International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
Year:2016 | Volume:14 | Issue:12|Papers Count:8

Many studies have focused on male infertility. There is limited evidence about the influence of nutrition on quality of semen. Approximately, 30-80% of infertility cases are caused by oxidative stress and decreased level of seminal total antioxidant capacity. This study was aimed to review the effects of oral antioxidant supplements on improving major semen parameters such as sperm concentration, motility, morphology, DNA damage, and fertility rate. Data were extracted from PubMed and Google scholar database by using the terms "antioxidant", "multivitamin", "carnitine", "CoQ10", "vitamin C", "vitamin E", "zinc", "folic acid", "N-acetyl cysteine" and "selenium" combined with "male infertility", "semen", and "sperm" to generate a set of relevant citations. Supplements such as CoQ10 and alpha-tocopherol significantly improve sperm count. Also, carnitine has positive effects on sperm motility and morphology. Simultaneous administration of vitamin E and vitamin C reduces the sperm DNA damage. However, in some studies, one or more factors have not changed substantially. In most of the studies, antioxidant supplementation improved the number, motility, morphology and sometimes DNA integrity of sperm. The present study showed that antioxidant supplements, especially a combination of antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and CoQ10 intake can effectively improve semen parameters in infertile men.

Background: Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is the absence of implantation after three consecutive In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycles with transferring at least four good quality embryos in a minimum of three fresh or frozen cycles in a woman under 40 years. The definition and management of RIF is under constant scrutiny.Objective: To investigate the effects of Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF) on RIF, pregnancy rate, abortion rate and implantation rates.Materials and Methods: A double blind placebo controlled randomized trial was conducted at two tertiary university based hospitals. One hundred patients with the history of RIF from December 2011 until January 2014 were recruited in the study.G-CSF 300μg/1ml was administered at the day of oocyte puncture or day of progesterone administration of FET cycle. Forty patients were recruited at G-CSF group, 40 in saline and 20 in placebo group.Results: The mean age for whole study group was 35.3±4.2 yrs (G-CSF 35.5±4.32, saline 35.3±3.98, placebo 35.4±4.01, respectively). Seventeen patients had a positive pregnancy test after embryo transfer [10 (25%) in G-CSF; 5 (12.5%) in saline; and 2 (10%) in placebo group]. The mean of abortion rates was 17.6% (3), two of them in G-CSF, one in saline group. The implantation rate was 12.3% in G-CSF, 6.1% in saline and 4.7% in placebo group.Conclusion: G-CSF may increase chemical pregnancy and implantation rate in patients with recurrent implantation failure but clinical pregnancy rate and abortion rate was unaffected.Many studies have focused on male infertility. There is limited evidence about the influence of nutrition on quality of semen. Approximately, 30-80% of infertility cases are caused by oxidative stress and decreased level of seminal total antioxidant capacity. This study was aimed to review the effects of oral antioxidant supplements on improving major semen parameters such as sperm concentration, motility, morphology, DNA damage, and fertility rate. Data were extracted from PubMed and Google scholar database by using the terms "antioxidant", "multivitamin", "carnitine", "CoQ10", "vitamin C", "vitamin E", "zinc", "folic acid", "N-acetyl cysteine" and "selenium" combined with "male infertility", "semen", and "sperm" to generate a set of relevant citations. Supplements such as CoQ10 and alpha-tocopherol significantly improve sperm count. Also, carnitine has positive effects on sperm motility and morphology. Simultaneous administration of vitamin E and vitamin C reduces the sperm DNA damage. However, in some studies, one or more factors have not changed substantially. In most of the studies, antioxidant supplementation improved the number, motility, morphology and sometimes DNA integrity of sperm. The present study showed that antioxidant supplements, especially a combination of antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and CoQ10 intake can effectively improve semen parameters in infertile men.

Background: Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia may play a role in pathogenesis of PCOS. One of the common therapeutic methods is using insulinsensitizing drugs such as metformin and thiazolidinediones.Objective: The purpose was to determine the effect of metformin and pioglitazone on clinical, hormonal and metabolic parameters in women with PCOS.Materials and Methods: Eighty four women randomly received one of the following for 3 months: metformin (n=28) (500 mg three times a day), pioglitazone (30 mg daily) (n=28) and combination of both metformin and pioglitazone (n=28) (30 mg/day pioglitazone plus 500 mg metformin three times a day). Hormonal profile, fasting serum insulin, body weight, body mass index, menstrual status and waist to hip ratio were evaluated before and after treatment.Results: Metformin and pioglitazone and combination therapy induced favorable changes in fasting serum insulin, HOMA-IR index, QUICKI, fasting glucose to insulin ratio in women with PCOS. Body weight, BMI, and waist to hip ratio increased significantly after treatment with pioglitazone but the data were similar after administration of metformin or combination therapy. Total testosterone level decreased significantly only after treatment with metformin. After 3 months in patients who received pioglitazone or combination therapy, menstrual cycles became regular in 71.4% and 73.9% respectively. While menstrual improvement happened only in 36.4% of the patients treated with metformin.Conclusion: These findings suggest that insulin-sensitizing drugs induce beneficial effect in insulin resistance and menstrual cyclicity but only metformin ameliorated hyperandrogenemia in women with PCOS. Treatment with combination of metformin and pioglitazone did not show more benefit than monotherapy with each drug alone.

Background: There are two methods for ventilation in gynecological laparoscopy: volume-controlled ventilation (VCV) and pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV).Objective: To compare the lung mechanics, hemodynamic response and arterial blood gas analysis and gas exchange of two modes of VCV and PCV using laryngeal mask airway (LMA) at different time intervals.Materials and Methods: Sixty infertile women referred for diagnostic laparoscopy, based on ventilation mode, were randomly divided into two groups of VCV (tidal volume: 10 ml/kg) and PCV. In the PCV group, ventilation was initiated with a peak airway pressure (tidal volume: 10 ml/kg, upper limit: 35 cm H2O). In both groups, the arterial blood samples were taken in several time intervals (5, 10 and 15 min after LMA insertion) for blood gas evaluation. Also the lung mechanics parameters were continuously monitored and were recorded at different time intervals. Results: There were no significant differences for patient’s age, weight, height and BMI in two groups. The peak and plateau airway pressure were significantly higher in VCV group compared to PCV group 5 and 10 min after insertion of LMA. PaO2 was significantly higher after 10 and 15 min in VCV group compared to PCV group (p=0.005 and p=0.03, respectively). PaCO2 showed significant increase after 5 min in PCV group, but the differences were not significant after 10 and 15 min in two groups. The end tidal CO2 showed significant increase after 10 and 15 min in VCV compared to PCV group.Conclusion: Both VCV and PCV seem to be suitable for gynecological laparoscopy. However, airway pressures are significantly lower in PCV compared to VCV.

Background: Knowledge about assisted reproductive techniques (ART) and its procedures affect the attitude of infertile people. Making decisions about the use of ART is affected by one's perception and attitude.Objective: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the attitude of infertile couples toward applying ART, and to investigate its related factors.Materials and Methods: A randomized cross-sectional study was conducted on 184 infertile couples who had referred to the Research and Clinical Center of Infertility, Yazd, Iran for diagnosis and treatment in June 2014. The data was collected using a two-part questionnaire containing demographic and attitudinal statements. For data analysis, SPSS statistical software and statistical tests of mean differences (t-test), Pearson correlation and analysis of variance were used.Results: A significant relationship between spouse's attitude (p<0.01), relative's attitude (p<0.01), the applied knowledge of ART (p<0.01), and attitude of infertile couples toward applying the ART was observed; however, there was not any significant relationship between gender and socioeconomic status toward applying ART (p>0.05).Conclusion: In conclusion, making a decision and accepting ART can be influenced by couple's attitude, their family's attitude and applied knowledge of ART.

Background: Serum concentrations of antimullerian hormone (AMH) correlate with ovarian response during assisted reproduction treatment (ART) cycles.Objective: This retrospective study attempted to evaluate the selection of ovarian stimulation protocols based on serum AMH levels in patients and its impact on the results of ART.Materials and Methods: Based on AMH levels, the patients with tubal factor infertility were divided in three groups of normal, low and high AMH levels. Oocyte, good embryo number and pregnancy rate in each group were analyzed.Results: Using agonist and antagonist protocols, an increase in serum AMH led to higher number of oocytes and better quality embryos. At all low, normal and high AMH levels, the agonist protocol led to a more significant increase in the number of oocytes than the antagonist protocol (p<0.05). The number of high quality embryos significantly increased by the agonist protocol than antagonist protocol in women with normal AMH levels of 1.3-2.6 ng/ml (p=0.00). Moreover, the results for the number of high quality embryos at AMH ˃2.6 ng/ml was in favor of the antagonist protocol (p=0.00). The results showed the lowest pregnancy rate at AMH ˂1.3 ng/ml. At AMH ˃2.6 ng/ml, there was a significant increase in pregnancy rate through the antagonist protocol (p=0.04).Conclusion: Findings of this study suggested that the ART results are predictable, taking into account the AMH levels. The protocol specific to each patient can be used given the AMH level in each individual. This is because the results of each protocol depend on individual conditions.

Background: Assessment of ovarian reserve is one of the steps in the management of infertile couples. Follicle Stimulating hormone (FSH) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) are commonly used ovarian reserve markers in Africa. However, there is paucity of age-specific reference values for FSH and AMH among the African population.Objective: This study aimed at conducting a pilot study for generation of age-specific nomograms for FSH and AMH among fertile women in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.Materials and Methods: A pilot cross-sectional study that involved 65 fertile women within the age range of 18-45 yr were prospectively and consecutively recruited from November 2014 to January 2015. Peripheral blood samples were taken for basal serum FSH and random serum AMH. The samples were processed using enzyme linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assays.Results: Age-specific FSH nomogram showed a gradual increase which became steeper at age 35 yr with an average yearly increase of 0.2 IU/L in basal serum FSH, while age-specific AMH nomogram showed a peak at 25 yr and then; an average yearly decrease of 0.11 ng/ml in random serum AMH from 25 yr.Conclusion: The age-specific nomograms generated by this pilot study suggest that AMH may be an earlier marker of reduced ovarian reserve; which if validated by future multicenter population based studies may facilitate counseling of women on their reproductive potentials.

Background: Neuroendocine carcinoma of the gynecologic tract is rare and poses a significant clinical challenge because of tumor heterogeneity and lack of standardized guidelines for treatment. Ovotestis refers to the histology of a gonad that contains both ovarian follicles and testicular tubular elements. Ovotesticular disorder of sexual development occurs in fewer than 10% of all disorders of sexual development. Gonadal tumors with malignant potential occur in 2.6% of all cases of ovotesticular disorder of sexual development.Case: Here we represent a 77-year-old woman with primary amenorrhea, infertility and 10cm solid mass in left adnex with 46 XY in karyotype with ovotestis neuroendocrine neoplasm in pathology report which was treated with a multi-modality manner including surgery and chemotherapy but she came back with pulmonary metastasis after 2 cycles of chemotherapy. For women who present with a stage 1 primary ovarian neuroendocrine tumor the prognosis is excellent with greater than 90% survival. Neuroendocrine tumor of the ovary represents 3 % of all neuroendocrine tumors. The prevalence of ovotestis is 1/20000 births. For women with more advanced disease, the prognosis is poor. Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the ovary is a rare and aggressive tumor commonly associated with other surface epithelial and germ cell neoplasms. The prevalence of ovotestis is 1/20000 births and gonadal malignancies are the most reported neoplasm affected the ovotestis. Here we report a case of ovotestis which is presented with neuroendocrine carcinoma and poor prognosis.Conclusion: Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the ovary is a rare and aggressive tumor commonly associated with other surface epithelial and germ cell neoplasms. The prevalence of ovotestis is rare and gonadal malignancies are the most reported neoplasm affected the ovotestis.