynurenine (KYN) concentrations are associated with a reduced risk
-
Ovarian response and embryo ploidy following oral micronized progesterone-primed ovarian stimulation versus GnRH antagonist protocol. A prospective study with repeated ovarian stimulation cycles Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-18 M del Mar Vidal, Francisca Martínez, Ignacio Rodríguez, Nikolaos P Polyzos
STUDY QUESTION Is there any difference in ovarian response and embryo ploidy following progesterone-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) using micronized progesterone or GnRH antagonist protocol? SUMMARY ANSWER Pituitary downregulation with micronized progesterone as PPOS results in higher number of oocytes retrieved and a comparable number of euploid blastocysts to a GnRH antagonist protocol. WHAT IS
-
Microfluidic sperm sorting selects a subpopulation of high-quality sperm with a higher potential for fertilization Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-10 Nadia Sheibak, Fatemehsadat Amjadi, Amir Shamloo, Fatemeh Zarei, Zahra Zandieh
STUDY QUESTION Is a microfluidic sperm sorter (MSS) able to select higher quality sperm compared to conventional methods? SUMMARY ANSWER The MSS selects sperm with improved parameters, lower DNA fragmentation, and higher fertilizing potential. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY To date, the few studies that have compared microfluidics sperm selection with conventional methods have used heterogeneous study population
-
Genomic alterations in ovarian endometriosis and subsequently diagnosed ovarian carcinoma Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-09 A Linder, S Westbom-Fremer, C Mateoiu, A Olsson Widjaja, T Österlund, S Veerla, A Ståhlberg, B Ulfenborg, I Hedenfalk, K Sundfeldt
STUDY QUESTION Can the alleged association between ovarian endometriosis and ovarian carcinoma be substantiated by genetic analysis of endometriosis diagnosed prior to the onset of the carcinoma? SUMMARY ANSWER The data suggest that ovarian carcinoma does not originate from ovarian endometriosis with a cancer-like genetic profile; however, a common precursor is probable. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Endometriosis
-
Does recurrent implantation failure exist? Prevalence and outcomes of five consecutive euploid blastocyst transfers in 123 987 patients Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-07 Pavan Gill, Baris Ata, Ana Arnanz, Danilo Cimadomo, Alberto Vaiarelli, Human M Fatemi, Filippo Maria Ubaldi, Juan A Garcia-Velasco, Emre Seli
STUDY QUESTION What are the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in women who underwent up to two more euploid blastocyst transfers after three failures in the absence of another known factor that affects implantation? SUMMARY ANSWER The fourth and fifth euploid blastocyst transfers resulted in similar live birth rates of 40% and 53.3%, respectively, culminating in a cumulative live birth rate of
-
Deciphering the role of PGRMC2 in the human endometrium during the menstrual cycle and in vitro decidualization using an in vitro approach Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-03-07 Yassmin Medina-Laver, Roberto Gonzalez-Martin, Pedro de Castro, Indra Diaz-Hernandez, Pilar Alama, Alicia Quiñonero, Andrea Palomar, Francisco Dominguez
STUDY QUESTION What is the human endometrial non-classical progesterone receptor (PGR) membrane component 2 (PGRMC2) expression pattern throughout the menstrual cycle and what role does it play during decidualization? SUMMARY ANSWER Endometrial PGRMC2 expression fluctuates during the human menstrual cycle and is abundantly expressed in human endometrial stromal cells (hEnSCs) during in vitro decidualization
-
A case report of a normal fertile woman with 46,XX/46,XY somatic chimerism reveals a critical role for germ cells in sex determination Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-29 Dehua Cheng, Chang-Fu Lu, Fei Gong, Juan Du, Shimin Yuan, Ke-Li Luo, Yue-Qiu Tan, Guang-Xiu Lu, Ge Lin
Individuals with 46,XX/XY chimerism can display a wide range of characteristics, varying from hermaphroditism to complete male or female, and can display sex chromosome chimerism in multiple tissues, including the gonads. The gonadal tissues of females contain both granulosa and germ cells. However, the specific sex chromosome composition of the granulosa and germ cells in 46,XX/XY chimeric female
-
What importance do donors and recipients attribute to the nuclear DNA-related genetic heritage of oocyte donation? Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-29 A Mayeur, F Magnan, S Mathieu, P Rubens, B Sperelakis Beedham, C Sonigo, J Steffann, N Frydman
STUDY QUESTION How do oocyte donors and recipients perceive the genetic link related to the transfer of nuclear DNA between donors and offspring? SUMMARY ANSWER Whether they are donors or recipients, individuals attach great importance to the transmission of their genetic heritage, since 94.5% would opt for the pronuclear transfer method to preserve this genetic link in the context of oocyte donation
-
Fetal genetically determined birth weight plays a causal role in earlier puberty timing: evidence from human genetic studies Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-22 Qinghui Peng, Wenjuan Qiu, Zengjun Li, Jian Zhao, Cairong Zhu
STUDY QUESTION Does fetal genetically determined birth weight associate with the timing of puberty? SUMMARY ANSWER Lower fetal genetically determined birth weight was causally associated with an earlier onset of puberty, independent of the indirect effects of the maternal intrauterine environment. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Previous Mendelian randomization (MR) studies have indicated a potential causal
-
Anogenital distance in a cohort of 169 infant boys with uni- or bilateral cryptorchidism including 18 boys with vanishing testes Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-19 Dina Cortes, Margit Bistrup Fischer, Andrea E Hildorf, Erik Clasen-Linde, Simone Hildorf, Anders Juul, Katharina M Main, Jorgen Thorup
STUDY QUESTION Do different boys with different types of cryptorchidism exhibit different anogenital distances (AGDs)? SUMMARY ANSWER Length of AGD seemed to differ in different groups of patients with cryptorchidism. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY AGD, which is used as an indicator of prenatal androgen action, tends to be shorter in boys with cryptorchidism compared to unaffected boys. Shorter AGDs have also
-
Psychosocial outcomes of children born via embryo donation Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-19 Salomeh Salari, Seungho Lee, Joshua Mangels, Rebecca Flyckt, Jody Madeira, John Gordon, Jeffrey Keenan, Miryoung Lee, Paul Lin, Guido Pennings, Craig Sweet, Susan Klock, Steven R Lindheim
STUDY QUESTION What are parents’ perceptions of their relationships with and the psychosocial adjustments of their children who are born via embryo donation? SUMMARY ANSWER Families created through embryo donation have well-adjusted parent–child relationships and reassuring child psychosocial outcomes. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Embryo donation is an effective and growing form of third-party reproduction
-
Impact of a hypocaloric dietary intervention on antral follicle dynamics in eumenorrheic women with obesity Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-09 Alexis L Oldfield, Faith E Carter, Rachel E Reeves, Brittany Y Jarrett, Heidi Vanden Brink, Marla E Lujan
STUDY QUESTION Do antral follicle dynamics change in women with obesity and regular ovulatory cycles after a 6-month hypocaloric dietary intervention? SUMMARY ANSWER After a 6-month hypocaloric dietary intervention, women with obesity and regular ovulatory cycles displayed evidence of improved antral follicle dynamics defined by the emergence of more dominant follicles, larger ovulatory follicle diameter
-
Both protein and non-protein components in extracellular vesicles of human seminal plasma improve human sperm function via CatSper-mediated calcium signaling Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-09 Xiaoning Zhang, Min Liang, Dandan Song, Rongzu Huang, Chen Chen, Xiaojun Liu, Houyang Chen, Qingxin Wang, Xiaoli Sun, Jian Song, Jiali Zhang, Hang Kang, Xuhui Zeng
STUDY QUESTION What is the significance and mechanism of human seminal plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) in regulating human sperm functions? SUMMARY ANSWER EV increases the intracellular Ca2+ concentrations [Ca2+]i via extracellular Ca2+ influx by activating CatSper channels, and subsequently modulate human sperm motility, especially hyperactivated motility, which is attributed to both protein and
-
Intra-individual variability of serum progesterone levels on the day of frozen blastocyst transfer in hormonal replacement therapy cycles Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-09 M Bourdon, C Guihard, C Maignien, C Patrat, J Guibourdenche, C Chapron, P Santulli
STUDY QUESTION Is there a significant intra-individual variability of serum progesterone levels on the day of single blastocyst Hormone Replacement Therapy-Frozen Embryo Transfer (HRT-FET) between two consecutive cycles? SUMMARY ANSWER No significant intra-individual variability of serum progesterone (P) levels was noted between two consecutive HRT-FET cycles. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In HRT-FET cycles
-
Association between proliferative-to-secretory endometrial compaction and pregnancy outcomes after embryo transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Shenghui Feng, Bangqi Wang, Shen Chen, Qiqi Xie, Lamei Yu, Chaoyi Xiong, Shuang Wang, Zhihui Huang, Gengbao Xing, Ke Li, Chuming Lu, Yan Zhao, Zengming Li, Qiongfang Wu, Jialyu Huang
STUDY QUESTION Does the change in endometrial thickness (EMT) from the end of the follicular/estrogen phase to the day of embryo transfer (ET) determine subsequent pregnancy outcomes? SUMMARY ANSWER Endometrial compaction from the late-proliferative to secretory phase is not associated with live birth rate (LBR) and other pregnancy outcomes. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Endometrial compaction has been suggested
-
Early or late menarche is associated with reduced fecundability in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 M L Warp, T Grindstad, M C Magnus, C M Page, S E Håberg, N -H Morken, L B Romundstad, H I Hanevik
STUDY QUESTION Is age at menarche associated with fecundability? SUMMARY ANSWER Both early (<11 years) and late (>15 years) menarche is associated with decreased fecundability. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Previous studies on age at menarche and fecundability have been inconclusive. Women with early or late menarche are at increased risks of gynaecological and autoimmune diseases that may affect their ability
-
Trophectoderm cells of human mosaic embryos display increased apoptotic levels and impaired differentiation capacity: a molecular clue regarding their reproductive fate? Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-03 Ángel Martín, Amparo Mercader, Diana Beltrán, Amparo Mifsud, Mar Nohales, María Luisa Pardiñas, David Ortega-Jaén, María José de los Santos
STUDY QUESTION Are there cell lineage-related differences in the apoptotic rates and differentiation capacity of human blastocysts diagnosed as euploid, mosaic, and aneuploid after preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) based on concurrent copy number and genotyping analysis? SUMMARY ANSWER Trophectoderm (TE) cells of mosaic and aneuploid blastocysts exhibit significantly higher levels
-
The epidemiology of pregnancy loss: global burden, variable risk factors, and predictions Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-03 Fei Tong, Yue Wang, Qianqian Gao, Yan Zhao, Xu Zhang, Baoxuan Li, Xiaoyan Wang
STUDY QUESTION Is the incidence of pregnancy loss correlated with various geographic, socio-demographic, and age stratifications at the societal and national levels, and what are the risk factors associated with pregnancy loss at the individual level? SUMMARY ANSWER The epidemiological trends and disease burden of pregnancy loss were correlated with various geographic, socio-demographic, and age stratifications
-
Bacterial infection in endometriosis: a silver-lining for the development of new non-hormonal therapy? Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-01 Khaleque N Khan, Dominique de Ziegler, Sun-Wei Guo
The pathogenesis of endometriosis is a hotly debated topic, yet still cloaked in multiple layers of hypothetical theories. A recent report raises the possibility that bacterial infection, especially those of the genus Fusobacterium, may be the cause of endometriosis, at least in certain women. More importantly, the demonstration that treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics significantly reduced the
-
Bipedalism and the dawn of uterine fibroids Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-02-01 George A Vilos, Angelos G Vilos, Fred Burbank
The high prevalence and burden of uterine fibroids in women raises questions about the origin of these benign growths. Here, we propose that fibroids should be understood in the context of human evolution, specifically the advent of bipedal locomotion in the hominin lineage. Over the ≥7 million years since our arboreal ancestors left their trees, skeletal adaptations ensued, affecting the pelvis, limbs
-
Psychosocial experiences of involuntary definitive childless women: a comparative study based on reproductive status Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-30 Sara Ribeiro, Juliana Pedro, Mariana Veloso Martins
STUDY QUESTION Do involuntary definitive childless women have lower psychosocial adjustment levels than women with infertility diagnoses actively trying to conceive and presumably fertile women? SUMMARY ANSWER Involuntary definitive childless women have lower levels of sexual functioning than infertile women actively trying to conceive and presumably fertile women, and higher levels of depression than
-
The intrafollicular concentrations of biologically active cortisol in women rise abruptly shortly before ovulation and follicular rupture Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-25 M L Johannsen, L C Poulsen, L S Mamsen, M L Grøndahl, A L M Englund, N L Lauritsen, E C Carstensen, B Styrishave, C Yding Andersen
STUDY QUESTION What is the temporal activity and the concentration in follicular fluid (FF) of the anti-inflammatory steroid cortisol during the ovulatory process in humans? SUMMARY ANSWER Intrafollicular concentrations of cortisol become massively upregulated close to ovulation concomitant with an exceptionally high biological activity securing a timely and efficient termination of inflammatory processes
-
Development of a single-visit protocol for the management of pregnancy of unknown location following in vitro fertilization: a retrospective study Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-24 W M Dooley, L V de Braud, M Wong, S Platts, J A Ross, D Jurkovic
STUDY QUESTION Can women with pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) following in vitro fertilization (IVF) be risk-stratified regarding the subsequent need for medical intervention, based on their demographic characteristics and the results of serum biochemistry at the initial visit? SUMMARY ANSWER The ratio of serum hCG to number of days from conception (hCG/C) or the initial serum hCG level at ≥5 weeks’
-
Should a gamete bank verify the non-medical information provided by a donor? Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Guido Pennings
Over the years, cases of fraud have been discovered where donors have been lying about their characteristics. The question raised by such cases is what the responsibility of the gamete bank is for the non-medical information provided by the donor. The problem is that extended donor profiles contain a large amount of information about different aspects of the donor’s life and that not all this information
-
Two-year efficacy and safety of relugolix combination therapy in women with endometriosis-associated pain: SPIRIT open-label extension study Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-20 Christian M Becker, Neil P Johnson, Sawsan As-Sanie, Juan C Arjona Ferreira, Mauricio S Abrao, Krzysztof Wilk, So Jung Imm, Vandana Mathur, Julie S Perry, Rachel B Wagman, Linda C Giudice
STUDY QUESTION What is the efficacy and safety of long-term treatment (up to 2 years) with relugolix combination therapy (CT) in women with moderate to severe endometriosis-associated pain? SUMMARY ANSWER For up to 2 years, treatment with relugolix CT improved menstrual and non-menstrual pain, dyspareunia, and function in women with endometriosis; after an initial decline of <1%, the mean bone mineral
-
Evaluating testicular tissue for future autotransplantation: focus on cancer cell contamination and presence of spermatogonia in tissue cryobanked for boys diagnosed with a hematological malignancy Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-16 Dhoha Kourta, Alessandra Camboni, Pascale Saussoy, Marc Kanbar, Jonathan Poels, Christine Wyns
STUDY QUESTION What is the contamination rate by cancer cells and spermatogonia numbers in immature testicular tissue (ITT) harvested before the start of gonadotoxic therapy in boys with a hematological malignancy? SUMMARY ANSWER Among our cohort of boys diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphomas, 39% (n = 11/28) had cancer cells identified in their tissues at the time of diagnosis
-
A cryptozoospermic infertile male with Y chromosome AZFc microdeletion and low FSH levels due to a simultaneous polymorphism in the FSHB gene: a case report Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-15 Andrea Graziani, Maurizio Merico, Giuseppe Grande, Antonella Di Mambro, Cinzia Vinanzi, Maria Santa Rocca, Riccardo Selice, Alberto Ferlin
Genetic causes account for 10–15% of male factor infertility, making the genetic investigation an essential and useful tool, mainly in azoospermic and severely oligozoospermic men. In these patients, the most frequent findings are chromosomal abnormalities and Y chromosome long arm microdeletions, which cause a primary severe spermatogenic impairment with classically increased levels of FSH. On the
-
Towards comprehensive management of symptomatic endometriosis: beyond the dichotomy of medical versus surgical treatment Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-11 Velja Mijatovic, Paolo Vercellini
Except when surgery is the only option because of organ damage, the presence of suspicious lesions, or the desire to conceive, women with endometriosis-associated pain often face a choice between medical and surgical treatment. In theory, the description of the potential benefits and potential harms of the two alternatives should be standardized, unbiased, and based on strong evidence, enabling the
-
ChatGPT: a reliable fertility decision-making tool? Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-11 Kiri Beilby, Karin Hammarberg
The internet is the primary source of infertility-related information for most people who are experiencing fertility issues. Although no longer shrouded in stigma, the privacy of interacting only with a computer provides a sense of safety when engaging with sensitive content and allows for diverse and geographically dispersed communities to connect and share their experiences. It also provides businesses
-
Considering multifetal pregnancy reduction in triplet pregnancies: do we forget the emotional impact on fathers? A qualitative study from The Netherlands Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-11 P M van Baar, W F J Grijzenhout, M A de Boer, C J M de Groot, E Pajkrt, B F P Broekman, M G van Pampus
STUDY QUESTION What factors influence the decision-making process of fathers regarding multifetal pregnancy reduction or maintaining a triplet pregnancy, and how do these decisions impact their psychological well-being? SUMMARY ANSWER For fathers, the emotional impact of multifetal pregnancy reduction or caring for triplets is extensive and requires careful consideration. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Multifetal
-
Metabolic imaging of human embryos is predictive of ploidy status but is not associated with clinical pregnancy outcomes: a pilot trial Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-10 Denny Sakkas, Colwyn Gulliford, Goli Ardestani, Olcay Ocali, Marion Martins, Nitya Talasila, Jaimin S Shah, Alan S Penzias, Emily A Seidler, Tim Sanchez
STUDY QUESTION Does fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM)-based metabolic imaging assessment of human blastocysts prior to frozen transfer correlate with pregnancy outcomes? SUMMARY ANSWER FLIM failed to distinguish consistent patterns in mitochondrial metabolism between blastocysts leading to pregnancy compared to those that did not. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY FLIM measurements provide quantitative
-
The endometrial microbiota and early pregnancy loss Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-10 Joshua Odendaal, Naomi Black, Phillip R Bennett, Jan Brosens, Siobhan Quenby, David A MacIntyre
The human endometrium is a dynamic entity that plays a pivotal role in mediating the complex interplay between the mother and developing embryo. Endometrial disruption can lead to pregnancy loss, impacting both maternal physical and psychological health. Recent research suggests that the endometrial microbiota may play a role in this, although the exact mechanisms are still being explored, aided by
-
Clinical outcomes from ART in predicted hyperresponders: in vitro maturation of oocytes versus conventional ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-05 L Mostinckx, E Goyens, S Mackens, C Roelens, L Boudry, V Uvin, I Segers, C Schoemans, P Drakopoulos, C Blockeel, M De Vos
STUDY QUESTION Do ongoing pregnancy rates (OPRs) differ in predicted hyperresponders undergoing ART after IVM of oocytes compared with conventional ovarian stimulation (OS) for IVF/ICSI? SUMMARY ANSWER One cycle of IVM is non-inferior to one cycle of OS in women with serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels ≥10 ng/ml. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Women with high antral follicle count and elevated serum AMH
-
Severe sperm DNA fragmentation may persist for up to 3 years after cytotoxic therapy in patients affected by Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-05 Ginevra Farnetani, Matteo Vannucci, Maria Grazia Fino, Francesca Cioppi, Viktoria Rosta, Manuela Palma, Lara Tamburrino, Serena Vinci, Elena Casamonti, Selene Degl’Innocenti, Matilde Spinelli, Chiara Abrardo, Sara Marchiani, Francesco Lotti, Monica Muratori, Antoni Riera-Escamilla, Csilla Krausz
STUDY QUESTION Does sperm DNA recover from damage in all men after 2 years from the end of cytotoxic treatments? SUMMARY ANSWER The current indication of 2 years waiting time for seeking natural pregnancy after cytotoxic treatment may not be adequate for all men, since severe sperm DNA damage is present in a proportion of subjects even after this timeframe. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Data in the literature
-
Growth of singletons born after frozen embryo transfer until early adulthood: a Finnish register study Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-05 A M Terho, A Tiitinen, J Salo, H Martikainen, M Gissler, S Pelkonen
STUDY QUESTION Are there growth differences between singleton children born after frozen embryo transfer (FET), fresh embryo transfer (ET), and natural conception (NC)? SUMMARY ANSWER Adolescent boys born after FET have a higher mean proportion and increased odds of overweight compared to those born after fresh ET. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Children born after FET have higher mean birthweights and an increased
-
An immune window of opportunity to prevent spontaneous abortion: prepregnancy peripheral leukocytes and subsets were associated with a decreased risk of spontaneous abortion Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Youhong Liu, Ying Yang, Chuanyu Zhao, Meiya Liu, Die Xu, Hanbin Wu, Jueming Lei, Yuzhi Deng, Wenlu Xie, Jiaxin Huang, Siyu Wu, Ya Zhang, Hongguang Zhang, Yuan He, Zuoqi Peng, Yuanyuan Wang, Haiping Shen, Qiaomei Wang, Yiping Zhang, Donghai Yan, Long Wang, Xu Ma
STUDY QUESTION Do prepregnancy peripheral leukocytes (PPLs) and their subsets influence the risk of spontaneous abortion (SAB)? SUMMARY ANSWER PPLs and their subsets are associated with the risk of SAB. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Compelling studies have revealed the crucial role of maternal peripheral leukocytes in embryo implantation and pregnancy maintenance. Adaptive changes are made by PPLs and their
-
Could the sperm epigenome become a diagnostic tool for evaluation of the infertile man? Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-27 Ettore Caroppo, Michael K Skinner
Although male infertility is currently diagnosed when abnormal sperm parameters are found, the poor predictive ability of sperm parameters on natural fecundity and medically assisted reproduction outcome poses the need for improved diagnostic techniques for male infertility. The accumulating evidence about the role played by the sperm epigenome in modulation of the early phases of embryonic development
-
Applying a simplified economic evaluation approach to evaluate infertility treatments in clinical practice Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-27 Qian Feng, Wentao Li, Emily J Callander, Rui Wang, Ben W Mol
IVF is the backbone of infertility treatment, but due to its costs, it is not affordable for everyone. The cost of IVF is further escalated by interventions added to the routine treatment, which are claimed to boost pregnancy rates, so-called add-ons. Consequently, it is critical to offset the increased costs of an intervention against a potentially higher benefit. Here, we propose using a simplified
-
Endometriosis-related infertility: severe pain symptoms do not impact assisted reproductive technology outcomes Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-24 C Maignien, M Bourdon, G Parpex, L Ferreux, C Patrat, C Bordonne, L Marcellin, C Chapron, P Santulli
STUDY QUESTION Do severe endometriosis-related painful symptoms impact ART live birth rates? SUMMARY ANSWER Severe pain symptoms are not associated with reduced ART live birth rates in endometriosis patients. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY ART is currently recognized as one of the main therapeutic options to manage endometriosis-related infertility. Presently, no data exist in the literature regarding the association
-
Oral dydrogesterone versus micronized vaginal progesterone for luteal phase support: a double-blind crossover study investigating pharmacokinetics and impact on the endometrium Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-19 S Loreti, K Thiele, M De Brucker, C Olsen, J Centelles-Lodeiro, C Bourgain, W Waelput, H Tournaye, G Griesinger, J Raes, S Vieira-Silva, P Arck, C Blockeel, S Mackens
STUDY QUESTION How do plasma progesterone (P) and dydrogesterone (D) concentrations together with endometrial histology, transcriptomic signatures, and immune cell composition differ when oral dydrogesterone (O-DYD) or micronized vaginal progesterone (MVP) is used for luteal phase support (LPS)? SUMMARY ANSWER Although after O-DYD intake, even at steady-state, plasma D and 20αdihydrodydrogesterone
-
Fertility education: recommendations for developing and implementing tools to improve fertility literacy Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-13 Mariana V Martins, Emily Koert, Randi Sylvest, Eri Maeda, Mariana Moura-Ramos, Karin Hammarberg, Joyce Harper
Many recent societal trends have led to the need for fertility education, including the age at which individuals become parents, the development of new reproductive technologies, and family diversity. Fertility awareness has emerged as a concept very recently and is increasingly gaining recognition. However, fertility education is often neglected as there is no consensus on the appropriate content
-
Anti-Mullerian hormone attenuates both cyclophosphamide-induced damage and PI3K signalling activation, while rapamycin attenuates only PI3K signalling activation, in human ovarian cortex in vitro Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-10 Roseanne Rosario, Hazel L Stewart, Norah Spears, Evelyn E Telfer, Richard A Anderson
STUDY QUESTION What are the effects of cyclophosphamide exposure on the human ovary and can anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and rapamycin protect against these? SUMMARY ANSWER Exposure to cyclophosphamide compromises the health of primordial and transitional follicles in the human ovarian cortex and upregulates PI3K signalling, indicating both direct damage and increased follicular activation; AMH attenuates
-
A brief history of artificial intelligence embryo selection: from black-box to glass-box Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-07 Tammy Lee, Jay Natalwala, Vincent Chapple, Yanhe Liu
With the exponential growth of computing power and accumulation of embryo image data in recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to be utilized in embryo selection in IVF. Amongst different AI technologies, machine learning (ML) has the potential to reduce operator-related subjectivity in embryo selection while saving labor time on this task. However, as modern deep learning (DL) techniques
-
Preconception sleep duration, non-daytime work schedules, and incidence of spontaneous abortion: a prospective cohort study Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-07 J C Bond, C M Coleman, J J Yland, A K Wesselink, T Wang, M Willis, E E Hatch, K J Rothman, D Savitz, M L Eisenberg, L A Wise
STUDY QUESTION To what extent do self-reported sleep duration and non-daytime work schedules in either partner affect the rate of spontaneous abortion (SAB)? SUMMARY ANSWER Incidence of SAB had little association with female sleep duration and a modest positive association with male short sleep duration, female work at night, and discrepant work schedules among partners. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Several
-
Genome-wide association study meta-analysis of dizygotic twinning illuminates genetic regulation of female fecundity Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-05 Hamdi Mbarek, Scott D Gordon, David L Duffy, Nikki Hubers, Sally Mortlock, Jeffrey J Beck, Jouke-Jan Hottenga, René Pool, Conor V Dolan, Ky’Era V Actkins, Zachary F Gerring, Jenny Van Dongen, Erik A Ehli, William G Iacono, Matt Mcgue, Daniel I Chasman, C Scott Gallagher, Samantha L P Schilit, Cynthia C Morton, Guillaume Paré, Gonneke Willemsen, David C Whiteman, Catherine M Olsen, Catherine Derom,
STUDY QUESTION Which genetic factors regulate female propensity for giving birth to spontaneous dizygotic (DZ) twins? SUMMARY ANSWER We identified four new loci, GNRH1, FSHR, ZFPM1, and IPO8, in addition to previously identified loci, FSHB and SMAD3. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The propensity to give birth to DZ twins runs in families. Earlier, we reported that FSHB and SMAD3 as associated with DZ twinning
-
Serum progesterone is lower in ovarian stimulation with highly purified HMG compared to recombinant FSH owing to a different regulation of follicular steroidogenesis: a randomized controlled trial Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-12-01 Ernesto Bosch, Pilar Alamá, Josep Lluis Romero, Marta Marí, Elena Labarta, Antonio Pellicer
STUDY QUESTION Does ovarian stimulation with highly purified (hp)-HMG protect from elevated progesterone in the follicular phase compared to recombinant FSH (r-FSH) cycles through a different regulation of follicular steroidogenesis? SUMMARY ANSWER hp-HMG enhanced the Δ4 pathway from pregnenolone to androstenodione leading to lower serum progesterone at the end of the cycle, while r-FSH promoted the
-
Statistical significance and publication reporting bias in abstracts of reproductive medicine studies Hum. Reprod. (IF 6.1) Pub Date : 2023-11-28 Qian Feng, Ben W Mol, John P A Ioannidis, Wentao Li
STUDY QUESTION What were the frequency and temporal trends of reporting P-values and effect measures in the abstracts of reproductive medicine studies in 1990–2022, how were reported P-values distributed, and what proportion of articles that present with statistical inference reported statistically significant results, i.e. ‘positive’ results? SUMMARY ANSWER Around one in six abstracts reported P-values