Sperm banking has been recognized as an effective strategy to circumvent iatrogenic infertility and also retain the reproductive potential of adolescent and young adult males undergoing cancer therapy. However, the effect of long-term cryopreservation on the fertilization potential of sperm has been contentious. Now, a study performed by a group of Israeli researchers rules out any negative influence of prolonged storage in liquid nitrogen on the progressive motility concentration (PMC) of sperm. The results are published in the online issue of the journal Human Reproduction. Continue Reading

Any therapeutic intervention in reproductive biology must ensure complete protection of biological materials against a wide range of microorganisms. Liquid nitrogen (LN) used for cryostorage collects particulate contaminants from the atmosphere or container surface over a period of time, which could be a potential source of pathogenic microbes, including herpes, papova, hepatitis, and vesicular stomatitis virus. A new study suggests that storage of vitrified oocytes using the vapor-phase nitrogen systems serve as a safer alternative to the traditional LN storage tank, as it avoids the risk of cross-contamination, apart from retaining the developmental potential of these oocytes. The findings of the prospective randomized trial have been published in the latest issue of Fertility and Sterility. Continue Reading

Different regimens are used for priming the uterine environment before frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET), including allowing spontaneous ovulatory cycles, ovulation induction using drugs, and the use of hormones for artificial preparation of endometrium, and there is no clear evidence regarding the superiority of one protocol over the other. A recent randomized controlled trial has reported that ongoing pregnancy rates are higher when frozen-thawed embryos are transferred after spontaneous, natural ovulatory cycles, compared to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-induced natural cycles. The findings of the study have been published in the recent issue of Fertility and Sterility. Continue Reading

Blastogenesis denotes the development that occurs in the first 28 days after conception, wherein the basic body plan, gene expression domains, and the embryo’s developmental fate are established. The defects or malformations arising at this stage are generally severe and lethal, owing to several reasons such as the embryo’s small size, interdependent nature of its development, and proximity of the organ rudiments. Now, a recent study published in the journal, Human Reproduction highlights the link between IVF/ICSI procedures and blastogenesis birth defects, with the probability of the specific risk being lower with frozen-thawed embryo transfer. Continue Reading

Oocyte cryopreservation holds significant potential as an option for preserving female fertility, especially in patients undergoing aggressive radiation or chemotherapy. Following an intensive review, the British Fertility Society (BFS) and the Association of Clinical Embryologists (ACE) have issued new clinical guidelines on egg freezing technologies for UK clinics. Continue Reading

The advent of newer chemotherapeutic drugs has increased concerns about their genotoxic effects in young patients undergoing chemotherapy. Although several strategies have been proposed to conserve female fertility before and during cancer treatment, there is a lack of evidence-based data that can substantiate the efficacy and safety of these techniques. The use of chemotherapeutic medications that do not induce oocyte damage or prevent it may emerge as a new option for fertility preservation. A recent study, elucidating the pathway linked to chemotherapy-induced death of oocytes, reports the protective effect of the anticancer drug, imatinib in preserving the oocytes during such treatments. The results of the study are published online in the journal Nature Medicine. Continue Reading

Several assisted hatching (AH) techniques, such as mechanical dissection, zona thinning with acidified Tyrode’s solution or proteolytic enzymes, and laser energy, have been evaluated with varying reports on their clinical efficacy. Now a new method of hatching, in which the zona pellucida (ZP) is mechanically expanded using hydrostatic pressure has been developed, helping to increase the implantation rates of day-3 frozen-thawed embryos in IVF/ICSI cycles. The findings of this prospective study have been published in the latest issue of Fertility and Sterility. Continue Reading

Vitrification, compared to conventional or slow freezing, is an effective technique for cryopreserving oocytes and embryos; however, its comparative efficacy in ovarian tissue cryopreservation is not proven. Now, a study published in the recent issue of the journal Reproduction reports that conventional freezing is more effective in the cryopreservation of ovarian tissue, as it preserves greater developmental and proliferative potential. Continue Reading

A recent retrospective study, emphasizing the significance of oocyte cryopreservation time in improving the clinical outcome of ICSI, has suggested a time-frame of 39 to 40 hours after hCG administration as the cut-off time for oocyte freezing. The findings of the study, highlighting the need for customizing the embryo transfer policy, are published in the online issue of the journal, Fertility and Sterility. Continue Reading

Owing to recent therapeutic advancements in the field of oncology, there has been a significant increase in the number of childhood cancer survivors. As per the estimates of the National Childhood Cancer Foundation (NCCF), one in every 250 adults in the US will be living with a history of childhood cancer by 2010. Though studies have established the detrimental effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on gonadal functions, there lacks consensus on extending the option of fertility preservation to premenarchal girls. A recent cohort study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, supports cryopreservation of the ovarian cortex along with the freezing of aspirated, in vitro maturation (IVM) oocytes in premenarchal girls, before initiating cancer treatment. The researchers also noted that the age of the subjects is not directly linked to the number of oocytes identified, matured, and cryopreserved. Continue Reading