Background The level of vitamin D in follicular fluid (FF) according to the ovarian reserve has never been investigated, and the effect of FF vitamin D on the outcome of assisted reproductive technology (ART) remains controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between FF vitamin D levels and baseline anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) / ART outcomes. Methods Forty-seven patients who underwent controlled ovarian stimulation at the fertility clinic of an academic tertiary care center were enrolled for a prospective observational study. FF was collected from the first aspirated leading follicle of each ovary and assayed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to assess the association between baseline AMH and FF vitamin D levels with adjustment for basal FSH and serum vitamin D levels. Results Both the AMH and serum vitamin D were significant predictors for FF vitamin D. The estimated marginal mean of FF vitamin D level was higher in women with decreased ovarian reserve (DOR) than those with normal ovarian reserve (24.1 ± 2.1 vs. 18.8 ± 1.4 ng/ml, p = 0.048). However, FF vitamin D did not demonstrate any significant associations with cycle outcomes, including fertilization rate and the number and proportion of good embryos at day three. Conclusion We observed significantly higher FF vitamin D levels in women with DOR. However, FF vitamin D did not demonstrate any significant associations with the outcome of ART. A larger prospective study is needed to investigate the effect of FF vitamin D on the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate DNA fragmentation status in human spermatozoa according to specific tail swelling patterns determined via hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST).MethodsFrozen semen samples from 21 healthy donors were thawed and prepared by the swim-up technique for use in intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The semen samples were treated for 5 minutes as part of the HOST procedure and then underwent the sperm chromatin dispersion test using a Halosperm kit. DNA fragmentation status (large halo, medium halo, small halo, no halo, or degraded) and the specific tail swelling pattern (“a”–“g”) were assessed at the level of a single spermatozoon. A total of 42,000 spermatozoa were analyzed, and the percentage of spermatozoa without DNA fragmentation (as evidenced by a large or medium halo) was assessed according to the specific tail swelling patterns observed.ResultsThe HOST examinations showed that >93% of spermatozoa across all types displayed no DNA fragmentation. The percentage of spermatozoa without DNA fragmentation was 100% in type “d”, 98.67% in type “g”, and 98.17% in type “f” spermatozoa.ConclusionWe found that the type “d” spermatozoa displayed no DNA fragmentation, but the other types of spermatozoa also displayed very low rates of DNA fragmentation. This result may be associated with the processing of the spermatozoa by density gradient centrifugation and the swim-up technique.

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Background: Fertility preservation refers to a procedure performed to maintain the ability to become pregnant before receiving treatment with a risk of fertility loss, such as chemo- or radiation therapy. Examples of fertility-preserving procedures include freezing, sperm freezing, embryo freezing through <i>in vitro</i> fertilization, and ovarian tissue freezing.Current Concepts: Until the late 1990s, awareness of fertility preservation among clinicians and patients was relatively low, and the only way to preserve and restore fertility in women with cancer was the cryopreservation of embryos. However, as the survival rate of cancer patients increased and the treatment results of various diseases improved, interest in quality of life such as pregnancy and childbirth after treatment gradually increased, and became a driving force for the development of fertility preservation. In the 2000s, several centers began cryopreserving ovarian tissue, including primordial follicles from young patients before chemotherapy. Currently, ovarian tissue cryopreservation can be used in combination with <i>in vitro</i> maturation and egg vitrification techniques. Novel methods to improve follicle survival after transplantation are currently being investigated. Methods to improve follicle survival after transplantation and new ovarian protective agents to protect the ovaries from cytotoxic agents are currently being studied.Discussion and Conclusion: Advances in fertility-preserving technologies in the future will contribute to the delivery of healthy children by providing tailored treatments and more individualized fertility-preserving strategies to patients whose fertility is at risk.