Editorial Material
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Susan C. Klock, Steven R. Lindheim
Summary: Cryopreservation of embryos is crucial for assisted reproductive technology, but the increasing number of cryopreserved embryos poses challenges for disposition and donation. This series of articles discusses the medical potential of donated embryos, the practice of embryo donation, the management of embryos designated for disposal, and the legal environment of unused embryo management.
FERTILITY AND STERILITY
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Xuelan Li, Pingping Guo, Christophe Blockeel, Xinning Li, Ling Deng, Jie Yang, Chujun Li, Min Lin, Haocun Wu, Guifeng Cai, Yunzhao Hu, Xin Chen
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effect of storage duration of vitrified warmed embryos on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. The results showed that within a storage period of up to 7 years, there was no impact on the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of embryos after vitrification.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Enrique Gomez, Antonio Murillo, Susana Carrocera, Juan Jose Perez-Janez, Jose Luis Benedito, David Martin-Gonzalez, Isabel Gimeno
Summary: In this study, the effects of embryo cryopreservation techniques on the offspring of cattle were analyzed. The results showed that vitrified/warmed (V/W) and frozen/thawed (F/T) embryos have different physiological and survival characteristics compared to fresh embryos. The study also found that cryopreserved embryos resulted in calves with certain abnormal physiological indicators at birth, but the effects of colostrum intake were similar among all calves. Embryo cryopreservation and/or culture had different metabolic effects on the calves, including effects on protein and acid-base metabolism.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
N. C. J. Peters, A. Hijkoop, S. M. Hermelijn, M. M. van Schoonhoven, A. J. Eggink, J. van Rosmalen, S. C. M. Cochius-den Otter, D. Tibboel, H. Ijsselstijn, J. M. Schnater, T. E. Cohen-Overbeek
Summary: The study found that CVR can predict the need for respiratory support within 24 hours after birth and for surgery within 2 years, but there is low concordance between the prenatal appearance and postnatal type of CLM. The risk of needing respiratory support within 24 hours after birth is worth noting, and prenatal regression of CLM does not rule out respiratory problems after birth.
ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenhua Li, Shanshan Guo, Nan Miao
Summary: This study found that the use of FLU can lead to cardiac developmental defects in zebrafish embryos, mainly manifested as heart malformation, pericardial edema, and heart rate reduction. After FLU treatment, the expression patterns of cardiac-specific transcription factors were disrupted, and genes related to calcium signaling pathways, adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes, and cardiac muscle contraction were downregulated.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Jiaxin Qiu, Tong Du, Chen Chen, Qifeng Lyu, Ben W. Mol, Ming Zhao, Yanping Kuang
Summary: The study results showed that uterine malformations have an impact on reproductive and neonatal outcomes of IVF/ICSI-frozen embryo transfer. Different types of uterine malformations are associated with different fertility and neonatal outcomes.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2022)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Michail Kalinderis, Kallirhoe Kalinderi, Garima Srivastava, Roy Homburg
Summary: With the increasing number of frozen-thawed embryo replacement (FER) cycles, the debate on whether the freeze all strategy is suitable for everyone has intensified in recent years. Current evidence suggests that performing FER is reasonable in cases with clear benefits such as impending ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) or preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), but this strategy is not universal.
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Livia Pellegrini, Franco De Angelis, Silvio Tartaglia, Marco Toschi, Daniela Galliano, Antonio Pellicer, Mauro Cozzolino
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the transportation process for cryopreserved embryos and compare the survival rate and competence of transported embryos to those produced on-site. The results showed that the transportation of cryopreserved embryos did not affect embryo survival rate or in vitro fertilization outcomes.
ARCHIVES OF GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
K. M. Wong, M. van Wely, H. R. Verhoeve, E. M. Kaaijk, F. Mol, F. van der Veen, S. Repping, S. Mastenbroek
Summary: A study in the Netherlands compared the freeze-all strategy with the conventional strategy in IVF treatments, and found that the conventional strategy had a higher cumulative ongoing pregnancy rate per woman. However, further research is needed to determine the efficacy of the freeze-all strategy in different patient subgroups and embryonic development stages, and to weigh the potential benefits and risks for mothers and children.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Cynthia K. Sites, Sophia Bachilova, Daksha Gopal, Howard J. Cabral, Charles C. Coddington, Judy E. Stern
Summary: The removal of cells for preimplantation genetic testing from embryos before frozen-thawed single embryo transfer does not increase the risk of adverse obstetrical or neonatal outcomes, including preeclampsia, pregnancy-related hypertension, placental disorders, preterm birth, low birthweight, cesarean delivery, gestational diabetes mellitus, or prolonged hospital stays for mothers and infants.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Wenjing Zhou, Zhaojun Cheng, Chong Wang, Ying Feng
Summary: Sequential transplantation is a new mode of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. This study compared the clinical outcomes of sequential transplantation, embryo transplantation, and blastocyst transplantation in freeze-thaw embryo transfer cycles. The results showed that the sequential transplantation group had a significantly higher number of transplanted embryos than the other two groups, and the blastocyst transplantation group had the highest implantation rate. The sequential transplantation cycle can achieve a higher clinical pregnancy rate and minimize wastage of transplanted embryos, making it a viable choice for some patients in resuscitation transplantation cycles.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Bingqian Zhang, Zijing Wang, Kexin Dai, Linlin Cui, Zi-Jiang Chen
Summary: This retrospective cohort study evaluated the long-term cardiometabolic health of offspring conceived by frozen embryo transfer and born to mothers with overweight/obesity. The study found that offspring conceived by frozen embryo transfer from overweight/obese mothers were associated with higher systolic blood pressure and adverse metabolic changes compared to those conceived by fresh embryo transfer. However, in offspring of mothers with normal weight, frozen embryo transfer was associated with lower low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels.
FERTILITY AND STERILITY
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Marianne Hallamaa, Jaana Seikkula, Sami Willman, Helena Ollila, Varpu Jokimaa
Summary: Research findings suggest that there is no significant difference in live birth rates, clinical pregnancy rates, and miscarriage rates between twice-cryopreserved embryos and embryos cryopreserved once. Furthermore, neonatal outcomes after the transfer of twice-cryopreserved embryos are comparable to those of embryos cryopreserved once.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE ONLINE
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Jingjing Zhang, Yongsheng Tian, Linna Wang, Zhentong Li, Yuping Wu, Ziqi Li, Wenhui Ma, Jieming Zhai
Summary: This study investigated the changes in gene expression in fish larvae hatched from fresh and cryopreserved embryos for the first time, revealing significant effects on central nervous system development and cell structure due to cryopreservation. The results contribute to the construction of genome and proteome databases for kelp grouper, providing valuable insights for understanding the impact of cryopreservation on fish embryos and exploring the molecular mechanisms of cryoinjury.
Article
Ethics
Donrich W. Thaldar, Aliki Edgcumbe
Summary: Fertility clinics in South Africa are struggling with the increasing number of surplus cryopreserved embryos. This article clarifies the legal position and offers practical recommendations for managing abandoned embryos, stating that clinics can discard embryos if fertility patients fail to respond to notices and non-payment for storage occurs.
DEVELOPING WORLD BIOETHICS
(2023)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Sara J. Bergenheim, Marte Saupstad, Nina Pistoljevic, Anders Nyboe Andersen, Julie Lyng Forman, Kristine Lossl, Anja Pinborg
Summary: The number of frozen embryo transfer cycles in Europe has been steadily increasing, with immediate FET potentially leading to higher live birth and pregnancy rates compared to postponed FET. However, more high-quality evidence from randomized controlled trials is needed to confirm these findings and determine the best clinical practice.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION UPDATE
(2021)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Rebecka Hansen, Anne Laerke Spangmose, Veronika Markova Sommer, Charlotte Holm, Finn Stener Jorgensen, Lone Krebs, Anja Pinborg
Summary: This study aimed to assess the associations between first trimester iron deficiency and obstetric and perinatal outcomes in singleton pregnant women, as well as overall first trimester iron status and post-treatment iron status after intensified iron supplementation. The results showed that iron-deficiency anemia was associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes, while non-anemic iron deficiency was associated with an increased risk of stillbirth. However, the risk estimates were imprecise due to the small number of events. Additionally, iron deficiency was present in the first trimester in a considerable number of women and often persisted despite 4 weeks of intensified iron supplementation.
ARCHIVES OF GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Manuel Fernandez Sanchez, Hana Visnova, Per Larsson, Claus Yding Andersen, Marco Filicori, Christophe Blockeel, Anja Pinborg, Yacoub Khalaf, Bernadette Mannaerts
Summary: This study aimed to investigate whether the addition of CG beta to the long GnRH agonist protocol for ovarian stimulation increased the number of good-quality blastocysts. The results showed that the addition of CG beta reduced the number of intermediate follicles and related downstream parameters, including the number of oocytes and blastocysts.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
T. Kopp, A. Pinborg, C. H. Glazer, M. Magyari
Summary: The study found no direct association between female infertility and developing MS, but the prevalence of MS was slightly higher among women undergoing MAR treatment. Infertile women may undergo MAR treatment more often due to increased awareness about the possibility of treatment, sexual dysfunction related to MS, and the need to avoid long periods without disease modifying therapy.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Anne Laerke Spangmose, Niels Skipper, Sine Knorr, Tina Wullum Gundersen, Rikke Beck Jensen, Peter Damm, Erik Lykke Mortensen, Anja Pinborg, Jannet Svensson, Tine Clausen
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal type 1 diabetes during pregnancy and offspring cognition. The researchers used Danish registers to obtain test scores in math and reading from Danish children attending public schools. The study found that offspring of mothers with type 1 diabetes achieved lower test scores compared to the background population but similar test scores compared to offspring of fathers with type 1 diabetes.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
R. Klemetti, B. Perry, A. K. Aaris Henningsen, A. Laerke Spangmose, A. Pinborg, S. Opdahl, L. Bente Romundstad, C. Bergh, U. B. Wennerholm, A. Tiitinen, M. Gissler
Summary: The study found that children conceived through ART are at a higher risk of puberty disorders, with girls more likely to experience early puberty and boys more likely to experience late puberty.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nona Sargisian, Birgitta Lannering, Max Petzold, Signe Opdahl, Mika Gissler, Anja Pinborg, Anna-Karina Aaris Henningsen, Aila Tiitinen, Liv Bente Romundstad, Anne Laerke Spangmose, Christina Bergh, Ulla-Britt Wennerholm
Summary: This study investigated the risk of childhood cancer in children born after assisted reproductive technology (ART), particularly after frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET), compared to children born after fresh embryo transfer and spontaneous conception. The findings showed that children born after FET had a higher risk of childhood cancer. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously due to the small number of children with cancer in the study.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Allan A. Pacey, Guido Pennings, Edgar Mocanu, Janne Rothmar, Anja Pinborg, Stine Willum Adrian, Corey Burke, Anne-Bine Skytte
Summary: More applicants are accepted as donors in Denmark than in the USA, and those who choose ID release are more frequently accepted than those who do not.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
N. Friis Wang, J. W. Bogstad, S. E. Pors, M. R. Petersen, A. Pinborg, C. Yding Andersen, K. Lossl
Summary: Continuous low-dose hCG administration for 8 weeks does not increase the proportion of antral follicles reaching the preovulatory state in women with low ovarian reserve.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kjersti Westvik-Johari, Siri E. Haberg, Deborah A. Lawlor, Liv Bente Romundstad, Christina Bergh, Ulla-Britt Wennerholm, Mika Gissler, Anna-Karina A. Henningsen, Aila Tiitinen, Anja Pinborg, Signe Opdahl
Summary: Studies have shown that children conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART) have lower perinatal mortality compared to those conceived naturally. However, this finding may be biased due to selective fertility and carryover effects.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
N. Friis Wang, J. W. Bogstad, M. R. Petersen, A. Pinborg, C. Yding Andersen, K. Lossl
Summary: Does 8 weeks of daily low-dose hCG administration affect androgen or inhibin B levels in serum and/or follicular fluid (FF) during the subsequent IVF/ICSI cycle in women with low ovarian reserve? Androgen levels in serum and FF, and inhibin B levels in serum, decreased following 8 weeks of hCG administration.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Louise Laub Asserhoj, Ikram Mizrak, Gerda Ferja Heldarskard, Tine Dalsgaard Clausen, Eva R. Hoffmann, Gorm Greisen, Katharina M. Main, Per Lav Madsen, Rikke Beck Jensen, Anja Pinborg
Summary: The study found that BMI in childhood does not differ between children conceived after frozen embryo transfer (FET), fresh embryo transfer (fresh-ET), or natural conception (NC). Previous studies have shown that high childhood BMI is strongly associated with obesity, cardiometabolic disease, and mortality in adulthood. Children conceived after FET have a higher risk of being born large for gestational age (LGA), which is associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity. The study suggests that ART-induced epigenetic variations may influence fetal size at birth as well as BMI and health later in life.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2023)
Review
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Nienke E. van Hoogenhuijze, Gemma Lahoz Casarramona, Sarah Lensen, Cindy Farquhar, Mohan S. Kamath, Aleyamma T. Kunjummen, Nick Raine-Fenning, Sine Berntsen, Anja Pinborg, Shari Mackens, Zeynep Ozturk Inal, Ernest H. Y. Ng, Jennifer S. M. Mak, Sachin A. Narvekar, Wellington P. Martins, Mia Steengaard Olesen, Helen L. Torrance, Ben W. Mol, Marinus J. C. Eijkemans, Rui Wang, Frank J. M. Broekmans
Summary: This meta-analysis based on individual participant data suggests that endometrial scratching may improve live birth rates in women undergoing IVF/ICSI. However, the effectiveness of scratching may vary in different subgroups, and the timing of the procedure may also play a role. Therefore, the use of endometrial scratching in clinical practice should be done cautiously and patients should be informed about the level of evidence and uncertainties.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION UPDATE
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Nathalie Soderhamn Bulow, Agnieszka Katarzyna Warzecha, Mette Villads Nielsen, Claus Yding Andersen, Marianne Dreyer Holt, Morten Ronn Petersen, Negjyp Sopa, Anne Zedeler, Anne Lis Englund, Anja Pinborg, Marie Louise Grondahl, Sven Olaf Skouby, Nicholas Stephen Macklon
Summary: LZ co-treatment during ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins for in IVF does not impact follicle recruitment, oocyte number and quality, embryo quality, or live birth rate (LBR).
HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Pietro Santulli, Christophe Blockeel, Mathilde Bourdon, Giovanni Coticchio, Alison Campbell, Michel De Vos, Kirsten Tryde Macklon, Anja Pinborg, Juan A. Garcia-Velasco
Summary: While there is extensive research on fertility preservation in women with malignant diseases, there is limited research on the role of fertility preservation in non-malignant conditions. This includes various benign gynaecological conditions that may affect reproductive potential. Currently, there is insufficient data to develop guidelines for clinical practice in fertility preservation for women with benign gynaecological conditions.
HUMAN REPRODUCTION OPEN
(2023)