Decreased fertility in poor responder women is not related to oocyte morphological status

Introduction: In women showing impaired fertility, a decreased response to ovarian stimulation is a major problem, limiting the number of oocytes to be used for assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Despite the several definitions of poor response, it is still a matter of debate whether young poor responder patients also show a decrease in oocyte quality. The objective in this study was to investigate whether poor ovarian response to the superstimulation protocol is accompanied by impaired oocyte quality. Material and methods: This study included 313 patients younger than 35 years old, undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Patients with four or fewer MII oocytes (poor-responder group, PR, n = 57) were age-matched with normoresponder patients (NR, n = 256). Results: A higher rate of oocyte retrieval and a trend towards an increase in MII oocyte rate were observed in the NR group when compared to the PR group (71.6 +/- 1.1% and 74.1 +/- 1.0% vs. 56.3 +/- 2.9% and 66.5 +/- 3.7%; p < 0.0001 and p = 0.056, respectively). A trend toward increased implantation rates was observed in the NR group when compared to the PR group (44 and 24.5 +/- 2.0% vs. 28.8 and 16.4 +/- 3.9%; p = 0.0305 and p = 0.0651, respectively). Conclusions: Low response to ovarian stimulation is apparently not related to impaired oocyte quality. However, embryos produced from poor responder oocytes show impaired capacity to implant and to carry a pregnancy to term

Zika Virus Outbreak - Should assisted reproduction patients avoid pregnancy?

Objective: To discuss the requirement from the National Health Surveillance Agency(ANVISA), for assisted reproduction treatment patients to undergo laboratory tests for ZIKV detection, and if the public health authorities and government leaders' recommendations to women simply avoid pregnancy is prudent. Methods: This study was performed in a universityaffiliated in vitro fertilization center in Brazil. We present a critical discussion on the risk of microcephaly due to ZIKV infection and the prevalence of other harmful pathogens to vulnerable pregnant women and infants. We assessed, 954 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles(ICSI), between April and November of 2016, concerning the results of ZIKV test, according to different regions in Brazil. Results: Patients undergoing ICSI cycles were split into groups, according to their region of origin: 28(3.0%) were from the North, 27(2.8%) were from the Northeast, 40(4.2%) were from the Midwest, 830(87.2%) were from the Southeast, and 29(3.0%) were from the South. Concerning the diagnosis, 112 samples had a positive or inconclusive result for ZIKV, by chromatography immunoassay. These samples were re-analyzed by ELISA and no result was positive. All positive results were from the Southeast region and none from the Northeast or Midwest regions, which are considered endemic regions. Conclusion: ZIKV test before the onset of assisted reproduction treatments does not rule out the risk of the infection during pregnancy. In addition, although ZIKV infection risk is extremely high, the microcephaly risk due to ZIKV is not higher than the risk of miscarriage and birth defects due to other recognized pathogens.Fertil Med Grp, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilCtr Estudos & Pesquisa Reprod Humana Assistida, Inst Sapientiae, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Cirurgia, Area Reprod Humana, Disciplina Urol, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Cirurgia, Area Reprod Humana, Disciplina Urol, Sao Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Contributing factors for the incidence of aneuploidy in older patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles

Abstract Purpose To evaluate different factors that might affect the incidence of embryo aneuploidy in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles (ICSI). Methods One hundred and ninety ICSI cycles in conjunction with preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) were included. The influence of the following variables on the aneuploidy incidence was evaluated: (i) maternal and (ii) paternal ages, (iii) dose of FSH administered, (iv) dose of FSH per number of retrieved matured oocytes (FSH/MII), (v) serum 17β-oestradiol levels on the ovulation trigger day, (vi) aspirated follicles and (vii) retrieved oocytes. Results A total of 440 embryos were successfully biopsied, of which 240 were considered euploid and 200 were considered aneuploid. The paternal age (Slope: 0.2, p00.372), total dose of FSH (Slope: 0.2, p00.218), FSH/MII (Slope: 0.1, p00.296) and 17β-oestradiol levels (Slope: 0.2, p0 0.378) were not correlated with the presence of aneuploidy. However, the maternal age (Slope: 1.7, p&lt;0.01), aspirated follicles (Slope: 1.9, p&lt;0.01) and retrieved oocytes (Slope: 2.6, p&lt;0.01) were negatively correlated with the incidence of aneuploidy. Conclusions Even in older patients, lower oocyte yields may represent a more appropriate response to ovarian stimulation, allowing the most competent follicles and oocytes to develop and thereby reducing the occurrence of embryo aneuploidy

Secretome of the preimplantation human embryo by bottom-up label-free proteomics

Abstract A bottom-up label-free mass spectrometric proteomic strategy was used to analyse the protein profiles of the human embryonic secretome. Culture media samples used for embryonic culture of patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles were selected as a test case for this exploratory proof-of-principle study. The media were stored after embryo transfer and then pooled into positive (n = 8) and negative (n =8) implantation groups. The absolute quantitative bottom-up technique employed a multidimensional protein identification technology based on separation by nano-ultra-high pressure chromatography and identification via tandem nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry with dataindependent scanning in a hydrid QqTOF mass spectrometer. By applying quantitative bottom-up proteomics, unique proteins were found exclusively in both the positive-and negative-implantation groups, which suggest that competent embryos express and secrete unique biomarker proteins into the surrounding culture medium. The selective monitoring of these possible secretome biomarkers could make viable procedures using singleembryo transfer

The Developmental Competence of Oocytes Retrieved from The Leading Follicle in Controlled Ovarian Stimulated Cycles

Abstract Background: This study compares the developmental capacity of gametes retrieved from the largest follicle with small follicles of a cohort in controlled ovarian stimulated cycles

Gender incidence of intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection-derived embryos: a prospective randomized study

Abstract The aim of this prospective randomized study was to determine if the use of intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI) is associated with gender incidence. Couples who underwent IVF-preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) cycles, as a result of advanced maternal age, were randomly allocated into two groups: intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI; n = 80) or intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI; n = 80). The incidences of genders were compared between ICSI-and IMSI-derived embryos. Considering all the biopsied embryos were characterized as normal for sex chromosome, the results showed that IMSI results in a significantly higher incidence of female embryos as compared with ICSI (65.1% versus 54.0%, respectively, P = 0.0277). After analysing only euploid embryos for the eight selected chromosomes, a significantly higher incidence of XX embryos derived from IMSI was also observed compared with ICSI cycles (66.9% versus 52.5%, respectively, P = 0.0322). This result was confirmed by logistic regression, which demonstrated a nearly 2-fold increase in euploid XX embryos derived from spermatozoa selected by high magnification (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.05-3.35, P = 0.032). A higher proportion of morphologically normal spermatozoa analysed under high magnification seem to carry the X chromosome