Infertility

Objective: To examine birth outcomes between children conceived with in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI) and sibling births from unassisted conceptions. Design: Retrospect...

Normal uterine function depends on cyclical regeneration and the capacity to sustain pregnancy. A cesarean incision represents an injury to this remarkable organ. Although the uterus possesses excepti...

OBJECTIVE: This debate paper aims to examine the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), whose use in obesity and diabetes management has rapidly expanded, on fertility, cont...

Serum progesterone (P) levels are critical for endometrial receptivity and implantation in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles. However, the prognostic role of P levels measured on the day of t...

BACKGROUND: Social Egg Freezing (SEF), often promoted in Western contexts as a means to enhance reproductive autonomy, has seen varied uptake in countries with wider gender disparities. In such settin...

STUDY QUESTION: Is there a difference in live birth rates at 24 months between infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who have normal versus abnormal glucose metabolism? SUMMARY ANSWER...

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical relevance of serum progesterone levels on the day of frozen embryo transfer (FET) and the dose of vaginal progesterone gel (Crinone) used for early luteal phase suppo...

STUDY QUESTION: Are maternal concentrations of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) influenced by the frozen embryo transfer (FET) protocol in early ...

Male infertility contributes to nearly half of infertile couples, with asthenozoospermia and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia as predominant factors. Despite advancements in sperm processing techniques, t...

OBJECTIVE: To review the mechanism of action, epidemiology, clinical efficacy, factors influencing treatment outcomes, and limitations of clomiphene citrate (CC). METHODS: A systematic literature sea...

Male factor infertility acts as a contributing or sole cause in approximately half of all infertility cases, with autoimmunity against spermatozoa-manifested as antisperm antibodies (ASA)-affecting 5-...

PROBLEMS: To investigate the impact of anti-endometrial antibodies (EMAb) on pregnancy outcomes in infertile patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and to assess the potential value of perso...

The primary objective of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) treatment is to achieve mono-ovulatory cycles, thereby enabling pregnancy and childbirth. Laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) and transvagin...

Introduction: Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are widely used to address infertility; however, they are costly, associated with medical risks, and often yield suboptimal clinical outcomes. Na...

# The fertility sector 2024/25 Annual publication on HFEA licensed clinics (1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025) Published: November 2025 [Download the underlying dataset as Excel Worksheet](https://www.hfea...

Recently, editorials have been published in reproductive medical journals that have misunderstood and misrepresented the origin and meaning of “restorative reproductive medicine” (RRM).1,2 This term w...

Objectives: Restorative reproductive medicine (RRM) is an emerging approach that can be used to treat infertility. Our goal was to compare RRM to IVF outcomes in 2019. Design: We conducted a retrospec...

Prior studies have observed impacts of air pollution on semen quality, but timing of exposure during developmental windows of spermatogenesis and impacts of low-to-moderate air pollution is less well ...

Background: Fertility rates in the UK are at an all-time low, with infertility affecting approximately 1 in 7 couples. Despite the rising demand for fertility services, fertility awareness, specifical...

Background: Infertility affects around 17.5% of reproductive-aged individuals worldwide, posing significant personal and public health challenges. Although Medically Assisted Reproduction and Assisted...

Background: Adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccination on human menstrual cycle characteristics have been observed, but limited data are available on the relationship between COVID-19 vaccination status ...

# Fertility treatment 2023: trends and figures Preliminary UK statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage, and donation Published: June 2025 You have chosen not to allow videos from the 3rd party str...

Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the effects of messenger RNA (mRNA) and inactivated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines on ovarian histology and reserve in rats. Methods: Thirty fe...

Objectives: The objective of this study is to test the association between preconception polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using Utah's Pregnancy Risk Assessment...

Restorative reproductive surgery has emerged to become an exciting and promising field of surgery that can transform the way that we treat patients, especially regarding fertility. As a prime example ...

In 1972, a seminal article was published demonstrating that women, adequately trained, could detect the approach of ovulation in the fertile window of their menstrual cycle. It was demonstrated that t...

# National Patient Survey 2024 Survey of UK fertility patients: 2 September - 9 October 2024 Published: March 2025 [Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx](https://www.hfea.gov.uk/media/vf5bxixp/nat...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of embryo donation compared with those of double gamete donation with cryopreserved donor oocytes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SUBJECTS: The 2016-2019 Soc...

Influential guidelines have supported the role of metformin in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) for a number of years. However, regulatory approvals for this therapeutic indication a...

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is the first line treatment for conditions such as unexplained or mild male factor infertility. Endometrial thickness (EMT) is an important indicator for pr...

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a serious complication commonly encountered in patients with infertility undergoing ovulation induction therapy. This study investigates histomorphological ...

INTRODUCTION: The design and functionality of injection devices for controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) significantly influence dose accuracy and patient comfort, affecting adherence and treatment su...

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the novel protocol-progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) protocol during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), in patients undergoing in...

PURPOSE: Prior studies in fresh embryo transfer IVF cycles have associated elevated serum progesterone level on day of ovulatory trigger, particularly if ≥ 1.5 ng/ml, with decreased pregnancy rates. A...

STUDY QUESTION: What are the effects of three-times-a-day 10 mg oral dydrogesterone (DYD), initiated in the late follicular phase of natural menstrual cycles to induce endometrial receptivity for froz...

Background: Chronic endometritis (CE), frequently asymptomatic, is associated with female infertility. Fallopian tube obstruction (FTO) is also one of the factors contributing to female infertility. M...

The prevalence of uterine isthmocele, also known as a uterine niche, has risen in parallel with increasing cesarean section (CS) rates, affecting approximately 60% of women depending on their history ...

Study question: How should premature/primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) be diagnosed and managed based on the best available evidence from published literature?Summary answerThe current guideline pro...

# Family formations in fertility treatment 2022 Preliminary UK family type statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage, and donation Published: November 2024 [Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx...

STUDY Objective: To compare outcomes of vaginal surgery in women with moderate or severe symptomatic cesarean scar defect (with or without residual myometrium). Design: Retrospective cohort study. Set...

No standard criteria exist for how to perform a diagnostic laparoscopy. This case series provides evidence of the importance of standardized, reproducible techniques. A single non-oncologic gynecologi...

# State of the fertility sector 2023/24 Annual publication on HFEA licensed clinics (1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024) Published: 1st October 2024 [Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx](https://ww...

STUDY Question: Are serum vitamin D levels associated with the incidence of endometrial polyps (EPs) in infertile patients? SUMMARY ANSWER: Serum 25(OH)D levels were nonlinearly correlated with the i...

STUDY Question: What are the outcomes of pregnancies exposed to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), and what factors predict the course of these pregnan...

# Fertility treatment 2022: preliminary trends and figures Preliminary UK statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage, and donation Published: July 2024 [Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx](htt...

Background The increasing prevalence of cesarean section (CS) deliveries globally has sparked apprehension regarding potential long-term complications, notably the emergence of uterine niches. CS resu...

Objective: To analyze the factors that might influence the pregnancy rate in patients with infertility related to endometriosis (EMs) after undergoing laparoscopic surgery, providing guidance for our ...

Isthmocele is a gynecological condition characterized by a disruption in the uterine scar, often associated with prior cesarean sections. This anatomical anomaly can be attributed to inadequate or ins...

Infertility is usually defined as the inability of a couple to conceive even after 1 year of unprotected, frequent sexual intercourse. It affects about 15% of all couples in the United States and at l...

Endometriosis, a systemic ailment, profoundly affects various aspects of life, often eluding detection for over a decade. This leads to enduring issues such as chronic pain, infertility, emotional str...

Objective: To determine the association between fertility treatment, socioeconomic status (SES), and neonatal and post-neonatal mortality. STUDY Design: Retrospective cohort study of all births (19,3...

The role of sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in investigating fertility, embryonic development, and pregnancy is of academic interest. However, there is ongoing controversy regarding the impact of ...

Intrauterine adhesion (IUA), a major cause of uterine infertility, is pathologically characterized by endometrial fibrosis. Current treatments for IUA have poor efficacy with high recurrence rate, and...

IMPORTANCE: Because analytic technologies improve, increasing amounts of data on methylation differences between assisted reproductive technology (ART) and unassisted conceptions are available. Howeve...

STUDY QUESTION: Does recombinant Lactobacillus expressing granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) have a better protective effect than the current treatment of thin endometrium (TE)? SUMMARY AN...

Introduction: Pregnancy rates after the placement of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE, trade name Gore-Tex®) for adhesion prevention following cystectomy of endometriomas ≥3 cm and excision of ...

# State of the fertility sector 2022/23 Annual publication on HFEA licensed centres (1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023) Published: 12th September 2023 [Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx](https:/...

The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has become popular as an adjunct to fertility treatment for women with infertility, particularly those with low ovarian reserve and premature ovarian insufficienc...

Objective: To present a case of concurrent uterine arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and isthmocele, treated with ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVAC) embolization of the AVM followed by robotic ist...

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of thyroid autoantibodies and serum TSH levels on clinical IVF outcomes. Materials and Methods: This study included 260 Korean women scheduled fo...

Endometriosis is a common finding among women with infertility, and women who are diagnosed with endometriosis are almost twice as likely to experience infertility. Mechanisms by which endometriosis c...

Background: Ovarian rejuvenation is an innovative procedure intended to restore ovarian fertility and development during the climacteric and has been used to enhance fertility in women with premature ...

Objective: To assess the effect of randomization to FertilityFriend.com, a mobile computing fertility-tracking app, on fecundability. Design: Parallel non-blinded randomized controlled trial nested wi...

# Fertility treatment 2021: preliminary trends and figures Preliminary UK statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage, and donation Published: June 2023 [Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx](htt...

Background Natural Procreative Technology (NaProTechnology) is a system of management of infertility and other reproductive health issues which requires the application of a woman’s observation and re...

Objective Complicated grief reactions follow some pregnancy outcomes, like miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, infant death, selective reduction, or termination of pregnancy. Stigma can delay tre...

Infertility is a world-wide problem, defined as failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. There are multiple causes for infertility involving both male an...

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is defined as an inflammation of the upper genital tract due to an infection in women. The disease affects the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. It is typicall...

For years, reproductive surgery was the mainstay of reproductive care. With the evolution and ultimate success of in vitro fertilization (IVF), reproductive surgery became an adjuvant therapy, indicat...

Background: As survival and health improve in people with cystic fibrosis (CF), more women with CF (wwCF) are considering their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). This study compared SRH experience...

Background: Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a common gynecological disease with serious ramifications including low pregnancy rate and low estrogen symptoms. Traditional Chinese medicine is reg...

The number of sperm that reaches the oocytes in mammalian species is limited. In mice, 8-10 oocytes are ovulated, a similar number of sperm reaches the oocytes, and nearly all oocytes are fertilized v...

The purpose of this State-of-the-Art Review was to provide a strategic analysis, in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis), of the current evidence regarding the man...

Objectives: We sought to better understand factors associated with ovarian aging in women with HIV (WWH). Design: HIV has been associated with diminished fertility, younger age at menopause, and short...

# Ethnic diversity in fertility treatment 2021 Preliminary UK ethnicity statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage, and donation Published: December 2023 [Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx](h...

PURPOSE: To assess efficacy of adjuvant dexamethasone during letrozole cycles for ovulation induction (OI) in women with letrozole-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: We retrospectiv...

RESEARCH Question: Is sequential letrozole/human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) superior to letrozole alone in ovulation induction and pregnancy promotion among infertile women with polycystic ovary s...

Endocrine disorders negatively influence the ovarian function, and increasing incidence of endocrine diseases with age may have further negative effects on pregnancy rate. Prospective cohort study of ...

With the increasing offer of fertility treatment by a largely privatised sector, which has involved the proliferation of treatment add-ons lacking evidence of effectiveness, In-Vitro Fertilisation (IV...

This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the impact of chronic endometritis (CE) and its therapy on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome. Additionally, we aim to investigate whether v...

STUDY Question: What is the association between perceived stress during peri-conception and early pregnancy and pregnancy loss among women who have experienced a prior pregnancy loss? SUMMARY ANSWER:...

Objective: To evaluate the effects of He's Yangchao Recipe (HSYC) on ameliorating ovarian oxidative stress of aging mice under consecutive superovulation. Methods: An 8-month-old C57BL/6 female mouse...

In-vitro sperm selection for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Physiological ICSI or PICSI) is crucial as it has a direct influence on the paternal contribution of preimplantation embryogenesis. Men w...

Progesterone plays a key role in implantation. Several studies reported that lower luteal progesterone levels might be related to decreased chances of pregnancy. This systematic review was conducted u...

Objective: To analyze outcomes and postoperative complications in patients undergoing robot-assisted isthmocele repair. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study included 33 patients who had robot-assis...

Laparoscopic surgery was originally considered the gold standard in the treatment of endometriosis-related infertility. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) was indicated as second-line treatment or...

Male infertility is an increasing and serious medical concern, though the mechanism remains poorly understood. Impaired male reproductive function affects approximately half of infertile couples world...

Regenerative medicine combines elements of tissue engineering and molecular biology aiming to support the regeneration and repair processes of damaged tissues, cells and organs. The most commonly used...

Background: The inability to have children affects 10% to 15% of couples worldwide. A male factor is estimated to account for up to half of the infertility cases with between 25% to 87% of male subfer...

Background: Caffeine is the most frequently used psychoactive substance in the United States and >90% of reproductive-age women report some amount of intake daily. Despite biological plausibility, pre...

Background: In vitro fertilization (IVF) births contribute to a considerable proportion of preterm birth (PTB) each year. However, there is no formal surveillance of adverse perinatal outcomes for les...

The aim of the current study was to characterize ovarian reserve parameters and IVF outcomes in women with a history of poor ovarian response (POR) treated with intraovarian injection of autologous pl...

Objective: To investigate the association of infertility with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) among postmenopausal participants in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). We hypothesized t...

At present infertility is affecting about 15% of couples and male factor is responsible for almost 50% of infertility cases. Oxidative stress, due to enhanced Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production ...

La progresiva medicalización de la infertilidad en las últimas tres décadas se corresponde con una creciente difusión de las Tecnologías de Reproducción Asistida (TRA), que han dejado en la somb...

# National Patient Survey 2021 Survey of UK fertility patients, 2 November – 7 December 2021 Published: April 2022 The key findings are published on this page with a statistical appendix available for...

Mankato Family Medicine Residency, University of Minnesota, Mankato, MN The corresponding author is Robert D. Jeske; [email protected]. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

# Trends in egg, sperm and embryo donation 2020 Statistics on donation and donor treatments in the UK fertility sector Published: November 2022 [Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx](https://www.h...

Infertility is a worldwide problem today. The more conventional approach of medicine would be to diagnose the causes and correct them, so that the fertility potential of the couple would permit them t...

Background: Chronic endometritis (CE) and endometrial polyps (EPs) are common conditions in reproductive age women. CE is an infectious disorder of the endometrium characterized by signs of chronic in...

Uterine isthmocele or uterine niche is a late complication of cesarean deliveries and causes chronic pelvic pain, menorrhagia or postmenstrual spotting, and infertility. As the number of cesarean sect...

Metabolic risk factors such as obesity are considered major obstacles to female fertility. Chronic infertility imposes psychological and social burdens on women because infertility violates societal g...

# State of the fertility sector 2020/21 **Annual publication on HFEA licensed clinics** Published: November 2021 [**Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx**](https://www.hfea.gov.uk/media/5czb4k2o/2...

Couple infertility is a pathology with an absolute number of cases growing markedly over the last decade in connection mainly with the increased age of couples wishing to conceive. Platelet-rich plasm...

Purpose: Does the OPtimization of Thyroid function, Thrombophilia, Immunity, and Uterine Milieu (OPTIMUM) treatment strategy, developed for treating repeated implantation failure (RIF), contribute to ...

Background: Time to pregnancy (TTP) is a biomarker of fecundability and has been associated with behavioral and environmental characteristics; however, these associations have not been examined in a l...

Background: Restorative reproductive medicine (RRM) seeks to identify and correct underlying causes and factors contributing to infertility and reproductive dysfunction. Many components of RRM are hig...

This paper looks at the ethics of assisted reproductive technology (ART) from the perspective of the Catholic Church. The three criteria of evaluation of the ethics of ART are the right to life and ph...

# Fertility treatment 2019: trends and figures UK statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage, and donation Published: May 2021 Fertility trends is our annual statistical release. The key findings ar...

Objective: To synthesize the literature on fertility knowledge and fertility-awareness among women seeking pregnancy. Data Sources: The search terms "fertility-awareness OR fertility knowledge AND wo...

The aim of this study was to determine predictive factors for pregnancy and assess the cumulative pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (CLBR) in subfertile couples undergoing timed intercourse (TI...

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of surgical management for isthmoceles in patients presenting with secondary infertility. Data Sources: A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and C...

Purpose: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has become a novel treatment in various aspects of medicine including orthopedics, cardiothoracic surgery, plastic surgery, dermatology, dentistry, and diabetic wou...

# Multiple births in fertility treatment 2019 UK multiple birth statistics for IVF and DI fertility treatment Published: February 2022 [Download the underlying dataset as Excel Worksheet](https://www....

# Impact of COVID-19 on fertility treatment 2020 UK statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage and donation Published: May 2022 [Download the underlying dataset as Excel Worksheet](https://www.hfea....

NaProTECHNOLOGY – a chance for offspring or fraud? In the media space in Poland, you can meet the concept of Naprotechnology as an alternative to the in vitro procedure. Often, many myths and untruths...

Objective: To examine potential risk factors associated with the success rate following fallopian tube recanalization (FTR) in infertile women with obstruction of the proximal fallopian tube. Methods...

Infertility affects one in 16 married women in the United States where 12.7% of these seek treatment. The stress of infertility and treatment is known to impact marital satisfaction, which can be furt...

While we agree with many of the points stated by Dyer et al. in their recent commentary inRBMO(Dyer et al., 2020), we believe their conclusions are focused too narrowly. Limiting the indicator of acce...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Infertility affects ~20% of the couples in the world. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are currently the most common treatment option for infertility. Nevertheless, ARTs m...

We herein summarise the evidence concerning the impact of sperm DNA fragmentation in various clinical infertility scenarios and the advances on sperm DNA fragmentation tests. The collected evidence wa...

Background: Attaining pregnancy is conditional upon a series of complex processes, including adequately timed intercourse, ovulation, fertilisation, and implantation. Anovulation is a first-line treat...

Objective: To investigate the association between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and subfertility within a population-based cohort, exploring Hispanic ethnicity as a potential effect modifier. M...

STUDY QUESTION: To what extent does the use of mobile computing apps to track the menstrual cycle and the fertile window influence fecundability among women trying to conceive? SUMMARY ANSWER: After ...

RESEARCH Question: To characterize mobile fertility tracking applications (apps) to determine the use of such apps for women trying to conceive by identifying the fertile window. Design: An explorator...

EDITORIAL NOTE: M.G. Showell, R. Mackenzie‐Proctor, V. Jordan, and R.J. Hart, “Antioxidants for Female Subfertility,” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, no. 8 (2020): CD007807, https://doi.org/1...

STUDY QUESTION: Does sexual intercourse in the implantation time window (5-9 days after ovulation) reduce fecundability? SUMMARY ANSWER: After adjustment for intercourse in the fecund window and clus...

Numerous evidences have alerted on the toxic effects of the exposure to glyphosate on living organisms. Glyphosate is the herbicide most used in crops such as maize and soybean worldwide, which implie...

Male infertility secondary to oligozoospermia is surprisingly common. Although a majority of cases are idiopathic, oligozoospermia can be caused by endocrine dysfunction, anatomic abnormalities, medic...

# Fertility treatment 2018: trends and figures **UK statistics for IVF and DI treatment, storage, and donation** Published: 30 June 2020 Fertility trends is our annual statistical release. The key fin...

Objective: To estimate the association between physical activity and risk of subclinical and clinical pregnancy loss among women with a history of pregnancy loss. Design: Prospective cohort study as a...

Objective: To assess infant (<1 year) and childhood (1-18 years) mortality in singletons conceived through assisted reproductive techniques (ART) versus naturally conceived singletons. Design: Nationw...

Background: Despite great advances in assisted reproductive technology, poor ovarian response (POR) is still considered as one of the most challenging tasks in reproductive medicine. OBJECTIVE AND Ra...

Delayed childbearing is currently a major challenge in reproductive medicine as increased age has an important impact on successful conception, both in natural and in assisted reproduction. There is a...

Importance: Dietary supplements marketed for male fertility commonly contain folic acid and zinc based on limited prior evidence for improving semen quality. However, no large-scale trial has examined...

# Ethnic diversity in fertility treatment 2018 UK ethnicity statistics for IVF and DI fertility treatment Published: March 2021 [**Download the underlying dataset as .xlsx (27kb)**](https://www.hfea.g...

This article considers one question: How does the Catholic Church guide infertile couples to exercise their right to build a family? Part One examines the principal tenets of Catholic social teaching ...

# Family formations in fertility treatment 2018 UK IVF and DI statistics for heterosexual, female same-sex and single patients Published: 22 September 2020 [**Download the underlying data set in .xlsx...

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess whether the ovarian reserve markers anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and antral follicle count (AFC) were lower among women using the progestin-only pill (PO...

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the frequency of use of selected fertility awareness indicators and to assess their influence on fecundability. DESIGN: Web-based prospective cohort study. SETTING: Not applic...

Chronic endometritis (CE) is a poorly investigated pathology which has been related to adverse reproductive outcomes, such as implantation failure and recurrent miscarriage. In this paper, we aim to p...

Background: Women who experience pregnancy loss are especially prone to high stress, though the effects of stress on reproductive outcomes in this vulnerable population are unknown. We assessed relati...

STUDY QUESTION: Is pre-conception 25(OH)D associated with the per cycle probability of conception, i.e fecundability, in a prospective cohort study? SUMMARY ANSWER: There are suggestive associations ...

Women wishing to conceive are largely unaware of fertility symptoms at the time of ovulation. This study investigated the effectiveness of fertility-awareness in achieving pregnancy, particularly fert...

Thyroid autoantibodies, specifically thyroid peroxidase antibodies, have been associated with miscarriage and pre-term birth in women with a normal thyroid function. Small randomised controlled trials...

BACKGROUND: Prior studies among women with impaired fecundity have consistently demonstrated a positive association between daily perceived stress and the ability to conceive. However, the effects of ...

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is complex with reproductive, metabolic and psychological features. Infertility is a prevalent presenting feature of PCOS with approximately 75% of these w...

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a non-persistent endocrine-disrupting chemical with nearly ubiquitous, involuntary exposure. Previous studies have shown that BPA causes reproductive dysfunction in an...

Different sizes of uterine septum between infertile women and patients with abortions may have a clinical relevance in reproductive performance after surgery. This study aimed to assess if the fecundi...

Since the introduction of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in medical practice, various studies have documented that implementing PRP can enhance healing and the anti-aging process, employing ang...

Background: Some authorities have found that, when the mean follicular diameter is >25 mm, the follicle is considered large, and these authorities are convinced that large follicles are biomarkers to ...

BACKGROUND: Thyroid disease is the second most common endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age. Subclinical hypothyroidism is diagnosed by an elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone concent...

Objective: To investigate the rate of sperm DNA fragmentation in male partners of women with recurrent pregnancy loss and fertile control women. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting: N...

Background: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analyses was to assess the risk of preeclampsia among women who conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART). Methods: We searche...

Objective: The relation between excessive prolactin and endometriosis-related infertility is debatable. Anovulation or defective luteal phase occurs frequently due to hyperprolactinemia in subfertile ...

Background. Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system manifesting with the inability to get pregnant within a minimum of 12 months. In diagnosing infertility and the therapeutic process, pha...

Ultrasound is a form of energy with effects in tissues it traverses (bioeffects). The major bioeffects are a rise in temperature (thermal effects) and some effects secondary to the alternating positiv...

This report presents the case of a woman aged 40 who has experienced premature menopause from the age of 35. Having rejected oocyte donation, she opted for intraovarian injection of autologous platele...

A reductive reading of Humanae vitae seeks to limit its appeal to a ban on contraception. In truth, however, it offers a vision of human sexuality and conjugal love with broad and enduring relevance. ...

Objectives: To determine the live birth rate for patients who chose to undergo treatment with Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM) after previous IVF (includes ICSI). To look at birth outcomes with...

A cohort of 141 males (18-80 yo, 42.9 ± 12.9) strongly suspected of being Insulin Resistant (IR) was prospectively studied by determining their insulin sensitivity (Pancreatic Suppression Test, PST) a...

The purpose of this paper is to review the current clinical uses of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the field of gynecology. All relevant articles published from January 2000 to December 2017 were revie...

Although minerals are linked to several reproductive outcomes, it is unknown whether dietary minerals are associated with ovulatory function. We hypothesised that low intakes of minerals would be asso...

Study Question: Is physical activity (PA) associated with fecundability in women with a history of prior pregnancy loss? Summary Answer: Higher fecundability was related to walking among overweight/o...

Although maternal nutrition may affect fecundity, associations between preconception micronutrient levels and time to pregnancy (TTP) have not been examined. We assessed the relationship between preco...

Aim: Gonadotropin stimulation is used as the second line of treatment in patients with thin endometrium following clomiphene citrate (CC) administration, which is associated with higher cost, multiple...

Reports on clinical uses of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have dramatically increased in the last decade. Indications for PRP therapy range from muscle and skeletal injuries to hair re-growth. More recen...

BACKGROUND: Chronic endometritis is a persistent inflammation of the endometrial mucosa caused by bacterial pathogens such as Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Mycoplasm...

Problem/condition: Since the first U.S. infant conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART) was born in 1981, both the use of ART and the number of fertility clinics providing ART services ha...

Objective: To assess systemic inflammation in relation to fecundability and anovulation. Design: Prospective cohort study among participants in the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction tri...

The most common complication during oocyte retrieval is vaginal bleeding, which is largely controlled by buffer application. In conclusion, the oocyte retrieval process can be considered a safe proced...

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of achieving pregnancy with focused intercourse in the fertile window identified using natural fertility indicators. Methods: 24-cycle prospective effectiven...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of adjuvant 17-α-hydroxy-progesterone caproate (17OHP-C) in reducing the risk of preterm delivery <34 weeks and adverse perinatal outcomes in women with ≥3 second tr...

CONTEXT: Unexplained infertility (UI), defined as the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected intercourse with no diagnosed cause, affects 10% to 30% of infertile couples. An improved und...

STUDY Question: Can a consensus and evidence-driven set of terms and definitions be generated to be used globally in order to ensure consistency when reporting on infertility issues and fertility care...

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of miscarriage in women with endometriosis (WwE) compared with disease-free control women (CW). Design: Cross-sectional analysis nested in a retrospective obse...

Importance: Despite lack of evidence of their utility, biomarkers of ovarian reserve are being promoted as potential markers of reproductive potential. Objective: To determine the associations betwee...

Reports on bacteria detected in maternal fluids during pregnancy are typically associated with adverse consequences, and whether the female reproductive tract harbours distinct microbial communities b...

The literature on the relationship between diet and human fertility has greatly expanded over the last decade, resulting in the identification of a few clear patterns. Intake of supplemental folic aci...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)’s rate is about 6% to10% among the reproductive aged women; it is characterized by menstrual cycle irregularity with oligo-anovulation, hyperandrogenism, insulin resis...

Oxidative stress is a phenomenon caused by an imbalance between production and accumulation of oxygen reactive species (ROS) in cells and tissues and the ability of a biological system to detoxify the...

Study Question: How are concentrations of plasma homocysteine and serum folate associated with reproductive hormones and anovulation in regularly menstruating women? Summary Answer: Higher homocystei...

Background: Malaria is prevalent in Nigeria, and artemether + lumefantrine (artemisinin-based combination therapy [ACT]) is drug of choice in treatment of uncomplicated cases. ACT is contraindicated i...

This review article summarizes the epidemiological findings published between 2011 and 2016 concerning bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, dioxins, pesticides, air pollution, fracking chemicals, triclosan,...

Late preterm infants are at risk for short-term morbidities. We report that late preterm singletons conceived with fertility treatment have increased risk for admission to the neonatal intensive care ...

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy rates among infertile women have been reported to increase after hysterosalpingography, but it is unclear whether the type of contrast medium used (oil-based or water-soluble con...

Study question: Are maternal preconception lipid levels associated with fecundability?Summary answerFecundability was reduced for all abnormal female lipid levels including total cholesterol, low-dens...

Context: Inflammation is linked to causes of infertility. Low-dose aspirin (LDA) may improve reproductive success in women with chronic, low-grade inflammation. Objective: To investigate the effect o...

PURPOSE: To explore the relationship between the type of clinician (generalist vs subspecialist) initially seen by infertile women, the treatment received, and the time to pregnancy. METHODS: We anal...

Tamoxifen has played a vital role in endocrine therapy for the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. We examined the effect of tamoxifen in patients with a thin endometrium in frozen-...

This Committee Opinion provides practitioners with suggestions for optimizing the likelihood of achieving pregnancy in couples/individuals attempting conception who have no evidence of infertility. Th...

STUDY Objective: To report on the presence and rate of endometriosis in hydatid cysts of Morgagni found at the time of excision surgery for endometriosis and to describe any association of endometrios...

Purpose: To analyze cumulative pregnancy rates of subfertile couples after fertility awareness training. Methods: A prospective observational cohort study followed 187 subfertile women, who had recei...

Chronic endometritis (CE) is a condition involving the breakdown of the peaceful co-existence between microorganisms and the host immune system in the endometrium. A majority of CE cases produce no no...

Background: Female physicians may experience unique challenges regarding fertility and family planning. We sought to determine childbearing patterns and decision-making among American female physician...

Endometriosis is a complex, inflammatory disease that affects 6-10% of reproductive-aged women. Almost half of the women with endometriosis experience infertility. Despite the excessive prevalence, th...

Background: Endometriosis is a gynecologic disease reported to be associated with infertility and, possibly, adverse pregnancy outcomes. While considerable research focuses on pregnancy outcomes follo...

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and more specifically salpingitis (visually confirmed inflammation) is the primary cause of tubal factor infertility and is an important risk factor for ectopic pregn...

The use of 2 × 2000 mg myoinositol + 2 × 200 μg folic acid per day is a safe and promising tool in the effective improvement of symptoms and infertility for patients with a polycystic ovary syndrome (...

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is a potentially life-threatening, but preventable iatrogenic complication of in vitro fertilisation treatment. In recent years, new strategies have been developed to...

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a method of treatment for infertility in selected indications. Recent years have brought dynamic development of technologies related to IVF. This article presents probl...

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of cesarean scar defects and its clinical manifestations in reproductive-aged women. We performed a systematic review following the Preferred...

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between menstrual cycle characteristics in early life and adulthood and fecundability. Methods: Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO) is an In...

Of the 237 women, 92 (38.8%) had experienced both a normal and a toxaemic pregnancy, and 72 (78%) contrasted the sense of well-being associated with a normal pregnancy with the malaise and minor sympt...

Background: More than 70 million couples suffer from infertility worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fertility outcomes after laparoscopic fimbrioplasty and neosalpingostomy in female...

Objective Vitamin D is associated with markers of ovarian reserve in women of advanced reproductive age and in vitro studies suggest that vitamin D may influence anti‐mullerian hormone (AMH). Higher v...

Objective: To evaluate if antimüllerian hormone (AMH) is associated with pregnancy loss. Design: Prospective cohort study within a block-randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of low-dose ...

BACKGROUND: Most cohort-based research for subfertility has been conducted in clinic-based cohorts, which may differ from population-based cohorts. METHODS: We retrospectively recruited parallel coho...

STUDY Question: Is bilateral tubotubal anastomosis a successful treatment in an outpatient patient population? SUMMARY ANSWER: For women wanting children after tubal sterilization, bilateral tubotuba...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the expression of progesterone receptors (A + B) and type-B progesterone receptors in the epithelial and stromal cells of fertile and infertile women. METHODS: Women were divide...

Study Question: What is the association between daily preconception-initiated low-dose aspirin (LDA) treatment and very early pregnancy losses or euploid (chromosomally normal) losses among women with...

Our study supports the hypothesis that there is no physiologic evidence for delaying pregnancy attempt after an early loss.

The article raises the issue of today’s application of assisted (artificial) reproduction methods, which are incom-patible with human dignity. The authors articulate the principles of human dignity, w...

The latest retrievable data about infertility in the Philippines was made available to the public by Merck Serono, a private pharmaceutical company who commissioned the survey in 2011. The survey was ...

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between epigenetic patterns in sperm and fecundity. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Academic andrology and in vitro fertilization laboratory. PATIENT(S): Tw...

BACKGROUND: Progesterone is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy. However, whether progesterone supplementation in the first trimester of pregnancy would increase the rate of live births among w...

Background: Luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF) syndrome is considered a cause of ovulation failure and a subtle cause of infertility. Preovulatory injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) pre...

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate whether anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is associated with fecundability among women with proven fecundity and a history of pregnancy loss. Design: T...

Chronic endometritis (CE) is a local inflammatory disease characterized by unusual plasmacyte infiltration in the endometrial stromal areas. CE has been neglected in gynecologic practice, as it is a l...

Thyroid autoimmunity with normal thyroid function is associated with recurrent miscarriage (RM), but the association with live birth is less clear. Therefore, we determined the association between thy...

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a method known almost all over the world, by which modern man is trying to cope with the problem of infertility. The aim of this article is to show the eugenic roots of...

Background: Many women throughout the world have history of subfertility (resolved or unresolved), but much remains unknown about services and treatments chosen. Methods: We developed a mixed-mode fe...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate perinatal outcomes associated with fertility treatments, including assisted reproductive technology (ART), intrauterine insemination with ovulation stimulation (IUI), and ovu...

Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of endoscopic repair for secondary infertility caused by post-cesarean scar defect (PCSD). Our investigation focused on the validity of new...

Background: Female infertility is a complex issue encompassing a wide variety of diagnoses, many of which are caused or affected by adhesions. Objectives: The study intended to examine the rates of s...

This document reviews surgical options for achieving patency in obstructed fallopian tubes and the factors that must be considered when deciding between surgical repair and IVF. This document replaces...

Objective: The objective was to determine the effect of preconception-initiated daily low-dose aspirin (LDA; 81 mg/day) treatment on time to pregnancy in women with a history of pregnancy loss. Design...

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether in vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic screening (IVF/PGS) is cost effective compared with expectant management in achieving live birth for patients with u...

Objective: We sought to assess the relationship between a short interpregnancy interval (IPI) following a pregnancy loss and subsequent live birth and pregnancy outcomes. Study Design: A secondary an...

Objective: To assess the effects of both male and female body mass index (BMI), individually and combined, on IVF outcomes. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: University fertility center. PATI...

Endometriosis is defined as the presence of endometrial-like tissue (glands or stroma) outside the uterus, which induces a chronic inflammatory reaction. Although endometriosis impairs fertility, it d...

Introduction: Luteal phase deficiency (LPD), while commonly observed and managed in stimulated in-vitro fertilisation cycles, is a more contentious phenomenon in natural cycles. The challenge arises i...

In Poland, invitro fertilisation technology (IVF) has been in use for over 25 years, garnering success and social approval. However, in 2007, a heated debate erupted on the moral, legal and economic a...

Fertility awareness based methods (FABMs) can be used to ameliorate the likelihood to conceive. A literature search was performed to evaluate the relationship of cervical mucus monitoring (CMM) and th...

BACKGROUND: The Creighton Model FertilityCare System (CrMS) teaches women to identify days when intercourse is likely to result in pregnancy. We sought to assess the impact of the CrMS on time to preg...

Knowledge regarding the role of the cervix in fertility has expanded considerably over the past 20 years and in this article, we propose that it is now time for its function to be reappraised. First, ...

OBJECTIVES: This report presents nationally representative estimates and trends for infertility and impaired fecundity-two measures of fertility problems-among women aged 15-44 in the United States. D...

BACKGROUND: The age-related reduction in live-birth rate is attributed to a high rate of aneuploidy and follicle depletion. We showed in an animal model that treatment with Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) marked...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of endometriosis in women with premenstrual spotting and to determine the predictive value of this symptom in the diagnosis of endomet...

This report updates CDC's 2002 recommendations regarding screening tests to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections (CDC. Screening tests to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and ...

Context: Although adequate luteal hormone production is essential for establishing pregnancy, luteal phase deficiency (LPD) is poorly characterized among eumenorrheic women. Objective: We assessed th...

Objective: To evaluate the association between endometriosis and chronic endometritis. Methods: Endometrial specimens were obtained from 71 patients, 34 with endometriosis (endometriosis group) and 3...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of coital lubricants and oils on sperm motility. DESIGN: Comparative prospective in vitro study. SETTING: University Andrology laboratory. PATIENT(S): Twenty-two ...

Infertility is a relatively common health condition, affecting nearly 7% of all couples. Clinically, it is a highly heterogeneous pathology with a complex etiology that includes environmental and gene...

Purpose: To compare pregnancy rates when women have intercourse on self-estimated high and peak fertile days and when they only have intercourse on low fertile days during the fertile window (FW). STU...

Recurrent miscarriage (RM) is defined as 3 or more miscarriages before 20 weeks' pregnancy. In recent years, interest has been focused on chronic endometritis (CE), a subtle inflammation thought to be...

Background: Low-dose aspirin (LDA) has been proposed to improve pregnancy outcomes in couples experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss. However, results from studies of LDA on pregnancy outcomes have bee...

L’auto-osservazione e il follow-up grafico del ciclo mestruale in caso di presunta sterilita, aiutano a diagnosticare e trattare certe alterazioni ginecologiche, al fine di attuare il rapporto sessual...

According to the World Health Organization, infertility, associated with metabolic syndrome, has become a global issue with a 10%-20% incidence worldwide. An accumulating body of evidence has shown th...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of cervical mucus monitoring (CMM) in women trying to conceive and determine whether monitoring is associated with increased cycle-specific probability of conception (fecu...

STUDY Question: Does unilateral volume-adjusted laparoscopic diathermy increase the chances of ovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)? SUMMARY ANSWER: Although unilateral laparoscop...

Oxidative stress can contribute to impairment in spermatogenesis leading to male-factor infertility. The effectiveness of various antioxidants (such as carnitine, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, carot...

Urged by the unmet medical needs in endometriosis treatment, often with undesirable side effects, and encouraged by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) efficacy in an animal model of endometriosis and by the virtu...

Objective: We sought to identify risk factors for endometriosis and their consistency across study populations in the Endometriosis: Natural History, Diagnosis, and Outcomes (ENDO) Study. Study Desig...

Objective: To determine patterns of usage of clomiphene citrate (CC) by primary care providers (obstetrician-gynecologists, family physicians, and other providers) within University of Utah Community ...

The purpose of this study was to compare the utilization of medical help for fertility among women who reported up to a year versus more than a year of trying to become pregnant and to describe the ch...

STUDY QUESTION: Do high-risk patients who develop severe early ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and receive low-dose GnRH antagonist in the luteal phase have lower live birth rates compared wi...

Background: Above-ground and underground nuclear weapon detonation at the Nevada Test Site (1951-1992) has resulted in radioiodine exposure for nearby populations. Although the long-term effect of env...

Human uterus transplantation (UTx) is currently under investigation as a treatment for uterine infertility. Without a uterus transplant, the options available to women with uterine infertility are ado...

The current approach to infertility of assisted reproductive technology (ART) completely misses and then bypasses the evaluation and treatment of cervical factor infertility. In contrast, the Creighto...

Infertility is a significant and constantly increasing individual and social problem. It is estimated that at present it affects approx. 15 to 20 percent of couples. Inability to conceive a child elic...

The majority of miscarriages are sporadic and most result from genetic causes that are greatly influenced by maternal age. Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined by two or more failed clinical preg...

OBJECTIVE: To study the outcomes of women with infertility or miscarriage treated with natural procreative technology (NaProTechnology or NPT), a systematic medical approach to promoting conception in...

Background: Infertility affects 9% of couples in the UK. Most couples who visit their GP because they are worried about their fertility will ultimately conceive, but a few will not. Treatment usually ...

To describe the characteristics of women seeking infertility treatment and the types of fertility treatment sought within a population-based sample. We analyzed data from the cross-sectional Pregnancy...

Background: In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a widely accepted treatment for unexplained infertility (NICE 2004), which affects up to a third of all infertile couples. With estimated live birth rates (...

A reliable indirect measure of ovarian reserve for the individual woman remains a challenge for reproductive specialists. Using descriptive statistics from a large-scale study of ovarian volumes, we h...

Background: Use of selective salpingography (SS) and fallopian tube catheterization (TC) has revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of proximal tubal infertility. Aim: To evaluate results of wome...

PURPOSE OF Review: To review the treatments of the cesarean-induced isthmocele in restoring infertility, associated techniques, and the risks of complications associated with their use. Recent Finding...

The outcomes of drug treatment for male infertility remain conjectural, with controversial study results. Our pilot study employed a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover methodology with intentio...

The oviduct is an important organ for successful mammalian reproduction. In this work, human oviducts were inseminated and their explants analyzed using scanning electron microscopy in order to study,...

Objective: To investigate the impact of antithyroid antibody on pregnancy outcome following the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). Methods: A total of 90 patients (156 cycles) posit...

Women with breast cancer face many challenges when considering fertility preservation. Delayed referral results in the limitation of fertility preservation options because most established methods, su...

STUDY Objective: To assess the clinical effectiveness of falloposcopic tuboplasty in tubal infertility. Design: Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). Setting: Infertili...

Objective: Administration of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may impair fertility. The occurrence of the luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF) syndrome was assessed in women with inflammat...

The diminished role of tubal surgery in infertile women following widespread access to IVF is now being reviewed as more patients and surgeons today consider tubal surgery as an effective alternative ...

Description: Infertility is usually a consequence of multiple chronic conditions rather than a single acute condition. We propose that it is erroneous to apply acute medical interventions to a conditi...

Spermatozoon acrosome reaction is an exocytotic event of the utmost importance for the development of mammalian fertilisation. Current evidence shows that the triggering of the acrosome reaction (AR) ...

The paper presents the main concepts of NaProTECHNOLOGY. Such problems as family planning effectiveness, targeted hormonal assessment of the menstrual cycle, ovarian hormone and target organ dysfucnti...

Dr. Thomas W. Hilgers draws on decades of medical experience to provide educational and revolutionary insights into the world of women's health. The NaPro Technology Revolution provides real solutions...

Via its interaction in several pathways, normal thyroid function is important to maintain normal reproduction. In both genders, changes in SHBG and sex steroids are a consistent feature associated wit...

OBJECTIVE: To develop a clinical tool that predicts pregnancy rates (PRs) in patients with surgically documented endometriosis who attempt non-IVF conception. DESIGN: Prospective data collection on 57...

Endometriosis is a debilitating condition characterized by high recurrence rates. The etiology and pathogenesis remain unclear. Typically, endometriosis causes pain and infertility, although 20-25% of...

The Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith’s Dignitas personae does­not­offer­a­definitive­rejection­of­the­practice­of­human­embryo­adoption­as­ intrinsically­evil,­but­neither­does­it­simply­leav...

Celiac disease is an intestinal inflammatory disease that is triggered by gluten in the diet. Patients present with a wide array of symptoms due to malabsorption that include diarrhea, abdominal pain,...

Progesterone is essential for endometrial receptivity and successful establishment of pregnancy. Either an insufficient progesterone concentration or an insufficient response to progesterone, therefor...

Endometriosis-associated infertility is poorly treatable with various forms of surgery. Therefore, assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs), such as controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, intrauterine in...

Chronic plasmacytic endometritis (CPE) is an infectious or reactive process with multiple etiologies. The lesion is reportedly often associated with pelvic inflammatory disease and intermenstrual blee...

Background: Recent studies have shown that both female and male obesity may delay time-to-pregnancy (TTP). Little is known about central adiposity or weight gain and fecundability in women. Methods: ...

BACKGROUND: Dehydroepinadrosterone (DHEA) supplementation improves pregnancy chances in women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), by possibly reducing aneuploidy. Since a large majority of spontane...

This review will address the current understanding of the relationship between prolactin (PRL) and endometriosis-associated infertility. Although the exact mechanisms of action of hyperprolactinemia i...

Objective: To characterize the demographic correlates of IVF availability and utilization. Design: Demographic analysis of public data. Setting: Each of the 50 states in the United States was used as ...

OBJECTIVE: To model the cumulative probability of pregnancy among couples with subfertility without a definitive diagnosis, according to different treatment strategies. DESIGN: A beta distribution of...

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether thin endometria can be improved by increasing uterine radial artery (uRA) blood flow. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. SETTING: University hospital and city g...

Pregnancy could be associated with a state of oxidative stress that could initiate and propagate a cascade of changes that may lead to pregnancy wastage. This process of oxidative stress may be suppre...

Objectives: We evaluated outcomes in couples treated for infertility with natural procreative technology (NaProTechnology [corrected] NPT), a systematic medical approach for optimizing physiologic con...

Over the past decade, significant advances have occurred in the diagnosis and treatment of reproductive disorders. In this review, we discuss the routine testing performed to diagnose unexplained infe...

Objective: To determine the effect of luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF) cycles on frozen thawed embryo transfer (FET). Design: A retrospective analysis comparing the clinical outcomes after FET amo...

In vitro fertilization used in combination with intracytoplasmic sperm injection allows otherwise sterile couples to become parents. Despite recent studies on the safety of these technologies, there i...

In 1980, Espey proposed a famous hypothesis that mammalian ovulation is comparable to an inflammatory reaction and many researches have proved the validity of his hypothesis in the last three decades....

In the light of similarities between premenstrual syndrome and toxaemia, and the fact that treatment of the former with progesterone not only relieved the symptoms (Greene and Dalton, 1953) but also p...

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is highly prevalent, affecting more than 47 million US residents. This condition is also multifaceted, potentially leading to significant disturbance of numerous physiologic ...

It is well understood that a myriad of complex steps occur between the time of ejaculation and the union of the haploid number of chromosomes from each partner that results in the final process of fer...

Oligomenorrhea and polycystic ovaries in women are one of the most important causes of the high incidence of ovulation failure. This is linked, perhaps, to insulin resistance and related metabolic fea...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of vaginal lubricants Pre-Seed, FemGlide, Astroglide, and Replens on human sperm motility and chromatin integrity. DESIGN: Prospective, comparative, in vitro study. ...

The period in each menstrual cycle during which sexual intercourse can result in conception is called the "fertile window". Although the fertile window closes on the day of ovulation, little is known ...

The inability to conceive children is experienced as a stressful situation by individuals and couples all around the world. The consequences of infertility are manifold and can include societal reperc...

Objective: To compare clomiphene citrate plus N-acetyl cysteine versus clomiphene citrate for inducing ovulation in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Design: Prospective cross-over trial. Setti...

Time to pregnancy, typically defined as the number of menstrual cycles required to achieve a clinical pregnancy, is widely used as a measure of couple fecundity in epidemiologic studies. Time to pregn...

BACKGROUND: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are considered to be at increased risk of miscarriage. Since metformin has beneficial effects on the risk factors contributing to first-trimeste...

Clinically a couple is considered to be infertile after at least one year without contraception and without pregnancy. There was scant knowledge about the prevalences of infertility, involuntary child...

Thyroid disease in general, and hypothyroidism in particular, are very common in women. In the USA, the most common cause of primary thyroid deficiency is on an autoimmune basis due to lymphocytic (Ha...

With the collaboration of Italian centres providing services on natural family planning, a prospective study collected data on 2755 menstrual cycles of 193 women. A database was constructed using info...

Effective tubal transport of ova, sperm and embryos is a prerequisite for successful spontaneous pregnancy. Although there is much yet to be discovered about the mechanisms involved, it is evident tha...

Background: Assessing the psychological acceptability of technologies designed to assist couples in achieving pregnancy is complex. Objective: The current study developed measures relating to the imp...

Advanced practice nurses in primary care settings are often asked to give appropriate advice to couples seeking pregnancy. This article examines the issue of basal body temperature (BBT), a time-honor...

Objectives: The objective of the present paper is to review the main results of recent European cycle databases on ovulation detection and determination of the fertile window performed by the women th...

Objective: To analyze IVF outcomes in patients with a history of one or more elevations in basal FSH who have a normal basal FSH at the start of their IVF cycle, compared with the general IVF populati...

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the prevalence of specific depressive and anxiety disorders in women before a new course of assisted reproductive technology treatment. Few studies have adopted the p...

The new third generation aromatase inhibitors are extremely potent and specific oral inhibitors of estrogen production. We reported the success of using aromatase inhibitors for induction of ovulation...

BACKGROUND: Intercourse results in a pregnancy essentially only if it occurs during the 6-day fertile interval ending on the day of ovulation. The strong association between timing of intercourse with...

A surprising set of recent observations suggests a link between assisted reproductive technology (ART) and epigenetic errors--that is, errors involving information other than DNA sequence that is heri...

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine proportions of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) multiple birth infants receiving neonatal intensive care whose mothers received various types of infertili...

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) constitute a major health burden in the United States, causing pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, genital lesions, g...

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effects of aging on the percentage of outwardly healthy couples who are sterile (completely unable to conceive without assisted reproduction) or infertile (unable to conceiv...

The determinants of successful human reproduction and development may act as early as periconceptionally, underscoring the need to capture exposures during these critical windows when assessing potent...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of letrozole and clomiphene citrate in the rat in terms of number of ovarian follicles; endometrial thickness; and serum levels of E2, FSH, LH, and T. DESIGN: Contro...

The third-generation aromatase inhibitors were initially introduced to treat postmenopausal breast cancer. We now realize that many other potential indications for aromatase inhibitors exist, especial...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of metformin in improving clinical and biochemical features of polycystic ovary syndrome. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Randomised...

This review addresses questions related to medicosocial concerns surrounding the care of women with multiple births and their infants. Relevant articles and texts on twin and triplet pregnancies were ...

Background: The likelihood of spontaneous conception in subsequent cycles is important for a balanced management of infertility. Previous studies on time to pregnancy are mostly retrospective and bias...

Although numerous studies have attempted to elucidate the implication of endometriosis for infertility, this matter still remains unexplained. Diverse clinical approaches based on assisted reproductio...

There are many arguments to support the hypothesis that there is a causal relationship between the presence of endometriosis and subfertility. These arguments are reviewed in this article and include:...

OBJECTIVE: To analyze retrospectively the frequency, long-term prognosis and pregnancy rate in infertile women diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia or carcinoma by endometrial biopsy. STUDY DESIGN:...

Treatment for infertility using assisted reproductive technologies (ART) is highly successful and has been used to help a steadily growing number of couples worldwide. In 1999, in the United States, m...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the day-specific and cycle-specific probabilities of conception leading to clinical pregnancy, in relation to the timing of intercourse and vulvar mucus observations. METHODS: Th...

OBJECTIVE: To confirm that hCG levels in follicular fluid and serum would be comparable between i.m. and s.c. administration of purified hCG. DESIGN: In a prospective study, serum and follicular flui...

To review the use of hCG and to describe the clinical benefit of recombinant hCG (r-hCG) based on the published results of prospective, randomized studies. Review of published articles. Tertiary infer...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of embryos stored at assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics in the United States and their current disposition. DESIGN: A targeted survey instrument sent by...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of ovarian wedge resection by minilaparotomy in infertile patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). STUDY DESIGN: One hundred and thirty-four anovulatory p...

Objective: To determine the efficacy of L-carnitine therapy in selected cases of male factor infertility. Design: Placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial. Setting: University tertiary referr...

OBJECTIVE: To review the effectiveness of metformin in restoring regular menstrual cycles and ovulation and achieving pregnancy in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Systematic revi...

The incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infection and the possible correlation between couples presenting with first-trimester spontaneous abortions and active Ct infection was assessed. Additiona...

Physicians who counsel women for preconception concerns are in an excellent position to give advice to couples regarding the optimal timing of intercourse to achieve pregnancy. The currently available...

CONTEXT: As a result of oocyte donation, women in their sixth decade of life are now able to conceive and carry pregnancies to term. However, little is known about pregnancy outcomes in this populatio...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of low-dose aspirin alone versus low-dose aspirin plus low molecular weight heparin in pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome and recurrent miscarriage as pro...

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether insulin resistance is associated with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). DESIGN: Single center, case-controlled, prospective study. SETTING: University-associated reprod...

OBJECTIVE: To prove that several days of low-dose hCG alone can be used to stimulate folliculogenesis, complete FSH-initiated follicle/oocyte maturation, and achieve pregnancy in assisted reproduction...

OBJECTIVE: To examine the cumulative conception rate and live birth rate in women undergoing IVF and to assess the influence of prognostic factors on cumulative conception rate and discontinuation of ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the IVF outcome for patients with endometriosis. DESIGN: Meta-analysis. SETTING: Academic research center. PATIENT(S): A MEDLINE search and review of the literature were p...

OBJECTIVE: To more precisely understand the changes in triplet births in recent years. STUDY DESIGN: Analysis of recent government and medical publications pertaining to triplets. RESULTS: Triplet b...

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effect of an antifibrotic treatment by a combination of pentoxifylline (PTX) and tocopherol (vitamin E) in patients with a thin endometrium who were enrolled in an oocyte d...

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of the aromatase inhibitor letrozole with FSH for ovarian stimulation in poor responders undergoing ovarian superovulation and IUI. DESIGN: Observational cohort study as...

Intensive FSH stimulation is a key tool of assisted reproduction technology but can cause severe complications through the development of an excessive number of small ovarian follicles. We tested the ...

BACKGROUND: It is not known whether infants conceived with use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection or in vitro fertilization have a higher risk of birth defects than infants conceived naturally. METH...

BACKGROUND: The increased risk of low birth weight associated with the use of assisted reproductive technology has been attributed largely to the higher rate of multiple gestations associated with suc...

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the safety of ICSI, this study compared data of IVF and ICSI children by collecting data on neonatal outcome and congenital malformations during pregnancy and at birth. METHOD...

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the relationship of assisted reproductive technologies and ovulation-inducing drugs with preeclampsia in multiple gestations. METHODS: This historical cohort study was conducte...

BACKGROUND: There is an absence of population-based long-term studies on the risk of neurological sequelae in children born after in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). Our aim was to compare the frequency of ...

Controversy surrounds the relations among infertility, fertility drug use, and the risk of ovarian cancer. The authors pooled interview data on infertility and fertility drug use from eight case-contr...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of Crinone 8% intravaginal progesterone gel vs. IM progesterone for luteal phase and early pregnancy support after IVF-ET. DESIGN: Randomized, open-label study. SE...

The role of luteal phase estrogen in pregnancy outcome has been a matter of considerable debate. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of estrogen supplementation in gonadotropin releasing hormone ag...

Innumerable studies have attempted to demonstrate that hormonal support of the luteal phase during ovulation induction cycles improves pregnancy rates. None has, however, so far been able to confirm t...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the metabolic and reproductive effectiveness of rosiglitazone in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Academic clinical practice and General Clinic...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate differences in immature oocyte maturation, fertilization, and pregnancy rates among women with unstimulated normal ovaries, polycystic ovaries (PCOs), or PCOS. DESIGN: Prosp...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder affecting women of reproductive age. Its cardinal features are hyperandrogenism, chronic anovulation, and infertility. Some of the most important ...

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) pregnancy rates improve with the replacement of multiple embryos. The specific number of embryos to be transferred (typically between two and four) is based on...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of supernumerary preovulatory follicular reduction as an approach to avoid multiple pregnancies in ovulation induction or superovulation cycles. DESIGN: Retrospectiv...

Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) is approved for use in a number of conditions that may occur in obstetrical patients, including autoimmune thrombocytopenia and immune deficiency syndromes. IVIG als...

The aim of the present study was to analyze the opioid influence on LH pulsatility in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients and to evaluate the effectiveness of a long-term opioid antagonist (nalt...

Objective: To compare clinical accuracy and ease of use for several of the new rapid one-step home urinary LH detection kits compared with the preexisting OvuQuick brand LH detection kit (designated a...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of i.m. P and 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-HPC) for luteal phase support, in patients undergoing IVF-ET cycles. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized stu...

Despite the widespread use of clomiphene citrate (CC) for ovulation induction, the pregnancy rates (PRs) in women who take CC are less than expected based on ovulation rates. The causes of this discre...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the karyotype of babies conceived through ICSI with that of naturally conceived babies. DESIGN: Prospective controlled study. SETTING: The Egyptian IVF-ET Center, Cairo, Egypt....

BACKGROUND: There have been reports suggesting that children born after in-vitro fertilisation by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are at increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay. We have und...

Transvaginal ultrasonic follicle puncture has now become the method of choice for oocyte retrieval among most in vitro fertilization (IVF) units. The procedure, which involves puncture then aspiration...

Recent evidence suggests that human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), in addition to its well-known endocrine effects on the corpus luteum, may act as a growth and differentiation factor during pregnancy....

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is widely used as a surrogate to luteinizing hormone (LH) to trigger ovulation in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). Yet this molecule may exert direct effec...

Progesterone, supplied in a variety of formulations, is commonly used in assisted reproduction. However, even the commonly accepted uses of progesterone in fertility care are believed to be largely em...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the psychopathology, personality features, and marital relationships of women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with those of control patients, and to compare IVF inductees...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether uterine contractility at the time of embryo transfer (ET) can be reduced by early onset of luteal support with progesterone administered vaginally. DESIGN: Prospecti...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the rates of ovulation and pregnancy after tamoxifen citrate (TMX) or clomiphene citrate (CC) among anovulatory women with infertility. DESIGN: Prospective randomized trial. SE...

OBJECTIVE: To compare subcutaneous (SC) and intramuscular (IM) hCG administration and their association with body mass index (BMI) in women undergoing IVF-ET using hMG and ICSI. DESIGN: Prospective, ...

OBJECTIVES: Over the last 10 years, diffusion of assisted reproduction techniques (ovarian stimulation, IVF, GIFT) has led to an increased incidence of multiple pregnancies and consequently, of the re...

OBJECTIVE: To use aromatase inhibition for induction of ovulation in women in whom clomiphene citrate (CC) treatment was unsuccessful. DESIGN: Prospective trial in infertility patients treated with C...

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether metformin treatment increases the ovulation and pregnancy rates in response to clomiphene citrate (CC) in women who are resistant to CC alone. DESIGN: Randomized, doub...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contributions of ovulation-inducing drugs and assisted reproductive technologies to multiple birth. METHODS: This historic prospective study was conducted in a cohort of...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of the most widely used clinical methods for predicting or confirming ovulation. METHODS: We monitored spontaneous cycles in 101 infertile women using basal body ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension in patients with and without polycystic ovary disease (PCOD). STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective, case-control analysis o...

The potential risk of transmitting chromosomally abnormal spermatozoa from infertile males into oocytes through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has prompted us to investigate the male pronucle...

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is mandatory for the maintenance of the corpus luteum. Ovarian stimulation for IVF has been associated with a defective luteal phase. The luteal phases of two groups of patien...

OBJECTIVE: To review the menstrual function and fertility in thyroid disease, mainly in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Also to register the consequences of (131)I therapy, which is used widely in...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between subfertility and spontaneous abortion. METHODS: A total of 1572 women in New York and Vermont reported 3269 pregnancies bet...

OBJECTIVE: To highlight the possible association between infertility and treatment with long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs). NSAIDs act mainly through the inhibition of cyclooxygen...

Multiple births (of all orders) increased in epidemic proportions in the years 1971-1997. Twins increased 53%, 32%, 31%, and 83% in white, Afro-American, Native American and Mexican American women, re...

Contemporary practice in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) compensates for the attrition that occurs at each phase of the cycle. Every follicle does not yield an egg, nor does every egg fertili...

In an otherwise excellent editorial that appeared in this journal concerning the problems created by failure of the Health Insurance Industry to provide coverage for infertility, the author, a noted a...

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of reproductive pathology in a group of infertile women thought to be at low risk for altered pelvic anatomy. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review and follo...

In the United States, pregnancies associated with assisted reproductive technology (ART) or ovulation-inducing drugs are more likely to result in multiple births than spontaneously conceived pregnanci...

To maximize pregnancy rates, physicians who perform IVF, often transfer multiple embryos, which increases the multiple birth risk. Multiple birth infants are at significant risk for a number of advers...

PURPOSE: To quantify the contribution of in vitro fertilization (IVF) on changes in the rates of low birth weight (LBW), preterm delivery, very low birth weight, and multiple births during the past 3 ...

Background: Pelvic adhesions can be the result of inflamation, endometriosis or surgical trauma. Prevention of postoperative adhesions (either new or reoccurance) has been postulated by using barriers...

The aim of this study was to report the outcome of all clinical pregnancies obtained after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) performed during a 5 year period at two fertility clinics, with speci...