Background: Male infertility associated with sperm DNA alteration has raised a new issue in assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs).Methods: It was a retrospective analytical study on 250 cases of routine IVF/ICSI performed at Swagat ART Centre from January 2017 to January 2020. We divided the patient according to the sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) as normal DFI≤15%, n=95, a moderate DFI≤30%, n=89, and a high DFI group >30%, n=66. Oocytes of each patient were almost equally divided and fertilization method was adopted as half IVF half ICSI or only ICSI in poor quality (oligo, astheno, teratozoospermia or with two or all three defect and compared the fertilization, cleavage, embryo formation, blastocyst formation, pregnancy and early embryo formation rate among these six groups.  Results: Fertilization, cleavage, embryo formation, and clinical pregnancy rates were reported as higher in ≤15% DFI group of both IVF and ICSI-ET (87.3±26.2, 77.7±26.1, 68.2±28.8, 50.8 in IVF and 78.3±17.8, 70.3±31.2, 67.2±28.8, 57.6 respectively). Significant differences (p<0.01) are observed among all six groups. Higher abortion rate is observed in high DFI group of both IVF and ICSI.Conclusions: High sperm DFI causes low blastocyst formation and pregnancy outcome.  Higher abortion rate observed in high DFI group indicated need of further study.

Oocytes (510) with two or more cumulus cell layers adhered to zona pellucida obtained by aspiration from follicles (2–8 mm dia) of 127 abattoir porcine ovaries were utilized to study the effect of supplementation of 0.5 M sucrose (Suc), 50 mg/ml polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and Suc + PVP into two different vitrification solutions, i.e. 35% concentration of both ethylene glycol (EG)+ propylene glycol (PG) and EG + dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO). Vitrified post-thaw oocytes with intact zona pellucida and vitelline membrane, normal spherical shape and dark and evenly granulated cytoplasm under a stereo-zoom microscope were considered as viable. Out of the three supplements treatments, supplementation with sucrose + PVP combination and sucrose alone resulted in significantly higher mean post-thaw survivability rate of vitrified oocytes both for EG + PG and EG + DMSO as compared to the supplementation with PVP alone. It was concluded that addition of sucrose alone or in combination with PVP in vitrification solution, significantly improved survivability of vitrified porcine follicular oocytes.

A total of 950 and 510 oocytes with two or more cumulus cell layers adhered to zona pellucida obtained by aspiration from follicles (2–8 mm dia) of 315 and 135 abattoir porcine ovaries, respectively, were utilized in the study to find the effect of cryoprotectant and concentration on post-thaw survivability of porcine follicular oocytes. Vitrified post-thaw oocytes with intact zona pellucida and vitelline membrane, normal spherical shape and dark and evenly granulated cytoplasm under a stereo-zoom microscope were considered as viable. Out of the 10 cryoprotectant treatments i.e. ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG), dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), glycerol (GL), EG + PG, EG + DMSO, EG + GL, PG + DMSO, PG + GL and DMSO + GL used for vitrification of oocytes at a concentration of 35%, the post-thaw survivability rate was the highest in EG +DMSO followed by EG + PG group which had significantly higher mean post-thaw survived oocytes as compared to GL, PG + DMSO, PG + GL and DMSO + GL groups. Exposing the oocytes to 30, 35 and 40% of EG + DMSO and EG + PG yielded no significant difference in post-thaw survivability rate of vitrified oocytes, although the highest value was obtained with 35%. It was concluded that 35 to 40% EG + DMSO yielded efficient vitrification of porcine oocytes.

Background: Understanding of the embryo-endometrium dialogue is still far from being understood. During conventional in vitro fertilization cycles, progesterone elevation on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration refers to rising progesterone levels in the absence of either premature or a luteinizing hormone surge. Most research have reported that elevated progesterone had an adverse impact on the endometrial environment of fresh cycles, leading to a decrease in pregnancy rates.Methods: The current study was undertaken at Swagat hospital and research Centre, Bongaigaon, Assam (India). Fifty patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) were selected for the study. Baseline estimation of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), (estrogen) E2 and (transvaginal sonography) TVS was done. The patients were grouped on the basis of their progesterone levels on the day of hCG trigger, with the cutoff for defining premature progesterone rise being (progesterone) P4≥ 3ng/ml. Final oocyte maturation was induced with hCG. Oocyte retrieval was performed 34-36 h after hCG. Two to three embryos of day 3 cleavage stage were transferred under TVS guidance. The parameters obtained from each cycle were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed. Probability (P) value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. A sonographic confirmation of pregnancy was performed 2 weeks after β-hCG positive.Results: On dividing the patients into two groups, based on the cut off of P4 as 3ng/ml, it was observed that the no of cases that conceived was significantly higher in the subjects whose P4 level was less than or equal to 3ng/ml than the subjects whose P4 level was more than 3ng/ml.Conclusions: Elevated P4 i.e. Progesterone level just before trigger is a reflection of endometrial maturity that can cause disparity between endometrial and embryonic ageing and therefore hamper implantation or cause failure in assisted reproductive technology (ART).