BACKGROUND Fragile X syndrome is associated with low ovarian reserve and poor ovarian response. The aim of this study was to investigate whether CGG repeats on the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene have predictive value for ovarian response to stimulation with gonadotrophins and for clinical outcome in our oocyte donation program. METHODS Oocyte donor candidates were selected accordi...

Previous studies indicate that stress damages oocytes with increased secretion of glucorticoids. However, although injection of female mice with cortisol decreased oocyte competence, exposure of mouse oocytes directly to physiological or stress-induced concentrations of glucorticoids did not affect oocyte maturation and embryo development. This study has explored the mechanisms by which glucoco...

We previously identified 62, 39, 27 and 7 kDa porcine sperm plasma membrane proteins that demonstrated a predominant affinity for the porcine oocyte plasma membrane by Western ligand blotting. The current experiments were designed to further investigate the potential roles of these molecules in sperm-oocyte plasma membrane interaction. Abilities of these proteins to bind to the oocyte plasma me...

BACKGROUND Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) has been used as a replacement for the mid-cycle luteinizing hormone (LH) surge for several years. The recent arrival of recombinant DNA technology has made recombinant HCG (rHCG) accessible. OBJECTIVE To assess efficacy of rHCG compared to urinary HCG (uHCG) for triggering of ovulation and induction of final oocyte maturation in assisted reproduc...

To investigate the regulation of lipid uptake into the eel oocyte in more detail, effects of 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and lipid transporters (lipoproteins) were determined in vitro. Ovarian explants from previtellogenic Japanese eels (Anguilla japonica) were incubated for 28 days with 11-KT and/or with very low density lipoproteins (Vldl), low density lipoproteins (Ldl), or high density lipo...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anaesthetic effect during oocyte aspiration of a paracervical block (PCB) in combination with either electro-acupuncture (EA) or intravenous alfentanil. In all, 150 women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer were randomized to receive either EA plus PCB or alfentanil plus PCB. Visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to evalu...

A cluster of centrioles has been found in the early Drosophila oocyte. Since the oocyte is connected to 15 nurse cells by a system of intercellular bridges or ring canals, the possibility that the cluster of centrioles arose in the germarium from an intercellular migration of centrioles from the nurse cells to the oocyte was analyzed in serial sections for the electron microscope. Initially, al...

Objective To determine general attitudes of fertile and infertile women to oocyte donation in a Muslim and secular population. Methods The participants consisted of fertile women (n=133) who had at least one healthy living child spontaneously conceived without any fertility treatment and infertile women (n=133) who were diagnosed with primary infertility. Both groups were evaluated with chart...

STUDY QUESTION What are the characteristics, motivation and experience of French patients seeking cross-border reproductive care (CBRC)? SUMMARY ANSWER French patients seeking CBRC are same-sex couples, single women who are not eligible for assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs) in France and heterosexual couples seeking oocyte donation due to extremely limited access to this technique in ...

BACKGROUND To our knowledge, there is no valid and comprehensive questionnaire that considers attitude toward oocyte donation (OD). Therefore this study has aimed to design and develop a tool entitled attitude toward donation-oocyte (ATOD-O) to measure attitude toward OD. MATERIALS AND METHODS This methodological, qualitative research was undertaken on 15 infertile cases. In addition, we perf...