Journal of Reproduction & Infertility
Year:2006 | Volume:6 | Issue:5 (25)|Papers Count:10

Introduction: Some studies on human beings have suggested that during normal pregnancies an increase in the number of Th2 cells and in women with recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA) an increase in Th1 cells takes place. The Cross-link of CD26 and CD3 on T-cells with immobilized monoclonal antibodies results in T-cell proliferation and IL-2 (Th1 cytokine) production. CD30 has been described as being preferentially expressed, and sCD30 preferentially released by human T-cells that produce Th2-type cytokines. The objective of this study was to determine whether serum levels of soluble CD26 (sCD26) and CD30 (sCD30) as markers of Th1 and Th2, alter in patients with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), and whether there is any correlation between cytokine production by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and serum levels of soluble CD26 and CD30.Materials and Methods: This was a case-control study on two different groups of people referred to Yazd Research and Clinical Center for Infertility. The case group consisted of 21 women with at least 3 abortions. The participants were visited on the day of their last abortion. The control group consisted of 32 pregnant women without any abortions and with a history of at least one successfully terminated pregnancy. The serum levels of sCD26 and sCD30 and levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13 and IFNγ in the cell culture supernatant were evaluated by ELISA method and then they were compared.Results: The levels of sCD26 and sCD30 were similar in women with RSA and in the controls. The production of IL-2 by PBMCs in women with RSA was higher than that of the controls (p=0.001) but the level of IL-10 was higher in the controls than women with RSA (p=0.002). There was no correlation between the levels of sCD26, sCD30 and cytokines in the two groups.Conclusion: The findings indicate that the serum levels of sCD26 and sCD30 are no indicators for RSA but the elevation of IL-2 and decrease of IL-10 in women with RSA may be considered as risk factors for recurrent spontaneous abortions.

Introduction: Men with unexplained infertility and azoospermia are often observed in the context of genetic defects. The expression of a wide variety of genes is developmentally regulated  during human meiosis. Synaptonemal Protein 3 (SYCP3) gene, located on chromosome 12, encodes a DNA-binding protein as the structural component of the synaptonemal complex,which mediates the synopsis or homologous pairing of chromosomes during meiosis. Absence of SYCP3 in mice may lead to male infertility as well as female sub-fertility. SYCP3 expression analysis could be a tool for the prediction of human spermatogenesis progression, especially in infertile men.Materials & Methods: SYCP3 mRNA expression in testicular samples of 110 patients with non-obstructive azoospermia were studied in Avesina Infertility Clinic in Tehran, Iran during 2005 and early 2006. Semi-quantitative nested reverse transcriptase-PCR was employed in order to find the strength of gene expression. Using histopathological scoring for all samples, the expression level of SYCP3 during spermatogenesis was also evaluated.Results: Testicular SYCP3 mRNA expression was observed in 67 patients (60.9%). The expression level correlated with the degree of spermatogenic failure (p<0.0001). While this gene had been expressed in patients with hypo-spermatogenesis and maturation arrest, a lack of expression was seen in those with spermatogonial arrest, Sertoli cell-only syndrome and testicular atrophy.Conclusion: These data indicate that SYCP3 is expressed in the human testis and it is restricted to germ cells. Our findings, in association with those obtained in experimental animals, show that lack of SYCP3 expression may have negative effects on spermatogenesis and male fertility. SYCP3 gene expression may help detect specific spermatogenesis stages in conjunction with histopathological findings.

Introduction: Assisted reproductive technologies have been used for the treatment of a considerable number of infertile couples. Conduction of several cycles of treatment, spending a lot of time, money and energy and the probable complications accompanying repeated anesthesia have made researchers find ways to predict the outcome of different methods used for the treatment of infertility. Male factor infertility is accountable for fifty percent of infertilities. Although semen analysis is an initial test to evaluate male fertility potentials but the results do not always predict fertilization outcomes. Sperm function tests have been suggested to predict the fertilization rate in ART treatment cycles. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic capabilities of double-stranded DNA in fertilization rate predictions.Materials & Methods: 100 infertile men were randomly selected. Based on WHO's 1999 criteria, semen analysis for each case was performed. DNA evaluation was performed by using Acridine orange. According to the fertilization rates (FR), the cases were divided into 3 groups: group I with FR>50%, group II with FR<50% and group III with a total fertilization failure (TFF). The results were analyzed by using ANOVA, correlation coefficient, and calculation of the area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plot. The level of significance was considered 5%. For the prediction of DNA normality likelihood and the best cut-off points for the variables, calculation of the area under the ROC plot was employed.Results: There were no significant differences between fertilization rates (FR) and sperm parameters in IVF treatment cycles. Only a weak correlation was observed between tail defects and FR. Regression analysis showed a correlation between double-stranded DNA & fertilization rates (p=0.04). The analysis of variance for the mean of double-stranded DNA in cases with FR>50%, FR<50% and TFF showed a significant difference at the level of p<0.05. ROC analysis showed that at 50% fertilization rate, the cut-off point for DNA normality was 47.25%.Conclusion: Although semen analysis is an initial test for male fertility but it is not adequate for the prediction of IVF results. The use of DNA normality function tests in conjunction with semen analysis may be helpful in choosing treatment protocols and predicting fertility success rates at 50%, < 50% and T.F.F. levels.

Introduction: Defining the lowest normal values of semen parameters, which are required for fertility, is of utmost importance in the diagnosis and management of infertile couples. These values are defined periodically by W.H.O. However, it has been emphasized that semen parameters should be determined regionally or nationally. The objective of this study was to evaluate semen parameters in fertile couples in Isfahan.Materials & Methods: Semen samples were obtained from partners of 234 pregnant women referring to gynecologists throughout Isfahan. Questionnaires, including time to pregnancy (TTP), were filled out. Semen samples were analyzed according to WHO guidelines. Results were analyzed and odds ratios were calculated by the use of SPSS statistical software and the level of significance was considered <.05%.Results: The 10% cut-off point for the values such as volume, density, total count, motility and normal morphology, being considered as the minimum requirement for fertility, were 1ml, 45×106 per ml, 75×106 per ejaculate, 57% and 28% respectively. Semen parameters with TTP of less than 6 months were grouped according to the mentioned cut-off points and the pregnancy ratio and relative risks of pregnancy were calculated for each group. The results showed no significant differrence between the relative risks for pregnancy with respect to the cut-off points.Conclusion: Due to lack of information on sperm parameters in different parts of the world, regional and national evaluations of these parameters is of great value for demographic studies. Genetic characteristics and regional climate as environment, may affect sperm parameters. Isfahan, for example, is situated in a region with warm and dry climate and this may justify the low mean volume and higher concentration of sperm in the obtained samples from the subjects.

Introduction: During puberty, the first menses or menarche, which is considered a special event, takes place. A study to determine the onset time of menses in girls in different regions of Iran, considering geographical specifications or local characteristics of each region, is essential. On the other hand, the changes of this important indicator over time, will show its probable trend and its study in different intervals will have a two-fold importance. This research has targeted this indicator's trend in the subjects born over a rather long period of time (50 years).Materials & Methods: The data used in this research is from the data gathered for two national health and disease researches with 8220 and 10228 sample sizes including married women aged 15 to 49, from cities, towns and villages all over Iran, in the years 1990 and 1999 respectively. The means have been presented in the form of "Mean ± SD" and for the analysis of the data, t-test, oneway ANOVA and Tukey Post Hoc were used while employing SPSS software (version 11). An alpha level of 0.05 was considered significant.Results: The mean age for the first menses or menarche in the two studied periods of time (in the years 1990 and 1999) were 13.86±1.51 and 13.65±1.47 respectively, and in both periods the mean age at the first menses was significantly (p<0.001) less in urban areas compared to that of rural ones. With the passage of this 9-year period the mean age for the first menses has been reduced significantly (p<0.001) in both urban and rural areas, that is from 13.76 to 13.61 in urban areas and from 14.03 to 13.72 in rural areas. The analysis of age at the first menses according to the birth year (birth cohort) is indicative of a trend with a significant reduction in the age of menarche in those born during the decade 1936-1945 to those born during 1976-1985 and it has reached from 14.3±1.59 to 13.57±1.34. This trend is seen in both urban and rural areas.Conclusion: It seems that these changes are in concordance with the trend of economical improvement and nutritional status of people during those years. These findings are similar to other studies which demonstrate earlier maturation of girls by the betterment of socio-economical status.

Introduction: Psycho-social aspects of physical disability may create more problems for the individual than the disability itself. The infertile may suffer from misjudgments or prejudices in  different situations by their colleagues and relatives. All factors for this suffering can be evaluated in stigma settin gs which the infertile confront. In addition to these pathological settings, there are some opportunities which infertile people can enjoy for more adaptations with their social environments. The objective of this study was to become familiarized with different aspects of psycho- social life of the in fertile in the setting of Iranian culture.Materials & Methods: 268 fertile and infertile subjects were involved in this study from two different re gions of Iran. Through a considerable number of interviews with infertile individuals in the pilot study, the styles of social interaction with people and also positive and negative constructs related to their social lives were recognized. Utilizing a suitable instrument (Repertory grid) and factor analysis of scores, disability factors concerning social aspects of infertility were discovered. Moreover, regression analysis and t-test (p< .05) were used for the analysis of the data.Results: The statistical analysis including t-test, factor and regression analyses indicated that social comparison, as one of the sources for self, has an imminent role in the prediction of psychosocial adjustment of infertile individuals. Meanwhile, the infertile women showed more negative views in the elements “comparison with fertile people” and “my view toward infertility” but both fertile and infertile subjects did not show any significant differences in psychosocial adjustments.Conclusion: From the three sources of self-knowledge, social comparison, social feedback and self-observation, social comparison plays the first role and social feedback the second in the construction of stigma among infertile people. The results of this study showed the necessity of a health-oriented approach in the evaluation of psycho-social aspects of physical disability among infertile people and also the necessity of modifying and equalizing the functions of the three sources of self-knowledge through group therapy sessions.

Introduction: Different psychological aspects of infertility have been studied so far. The objecttive of this study was to determine the most common dimensions of attitude towards infertility in infertile couples and also to determine the relation between attitude towards infertility and age of couples, the time-span after marriage, educational achievements and infertility variables. Another objective of the study was to determine the relation between attitude towards infertility and degrees of depression and anxiety.Materials & Methods: Among people who referred to Fertility and Infertility Center in Isfahan in  autumn 2004, 55 cases (25 men and 30 women), who had neither children nor any adoption child but had been diagnosed infertile, were randomly selected and were asked to answer attitude towards infertility questionnaire and Beck′s depression and anxiety inventories. The data were analyzed by SPSS software. Statistical methods such as correlation, descriptive analysis, variance and multiple regression analyses were employed.Results: Based on the findings of the study, attitude towards having  offspring and parental role with 69.1%, and attitude towards social acceptance with 54.5%, were the most prevalent dimensions of attitude towards infertility. In addition, attitude had a significant (p<0.05) reverse relation to age but had no significant relation to time-span after marriage or the participants' educational levels. Results did not show significant differences in attitude towards infertility, when the participant, his/her spouse or both of them were infertile. Noting the regression analysis results, attitude towards life control and social acceptance are the most important factors determining depression severity (p<0.0001), where life control, social acceptance, having offspring and parental role had greater effects on anxiety (p<0.0001).Conclusion: Many infertile couples put the highest emphasis on offspring and parental role and most of them had negative attitude towards social acceptance. Older people had less negative attitudes towards the variables. The participants' attitude towards infertility had no relation to timespan after marriage, educational levels or whether the participant, his/her spouse or both were infertile. Depression and anxiety in these couples were due to their attitude towards life control and social acceptance.

Introduction: Performing research on (human) volunteers may involve useful or harmful effects. To preserve the volunteers' dignity, numerous world associations have issued declarations such as Nuremberg′s, Helsinki′s, Belmont′s report, etc. One of the four ethical principles in research is respecting volunteers'′ rights and the most obvious aspect of this respect materializes in obtaining the volunteers′ informed consent.Materials & Methods: This informed consent form has been compiled by a Delphi quality study which 15 experts have participated in its designation and compilation. At first, the experts replied the questions posed by the researchers on the frame and contents of the form. Then, the replies were summarized and once again were sent to the experts for a second revision. Eventually, the final form was edited by a Persian language expert. Results: The final result of this research is an informed consent form which includes three main parts: introduction, body and places provided for signatures.Conclusion: Compilers of this form find it a suitable and useful way to obtain volunteers′ informed consent. This form has been prepared for all researchers in different fields of medical science and the authors welcome any comments, suggestions or criticisms by professors and specialists.