Machine Learning Approaches to predict Intra-Uterine Insemination Success Rate- Application of Artificial Intelligence in Infertility

Introduction: Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) has been widely utilized for infertility management. Despite its low success rate, Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI) is one of the first alternatives and most important approaches regarding many cases of infertility treatment. Given the numerous influencing factors and limitations associated with time and resources, the development of a reliable model to predict the success rate of ART methods can significantly contribute to decision-making processes. Materials and methods: We reviewed the demographic, clinical, and laboratory data regarding 157 IUI treatment cycles among 124 women using their partner’s sperm from May2017 to June2019. Primary outcome measures were clinical pregnancy and live birth. Some prediction models were constructed and compared to the logistic regression analysis. Results: Woman’s mean age was 30.1 ± 5.2 years and the infertility had a female cause in 24.3% of the cases, male cause in 32.6% of cases, and combined causes in 32.6% of the cases. Concerning the first IUI cycle, the clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was 16.9% (N= 21). Data were prepared according to cross-industry standard process for data mining (CRISP-DM) methodology, and the following models were fitted to the data: J48 Decision Tree, Perceptron Multilayer (MLP) Neural Network, Support Vector Machine (SVM) with radial basis function (RBF) kernel, K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) with one neighborhood, and Bayesian Network. J48 Decision Tree, with a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 98%, had the most optimal performance, and the KNN model was the weakest one. Conclusion: To predict the results of IUI as a simple and less invasive therapy for infertile couples, some models were applied based on artificial intelligence and J48 Decision Tree was recommended

Periodontal Health in Mothers of Preterm and Term Infants

SummaryObjectiveRecent studies have suggested that chronic periodontitis may induce an inflammatory response which can cause premature delivery. This study was designed to assess the association between periodontal health and preterm labor in Iranian female population.Materials and MethodsIn this case-control study, 201 pregnant women without systemic disease or other risk factors for preterm labor were chosen. The control group (n = 99) had term labor (infants 3 37 weeks) and the case group (n = 102) had preterm labor (infants < 37 weeks). Bleeding index, pocket depth and debris index were measured.ResultsThe data of bleeding index (cases, 0.64 ± 0.38; controls, 0.57 ± 0.35), probing depth (cases, 2.80 ± 0.30; controls, 1.63 ± 0.23) and debris index (cases, 1.38 ± 0.67; controls, 0.81 ± 0.38) revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05).ConclusionAccording to the findings of this study, there is a noticeable relationship between periodontal health and duration of pregnancy; periodontal disease could be a risk factor for preterm labor. Oral hygiene is strongly recommended to be included in prenatal care

The effects of vitamin D supplementation on metabolic profiles and gene expression of insulin and lipid metabolism in infertile polycystic ovary syndrome candidates for in vitro fertilization

Abstract Background Vitamin D deficiency in women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remarkably decreases the chance of pregnancy, which might be related to its impact on metabolic abnormalities in these patients. It is hypothesized that vitamin D supplementation influences metabolic profile of these patients and indirectly might affect fertility and the outcomes. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effects of vitamin D supplementation on the levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), metabolic profiles, and gene expression of insulin and lipid metabolism in infertile women with PCOS who were candidate for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods This study was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial conducted among 40 infertile women, aged 18–40 years, diagnosed with PCOS and was candidate for IVF. Participants were randomly assigned into two intervention groups for receiving either 50,000 IU vitamin D or placebo (n = 20 each group) every other week for 8 weeks. Gene expression for insulin and lipid metabolism was conducted using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of women with PCOS, via RT-PCR method. Results Vitamin D supplementation led to a significant reduction in serum AMH (− 0.7 ± 1.2 vs. − 0.1 ± 0.5 ng/mL, P = 0.02), insulin levels (− 1.4 ± 1.6 vs. -0.3 ± 0.9 μIU/mL, P = 0.007), homeostatic model of assessment for insulin resistance (− 0.3 ± 0.3 vs. -0.1 ± 0.2, P = 0.008), and a significant increase in quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (+ 0.009 ± 0.01 vs. + 0.001 ± 0.004, P = 0.04), compared with the placebo. Moreover, following vitamin D supplementation there was a significant decrease in serum total- (− 5.1 ± 12.6 vs. + 2.9 ± 10.9 mg/dL, P = 0.03) and LDL-cholesterol levels (− 4.5 ± 10.3 vs. + 2.5 ± 10.6 mg/dL, P = 0.04) compared with the placebo. Conclusion Overall, the findings of this trial supported that 50,000 IU vitamin D supplementation every other week for 8 weeks had beneficial effects on insulin metabolism, and lipid profile of infertile women with PCOS who are candidate for IVF. These benefits might not be evident upon having sufficient vitamin D levels. Trial registration This study was retrospectively registered in the Iranian website (www.irct.ir) for clinical trials registration (http://www.irct.ir: IRCT20170513033941N27)

Sexually Transmitted Infections in Tehran

Objective: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a public health problem of major significance in most parts of the world. This study aimed to detect the most prevalent pathogens in patients with signs and symptoms of STI referring to a group of university clinics in Tehran. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study using randomized cluster sampling, 507 consecutive male and female patients presenting with signs and symptoms of STI referring to selected health care centers of Shahid Beheshti University were evaluated between May 2005 and May 2007. Diagnosis was made according to WHO criteria for signs and symptoms of STI in addition to microscopic study of genital discharges. Results: The most prevalent STI pathogens were Candida, Trichomona, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia with respective frequencies of 53.96%, 18.87%, 4.91% and 22.26% in women and 47.10%, 8.67%, 9.50% and 34.71% in men. Conclusion: Candida was detected in majority of cases. Chlamydia was the most prevalent STI in both sexes. Simple preventive care has crucial role in decreasing the frequency of STIs in society