Purpose This study investigated whether there is a correlation between levels of 25OH-D in the follicular fluid and the serum of infertile women and the results of IVF and rates of pregnancy. The association between the levels of 25OH-D in the follicular fluid and the vitamin D repletion status was also assessed. Methods Two hundred and twenty-one infertile women participated in an IVF cycle from 2010 to 2011 in a prospective observational study. Serum and follicular fluid were collected for vitamin D analysis. Deficient, insufficient, and sufficient levels of vitamin D were defined as 10, 10-29, and 30-100 ng/ml, respectively. IVF cycle parameters and clinical pregnancy rates were also compared with the vitamin D level. Results The levels of vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency were 22.6, 70.1, and 7.2 %, respectively. The fertilization rates associated with these three levels of vitamin D were 43.17, 53.37, and 58.77 %, respectively, (P = 0.054), and the implantation rates were 17.33, 15.26, and 18.75 %, respectively, (P = 0.579). No significant correlation was seen between the pregnancy rate and the serum vitamin D level (P = 0.094) or the follicular vitamin D level (P = 0.170). The serum and follicular fluid vitamin D levels showed a significant correlation (P = 0.000). Conclusion Although vitamin D is an important hormone in the human body, no correlation was found between the serum and follicular vitamin D level and the pregnancy rate in the IVF cycle.

The addition of letrozole to the GnRH antagonist for poor responders does not improve the outcome of assisted reproductive technology cycles. The MF protocol remains the most appropriate protocol in poor responders.

ObjectiveOptimizing in vitro maturation (IVM) media to achieve better outcomes has been a matter of interest in recent years. The aim of this prospective clinical trial was to investigate the effects of different media on the IVM outcomes of immature oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage.MethodsA total of 400 immature oocytes at the GV stage with normal morphology were retrieved from 320 infertile women aged 31±4.63 years during stimulated intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. They were divided into groups of homemade IVM medium (I, n=100), cleavage medium (II, n=100), blastocyst medium (III, n=100), and Sage IVM medium (IV, n=100) and cultured for 24 to 48 hours at 37℃. ICSI was performed, and the rates of fertilization and embryo formation were compared across the four groups.ResultsIn the 400 retrieved GV oocytes, the total maturation rates showed significant differences in groups I to IV (55%, 53%, 78%, and 68%, respectively, p<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in the fertilization, embryo formation, or arrest rates of metaphase II oocytes across these groups. In all groups, GV maturation was mostly completed after 24 hours, with fewer oocytes requiring 48 hours to mature (p<0.01). Moreover, the rate of high-quality embryos was higher in group IV than in the other groups (p=0.01).ConclusionThe quality of the IVM medium was found to affect clinical IVM outcomes. Additionally, blastocyst medium may be a good choice in IVM/ICSI cycles as an alternative IVM medium.

Background:Implantation is one of the essential steps for the success of assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Their success depends on three main factors: embryo quality, endometrial receptivity (ER), and synchrony between embryo and endometrium. There are various factors that regulate the complex process of implantation. In this regard, one may refer to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as the most important factor. Objective:This study aims to investigate the effect of intrauterine hCG injection before embryo transfer (ET) on pregnancy outcome in infertile couples.Materials and Methods:A total of 159 patients undergone In vitro Fertilization/ Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (IVF/ICSI) with an antagonist protocol were evaluated. Patients were divided into three groups (n=53). Group 1 received 500 IU of hCG, group 2 received 1000 IU of hCG intrauterine injection before ET, and the control group underwent ET without hCG preceding intrauterine injection.Results:There was no significant difference among the groups. The implantation rates were 18.86%, 13.52%, and 14.37%, chemical pregnancy rates were 34%, 32.1%, and 35.3%, and clinical pregnancy rates were 34%, 32.1%, and 31.4% respectively.Conclusion:The pregnancy outcome in IVF/ICSI /ET cycles cannot be improved through hCG intrauterine injections before ET.

No abstract