OBJECTIVE To conduct a meta-analysis of studies assessing the effect of IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) on birth defects. DESIGN Meta-analysis. SETTING Centers for reproductive care. PATIENT(S) Patients treated by IVF and/or ICSI. INTERVENTION(S) We identified all studies published by September 2011 with data related to birth defects in children conceived by IVF and/or I...

OBJECTIVE To determine the relationship between sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) parameters (DNA fragmentation index [DFI] and high DNA stainability [HDS]), and conventional IVF and IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes. DESIGN Retrospective review and prospective study. SETTING Private IVF clinic. PATIENT(S) Two hundred forty-nine couples undergoing first IVF and/or ...

BACKGROUND Implantation remains a limiting step in IVF/ICSI. Endometrial injury isa promising procedure aiming at improving the implantation and pregnancy rates after IVF/ICSI. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of endometrial injury induced in precedingcycle on IVF/ICSI outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four hundred patients undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycle in two...

BACKGROUND To verify whether or not microinjection of sperm with a normal nuclear shape but large vacuoles affects IVF-ICSI pregnancy outcome. METHODS A comparative study testing IVF outcome parameters of IVF-ICSI, based on morphological selection of spermatozoa with normal nuclei against those based on microinjection of sperm with a normal nuclear shape but large vacuoles. An experimental gr...

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of luteal-phase acupuncture on the outcome of IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). DESIGN Randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study. SETTING University IVF center. PATIENT(S) Two hundred twenty-five infertile patients undergoing IVF/ICSI. INTERVENTION(S) In group I, 116 patients received luteal-phase acupuncture according to the princip...

BACKGROUND Although the increased risk for perinatal morbidity and mortality of babies born after ART is largely attributed to a higher rate of multiple gestations, a significantly worse perinatal outcome for singleton pregnancies following ART compared to pregnancies after natural conception has been reported as well. Most studies only include IVF/ICSI pregnancies; studies describing the perin...

INTRODUCTION Sperm chromatin integrity assessment has been suggested as a fertility predictor. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the results of sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and the outcome of IVF, ICSI and intrauterine insemination (IUI). METHODS A total of 306 consecutive couples undergoing assisted reproduction were included. IUI was performed in 131, I...

Objective Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of vaginal sildenafil on the outcome of patients with at least two times of unsuccessful IVF / ICSI. MaterialsAndMethods Method and Material(s): A total of 66 infertile women aged ≤ 38 years, with a history of normal ovarian reserve, two prior consecutive failed IVF/ICSI attempts, hCG day endometrial thickness

Objective: To assess the influence of MII oocyte morphology on the fertilization outcome and embryo development in ART cycles. Since, age may affect the quality of oocyte, the role of women's age was also evaluated following IVF or ICSI cycles. Materials and Methods: 200 MII oocytes from 30 IVF and ICSI cycles were evaluated. The morphology of oocytes that were fertilized in IVF cycles (IVF+) w...

BACKGROUND Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) are suspected of having relevance to adverse reproductive events. METHODS This study aims to investigate the potential effect of ANA on IVF/ICSI outcome and the therapeutic role of prednisone plus low-dose aspirin (P + A) adjuvant treatment in ANA + patients. The first IVF/ICSI cycles without P + A of sixty-six ANA + women were enrolled as the ANA + gr...