A picture of medically assisted reproduction activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe

STUDY QUESTION: How did coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impact on medically assisted reproduction (MAR) services in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic (March to May 2020)? SUMMARY ANSWER: MAR services, and hence treatments for infertile couples, were stopped in most European countries for a mean of 7 weeks. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: With the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe, non-urgent medical care was reduced by local authorities to preserve health resources and maintain social distancing. Furthermore, ESHRE and other societies recommended to postpone ART pregnancies as of 14 March 2020. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: A structured questionnaire was distributed in April among the ESHRE Committee of National Representatives, followed by further information collection through email. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The information was collected through the questionnaire and afterwards summarised and aligned with data from the European Centre for Disease Control on the number of COVID-19 cases per country. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: By aligning the data for each country with respective epidemiological data, we show a large variation in the time and the phase in the epidemic in the curve when MAR/ART treatments were suspended and restarted. Similarly, the duration of interruption varied. Fertility preservation treatments and patient supportive care for patients remained available during the pandemic. LARGE SCALE DATA: N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Data collection was prone to misinterpretation of the questions and replies, and required further follow-up to check the accuracy. Some representatives reported that they, themselves, were not always aware of the situation throughout the country or reported difficulties with providing single generalised replies, for instance when there were regional differences within their country. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The current article provides a basis for further research of the different strategies developed in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Such conclusions will be invaluable for health authorities and healthcare professionals with respect to future similar situations.peer-reviewe

Healthy diets and telomere length and attrition during a 10-year follow-up

Background Telomeres are repeats of DNA that contain the sequence TTAGGG at the ends of each chromosome, and their function is to protect DNA from damage. Little evidence exists regarding the relationship between dietary patterns and telomere length, especially derived applying longitudinal design. The aim was to study if overall dietary pattern is associated with leukocyte telomere length (LTL) or faster telomere attrition or both. Methods The setting was longitudinal and observational. Participants were 456 men and 590 women whose birth settled in between 1934 and 1944 and who participated in the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Baltic sea diet score (BSDS), modified Mediterranean diet score (mMED), and dietary inflammatory index (DII (R)) were calculated based on a 128-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) collected in 2001-2004. LTL was measured twice, in 2001-2004 and in 2011-2013 by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Association between the dietary patterns and LTL were analysed by general linear models with appropriate contrasts. Results BSDS, mMED, and DII did not associate with LTL in the cross-sectional analysis in men or women. Higher mMED at baseline (2001-2004) was associated with slightly faster LTL shortening during the follow-up (standardized beta -0.08, 95% CI -0.15, -0.01). No association between mMED and LTL change was found in men. Adherence to BSDS and DII did not associate with LTL change in men or women. Conclusion Baltic sea diet, Mediterranean diet, and diet's inflammatory potential seem to have only little impact on telomere length and telomere attrition in elderly Finnish men and women.Peer reviewe