The latest medical research on Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility

The research magnet gathers the latest research from around the web, based on your specialty area. Below you will find a sample of some of the most recent articles from reputable medical journals about reproductive endocrinology & infertility gathered by our medical AI research bot.

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Metabolic syndrome impairs endometrial functioning and early pregnancy: an in vivo study.

Reproduction

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is increasingly associated with impaired reproductive health. This study aimed to assess the endometrial characteristics an...

Gene expression profile analysis of subregions of the adult female reproductive tract in the brown anole, Anolis sagrei.

Reproduction

The morphological diversity and functional role of the organs of the female reproductive system across tetrapods (limbed vertebrates) are relativel...

One size doesn't fit all: female-male interactions on the path to fertilization.

Reproduction

Extensive research indicates that fertilization outcomes are shaped by individual female and male traits that reflect their intrinsic quality. Yet,...

Non-canonical spatial organization of heterochromatin in mouse preimplantation embryos.

Reproduction

Spatial genome organization refers to the conformation of the chromosomes and their relative positioning within the nucleus. In mammals, fertilizat...

Phthalates Disrupt Female Reproductive Health: A Call for Enhanced Investigation into Mixtures.

Reproduction

Daily exposure to a mixture of phthalates is unavoidable in humans and poses a risk to reproductive health because they are known endocrine-disrupt...

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN TRANS AND GENDER-DIVERSE PATIENTS: Trauma-informed reproductive care for transgender and nonbinary people.

Reproduction

There are some unique aspects to providing trauma-informed reproductive care to transgender and nonbinary people, who are affected by minority stress, stigma, and particular forms of trauma; we review the evidence and suggest strategies for the provision of trauma-informed reproductive care to gender minorities.

Stigma and minority stress affect the health of transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) people, leading to disparities across a range of outcomes. Barriers to accessing care, including reproductive care, further complicate these health disparities. Interpersonal stigma within the healthcare system, and high rates of physical and sexual violence survivorship, make TGNB people particularly vulnerable to healthcare trauma and poor care. This is particularly true among TGNB people with multiple intersecting marginalized identities. Trauma-informed care provides a framework for medical practitioners to provide safe, holistic, and sensitive care. Scant academic literature discusses trauma-informed reproductive care for TGNB individuals. We present a narrative review of the evidence for trauma-informed reproductive care for TGNB people and suggest potential application and implementation.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of double trophectoderm biopsy and/or cryopreservation in PGT: balancing the need for a diagnosis against the risk of harm.

Human Reproduction Update

PROSPERO (ID: CRD42024503678).

This study aimed at conducting a systematic review to investigate the available evidence on the safety of double biopsy and/or double cryopreservation-warming and provide recommendations in this regard. We performed meta-analyses of the differences in the reproductive outcomes (live birth per embryo transfer [LBR per ET], clinical pregnancy rate per ET [CPR per ET], and miscarriage rate per clinical pregnancy [MR per CP]) in double cryopreservation and single biopsy (CBC) or double biopsy and double cryopreservation (BCBC) flows vs the control single biopsy and single cryopreservation (BC) flow. Cryo-survival rates before ET and gestational and perinatal outcomes were also reported.

PRISMA guidelines were followed to gather all available information from the literature (PubMed, Scopus, and Embase). We used Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and a list of specific keywords relevant for the study question. We searched for original studies in humans, published in peer-reviewed journals in English up to April 2024. Four independent authors assessed the articles for inclusion. One included paper was retrieved from another source.

A total of 4219 records were identified, and 10 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Certainty of evidence level ranged from low to moderate. Both the CBC and BCBC groups showed reduced reproductive outcomes compared to the control (BC). Specifically, live birth rates per embryo transfer were lower in the CBC group (OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.38-0.81, I2 = 58%; six studies) and the BCBC group (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.34-0.77, I2 = 24%; six studies). CPR per ET were also lower in the CBC group (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51-0.92, I2 = 57%; seven studies) and the BCBC group (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.46-0.78, I2 = 0%; seven studies). Additionally, MR per CPs were higher in both the CBC group (OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.02-2.77, I2 = 50%; seven studies) and the BCBC group (OR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.13-3.83, I2 = 28%; seven studies). Cryo-survival as well as gestational and perinatal outcomes were within the expected norms in the studies reporting them.

Improved genetic technologies, standardization of laboratory protocols, operators' proficiency with biopsy and cryopreservation, and continuous monitoring of the performance are essential to minimize inconclusive diagnoses and the putative impact of additional embryo manipulations. Although poorer reproductive outcomes might result from double biopsy and/or double cryopreservations, these practices may still be worthwhile to avoid transferring affected/aneuploid blastocysts. Therefore, the risks must be weighed against the potential benefits for each specific couple.

Cell Communications Between GCs and Macrophages Contribute to the Residence of Macrophage in Preovulatory Follicles.

American Journal of

There were not only granulosa cells (GCs) but also immune cells in preovulatory follicular fluid. The objective of this study was to explore the interactions between macrophages and GCs via adhesion molecules in preovulatory follicles and the regulatory mechanisms of the interactions.

Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence were used to detect the expression of ITGB1 in macrophages and fibronectin (FN)1 in GCs in preovulatory follicles from 12 patients. The synthesis of FN1 protein in human ovarian GCs line (KGN) was detected by western blot. An adhesion experiment was performed to observe the changes of KGN cells adhesion to macrophages.

The progesterone levels 12 h after human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) administration in the high proportion immune cells (high immune [HI]) group were significantly higher than that in the low proportion immune cells (low immune [LI]) group (p < 0.0001). The expression of ITGB1 in macrophages in the HI group was higher than in the LI group. The expression of FN1 in GCs in HI group was higher than in LI group (p < 0.01). Progesterone increased the synthesis of FN1 in KGN cells (p < 0.0001) and was suppressed by the elimination of PGR. The adhesion effect of KGN cells on macrophages was enhanced by progesterone (p < 0.0001).

After luteinizing hormone (LH)/HCG surge, progesterone promotes the expression of FN1 in GCs by acting on the receptor PGR, and then GCs enhance the adhesion of macrophages by FN1-ITGB1 interaction, further leading to the result that macrophages perform diverse functional activities to maintain tissue homeostasis during ovulation.

Impact of Omicron Variant Infection on Female Fertility and Laboratory Outcomes: A Self-Controlled Study.

American Journal of

Investigating the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on female fertility and laboratory outcomes in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment who were initially uninfected but later became infected.

This self-controlled study included 197 patients who underwent repeated oocyte retrieval before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection between March 2021 and April 2023, of which 117 used the same ovarian stimulation protocol within a consistent age range. We evaluated the ovarian reserve, ovarian response, and laboratory outcomes in patients before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The ovarian reserve (follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH], estrogen [E2], anti-Müllerian hormone [AMH], antral follicle count [AFC]), ovarian response (total Gn dosage, duration of Gn administration, number of follicles ≥14 mm on trigger day, number of retrieved oocytes), and laboratory outcomes (cleavage stage good-quality embryo rate, blastocyst formation rate, and cycle freezing rate) showed no significant differences before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection in 117 patients (p > 0.05). When stratified by age, the ≤ 35 years group showed a higher two pronuclei (2PN) fertilization rate post-infection, while the >35 years group had increased mature metaphase II (MII) oocyte and blastocyst stage good-quality embryo rates. Additionally, upon stratified by the time interval between SARS-CoV-2 infection and ART treatment, in the ≤ 3 months group, there was an increased post-infection MII oocyte rate, 2PN fertilization rate, and blastocyst stage good-quality embryo rate. Meanwhile, no significant differences were found in any indicators when the interval exceeded three months.

Our study suggested that undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment after recovering from COVID-19 may not adversely affect female fertility and laboratory outcomes.

MiRNA novel-216 regulated fatty acid composition and progesterone synthesis in goat granulosa cells by targeting TPD52.

Reproduction

Granulosa cells in the ovaries of livestock are crucial for secreting steroid hormones that regulate follicular development, with lipid synthesis a...

YAP1 and WWTR1 are required for murine pregnancy initiation.

Reproduction

Endometrial stromal cell decidualization is required for pregnancy success. Although this process is integral to fertility, many of the intricate m...

Phthalate exposure and reproductive effects in rodents: a model for approaches on the protective role of natural products.

Reproduction

This review article summarizes the experimental findings in rodents published between 2014 and 2024 concerning phthalates exposure and reproductive...