Heterotopic pregnancy after assisted reproductive techniques with favorable outcome of the intrauterine pregnancy:A case report

BACKGROUND Heterotopic pregnancy(HP)is a rare condition in which both ectopic and intrauterine pregnancies occur.HP is uncommon after natural conception but has recently received more attention due to the widespread use of assisted reproductive techniques(ART)such as ovulation promotion therapy.CASE SUMMARY Here,we describe a case of HP that occurred after ART with concurrent tubal and intrauterine singleton pregnancies.This was treated successfully with surgery to preserve the intrauterine pregnancy,resulting in the birth of a low-weight premature infant.This case report aims to increase awareness of the possibility of HP during routine first-trimester ultrasound examinations,especially in pregnancies resulting from ART and even if multiple intrauterine pregnancies are present.CONCLUSION This case alerts us to the importance of comprehensive data collection during regular consultations.It is important for us to remind ourselves of the possibility of HP in all patients presenting after ART,especially in women with an established and stable intrauterine pregnancy that complain of constant abdominal discomfort and also in women with an unusually raised human chorionic gonadotropin level compared with simplex intrauterine pregnancy.This will allow symptomatic and timeous treatment of patients with better results.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the pregnancy outcomes of women undergoing assisted reproductive techniques(ARTs):a systematic review and meta-analysis

The global outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) led to the suspension of most treatments with assisted reproductive technique(ART). However, with the recent successful control of the pandemic in China, there is an urgent public need to resume full reproductive care. To determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic had any adverse effects on female fertility and the pregnancy outcomes of women undergoing ART, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using the electronic Chinese and English databases. Dichotomous outcomes were summarized as prevalence, and odds ratios(ORs)and continuous outcomes as standardized mean difference(SMD) with 95% confidence interval(CI). The risk of bias and subgroup analyses were assessed using Stata/SE 15.1 and R 4.1.2. The results showed that compared with women treated by ART in the pre-COVID-19 time frame, women undergoing ART after the COVID-19 pandemic exhibited no significant difference in the clinical pregnancy rate(OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.19;I^(2)=0.0%), miscarriage rate(OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.79 to1.14;I^(2)=38.4%), embryo cryopreservation rate(OR 2.90, 95% CI 0.17 to 48.13;I^(2)=85.4%), and oocyte cryopreservation rate(OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.03 to 3.65;I^(2)=81.6%). This review provided additional evidence for gynecologists to guide the management of women undergoing ART treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic timeframe.

Two missense STK11 gene variations impaired LKB1/adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase signaling in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

BACKGROUND Peutz-Jeghers syndrome(PJS)is a rare hereditary neoplastic disorder mainly associated with serine/threonine kinase 11(STK11/LKB1)gene mutations.Preimplantation genetic testing can protect a patient’s offspring from mutated genes;however,some variations in this gene have been interpreted as variants of uncertain significance(VUS),which complicate reproductive decision-making in genetic counseling.AIM To identify the pathogenicity of two missense variants and provide clinical guidance.METHODS Whole exome gene sequencing and Sanger sequencing were performed on the peripheral blood of patients with PJS treated at the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya.Software was employed to predict the protein structure,conservation,and pathogenicity of the two missense variation sites in patients with PJS.Additionally,plasmids were constructed and transfected into HeLa cells to observe cell growth.The differences in signal pathway expression between the variant group and the wild-type group were compared using western blot and immunohistochemistry.Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance.P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS We identified two missense STK11 gene VUS[c.889A>G(p.Arg297Gly)and c.733C>T(p.Leu245Phe)]in 9 unrelated PJS families who were seeking reproductive assistance.The two missense VUS were located in the catalytic domain of serine/threonine kinase,which is a key structure of the liver kinase B1(LKB1)protein.In vitro experiments showed that the phosphorylation levels of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)at Thr172 and LKB1 at Ser428 were significantly higher in transfected variation-type cells than in wild-type cells.In addition,the two missense STK11 variants promoted the proliferation of HeLa cells.Subsequent immunohistochemical analysis showed that phosphorylated-AMPK(Thr172)expression was significantly lower in gastric,colonic,and uterine polyps from PJS patients with missense variations than in non-PJS patients.Our findings indicate that these two missense STK11 variants are likely pathogenic and inactivate the STK11 gene,causing it to lose its function of regulating downstream phosphorylated-AMPK(Thr172),which may lead to the development of PJS.The identification of the pathogenic mutations in these two clinically characterized PJS patients has been helpful in guiding them toward the most appropriate mode of pregnancy assistance.CONCLUSION These two missense variants can be interpreted as likely pathogenic variants that mediated the onset of PJS in the two patients.These findings not only offer insights for clinical decision-making,but also serve as a foundation for further research and reanalysis of missense VUS in rare diseases.

Cluster analysis reveals a homogeneous subgroup of PCOS women with metabolic disturbance associated with adverse reproductive outcomes

Background:Polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS)is a heterogeneous and complex reproductive endocrinological disease that could lead to infertility.There were many attempts to classify PCOS but it remains unclear whether there is a specific subgroup of PCOS that is associated with the best or worst reproductive outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques(ART).Methods:Infertile PCOS patients who underwent their first cycle of in vitro fertilization(IVF)in West China Second University Hospital,Sichuan University from January 2019 to December 2021 were included.Basic clinical and laboratory information of each individual were extracted.Unsupervised cluster analysis was performed.Controlled ovarian stimulation parameters and reproductive outcomes were collected and compared between the different clusters of PCOS.Results:Our analysis clustered women with PCOS into"reproductive","metabolic",and"balanced"clusters based on nine traits.Reproductive group was characterized by high levels of testosterone(T),sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG),follicular stimulation hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),and anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH).Metabolic group was characterized by high levels of body mass index(BMI),fasting insulin,and fasting glucose.Balanced group was characterized by low levels of the aforementioned reproductive and metabolic parameters,except for SHBG.Compared with PCOS patients in reproductive and balanced clusters,those in metabolic cluster had lower rates of good quality day 3 embryo and blastocyst formation.Moreover,PCOS patients in the reproductive cluster had greater fresh embryo transfer(ET)cancelation rate and clinical pregnancy rate after fresh ET than metabolic cluster(odds ratio[OR]=3.37,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.77-6.44,and OR=6.19,95%CI:1.58-24.24,respectively).And compared with PCOS of metabolic cluster,PCOS of balanced cluster also had higher chance for fresh ET cancelation(OR=2.83,95%CI:1.26-6.35).Conclusion:Our study suggested that PCOS patients in metabolic cluster may be associated with adverse reproductive outcomes and might need individualized treatment and careful monitoring before and during ART.

Fertility outcomes following bariatric surgery

Obesity impacts human health in more than one way.The influence of obesity on human reproduction and fertility has been extensively examined.Bariatric surgery(BS)has been used as an effective tool to achieve long-term weight loss in both sexes.BS improves hormonal profiling,increasing the odds of spontaneous pregnancy and success rates following assisted reproductive techniques in infertile females.For obese males,BS does improve sexual function and hormonal profile;however,conflicting reports discuss reduced sperm parameters following BS.Although the benefits of BS in the fertility field are acknowledged,many areas call for further research,like choosing the safest surgical techniques,determining the optimal timing to get pregnant,and resolving the uncertainty of sperm parameters.

Sperm chromatin structure assay （SCSA）： a tool in diagnosis and treatment of infertility

Diagnosis of male infertility has mainly been based on the World Health Organization （WHO） manual-based semen parameter＇s concentration, motility and morphology. It has, however, become apparent that none of these parameters are reliable markers for evaluation of the fertility potential of a couple. A search for better markers has led to an increased focus on sperm chromatin integrity testing in fertility work-up and assisted reproductive techniques. During the last couple of decades, numerous sperm DNA integrity tests have been developed. These are claimed to be characterized by a lower intraindividual variation, less intralaboratory and interlaboratory variation and thus less subjective than the conventional sperm analysis. However, not all the sperm chromatin integrity tests have yet been shown to be of clinical value. So far, the test that has been found to have the most stable clinical threshold values in relation to fertility is the sperm chromatin structure assay （SCSA）, a flow cytometric test that measures the susceptibility of sperm DNA to acid-induced DNA denaturation in situ. Sperm DNA fragmentation as measured by SCSA has shown to be an independent predictor of successful pregnancy in first pregnancy planners as well as in couples undergoing intrauterine insemination, and can be used as a tool in investigation, counseling and treatment of involuntary childlessness. More conflicting data exist regarding the role of sperm DNA fragmentation in relation to fertilization, pre-embryo development and pregnancy outcome in in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI）.

Outcome of assisted reproductive technology in met with treated and untreated varicocele, systematic review and meta-analysis

Varicocele affects approximately 35%-40% of men presenting for an infertility evaluation. There is fair evidence indicating that surgical repair of clinical varicocele improves semen parameters, decreases seminal oxidative stress and sperm DNA fragmentation, and increases the chances of natural conception. However, it is unclear whether performing varicocelectomy in men with clinical varicocele prior to assisted reproductive technology （ART） improve treatment outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of varicocelectomy on ART pregnancy outcomes in nonazoospermic infertile men with clinical varicocele. An electronic search was performed to collect all evidence that fitted our eligibility criteria using the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases until April 2015. Four retrospective studies were included, all of which involved intracytoplasmic sperm injection （ICSI）, and accounted for 870 cycles （438 subjected to ICSI with prior varicocelectomy, and 432 without prior varicocelectomy）. There was a significant increase in the clinical pregnancy rates （OR = 1.59, 95% CI. 1.19-2.12, 12 = 25%） and live birth rates （OR = 2.17, 95% CI： 1,55-3.06, I^2 = 0%） in the varicocelectomy group compared to the group subjected to ICSI without previous varicocelectomy. Our results indicate that performing varicocelectomy in patients with clinical varicocele prior to ICSI is associated with improved pregnancy outcomes.

Vlale sexual dysfunction and infertility associated with neurological disorders

Normal sexual and reproductive functions depend largely on neurological mechanisms. Neurological defects in men can cause infertility through erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction and semen abnormalities. Among the major conditions contributing to these symptoms are pelvic and retroperitoneal surgery, diabetes, congenital spinal abnormalities, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, Erectile dysfunction can be managed by an increasingly invasive range of treatments including medications, injection therapy and the surgical insertion of a penile implant. Retrograde ejaculation is managed by medications to reverse the condition in mild cases and in bladder harvest of semen after ejaculation in more severe cases. Anejaculation might also be managed by medication in mild cases while assisted ejaculatory techniques including penile vibratory stimulation and eiectroejaculation are used in more severe cases. If these measures fail, surgical sperm retrieval can be attempted. Ejaculation with penile vibratory stimulation can be done by some spinal cord injured men and their partners at home, followed by in-home insemination if circumstances and sperm quality are adequate. The other options always require assisted reproductive techniques including intrauterine insemination or in vitrofertilization with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The method of choice depends largely on the number of motile sperm in the ejaculate.

Higher frequency of Yq microdeletions in sperm DNA as compared to DNA isolated from blood

Aim： To determine if Yq microdeletion frequency and loci of deletion are similar in two tissues （blood and sperm） of different embryological origin. Methods： The present study included 52 infertile oligozoospermic cases. In each case, DNA was isolated from blood and sperms and polymerase chain reaction （PCR） microdeletion analysis was done from genomic DNA isolated from both the tissues. The PCR products were analyzed on a 1.8% agarose gel. PCR amplifications found to be negative were repeated at least three times to confirm the deletion of a given marker. Results： Only 1 case harbored microdeletion in blood DNA, whereas 4 cases harbored microdeletion in sperm DNA. Conclusion： The frequency of Yq microdeletions is higher in germ cells as compared to blood. As the majority of infertile couples opt for assisted reproduction procreation techniques （ART）, Yq microdeletion screening from germ cells is important to understand the genetic basis of infertility, to provide comprehensive counseling and most adapted therapeutics to the infertile couple.

Male fertility following childhood cancer: current conceptsand future therapies

<abstract>Prepubertal boys treated for cancer may exhibit impaired fertility in later life. A number of chemotherapeu tic agents have been identified as being gonadotoxic, and certain treatment regimens, such as that used for Hodgkin's disease, are particularly associated with subsequent infertility. Radiotherapy may also cause gonadal damage, most notably following direct testicular irradiation or total body irradiation. Because of the varied nature of the cytotoxic insult, it can be difficult to predict the likelihood of infertility in later life. Currently it is not possible to detect gonadal damage early due to the lack of a sensitive marker of gonadal function in the prepubertal age group.Semen cryopreservation is currently the only method of preserving fertility in patients receiving gonadotoxic therapy. This is only applicable to postpubertal patients and can be problematic in the adolescent age group. At present there is no provision for the prepubertal boy, although there are a number of experimental methods currently being investigated. By harvesting testicular tissue prior to gonadotoxic therapy, restoration of fertility could be achieved following treatment, either by germ cell transplantation or by in vitro maturation of the germ cells harvested. Alternatively, rendering the testes quiescent during cytotoxic treatment may protect the germ cells from subsequent damage. In addition to the many scientific and technical issues to be overcome prior to clinical application of these techniques, a number of ethical and legal issues must also be addressed to ensure a safe and realistic prospect for future fertility in these patients.

A laboratory modification to testicular sperm preparation technique improves spermatogenic cell yield

Testicular sperm extraction is a common procedure used to find spermatogenic cells in men with nonobstructive azoospermia. The laboratory processing of biopsied testicular tissues needs to be performed meticulously to acquire a high yield of cells. In this study, the effectiveness of mincing the tissues after testicular biopsy was assessed using histological evaluation, as was the possible adverse effect of residual tissue on the migration of spermatogenic cells during density gradient centrifugation. Our results indicate that testicular residual tissue, when laid on the density gradient medium along with the sperm wash, hinders the spermatogenic cells＇ forming a pellet during centrifugation, and therefore impairs the intracytoplasmic sperm injection procedure. Whereas the mean number of recovered cells from the sperm wash medium （SWM） with residual tissue is 39.435 ~ 24.849, it was notably higher （60.189 ~ 28.214 cells） in the SWM without minced tissues. The remaining tissue contained no functional seminiferous tubules or spermatogenic cells in histological sections. In conclusion, the remaining residual tissue after mincing biopsied testicular tissue does not add any functional or cellular contribution to spermatogenic cell retrieval; in fact, it may block the cellular elements in the accompanying cell suspension from migrating through the gradient layers to form a pellet during centrifugation and cause loss of spermatogenic cells.

Seminal biomarkers for the evaluation of male infertility

For men struggling to conceive with their partners, diagnostic tools are limited and often consist of only a standard semen analysis. This baseline test serves as a crude estimation of male fertility, leaving patients and clinicians in need of additional diagnostic biomarkers. Seminal fluid contains the highest concentration of molecules from the male reproductive glands, therefore, this review focuses on current and novel seminal biomarkers in certain male infertility scenarios, including natural fertility, differentiating azoospermia etiologies, and predicting assisted reproductive technique success. Currently available tests include antisperm antibody assays, DNA fragmentation index, sperm fluorescence in situ hybridization, and other historical sperm functional tests. The poor diagnostic ability of current assays has led to continued efforts to find more predictive biomarkers. Emerging research in the fields of genomics, epigenetics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics holds promise for the development of novel male infertility biomarkers. Seminal protein-based assays of TEXI01, ECM 1, and ACRV1 are already available or under final development for clinical use. Additional panels of DNA, RNA, proteins, or metabolites are being explored as we attempt to understand the pathophysiologic processes of male infertility. Future ventures will need to continue data integration and validation for the development of clinically useful infertility biomarkers to aid in male infertility diagnosis, treatment, and counseling.

Abnormal fertilization in ICSI and its association with abnormal semen parameters:a retrospective observational study on 1855 cases

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)efficiently addresses male factor infertility.However,the occurrence of abnormal fertilization,mainly characterized by abnormal pronuclei(PN)patterns,merits investigation.To investigate abnormal fertilization patterns following ICSI and identify their respective associations with abnormal parameters in semen analysis(SA),a retrospective observational study including 1855 cycles was performed.Male infertility diagnosis relied on the 2010 WHO criteria.The population was divided into groups based on their SA results.The presence of 2PNs and extrusion of the second polar body(PB)indicated normal fertilization.A Kruskal–Wallis test along with a Wilcoxon post hoc evaluation and Bonferroni correction was employed for comparison among the groups.For the pregnancy rate,logistic regression was employed.No correlation was established between the SA abnormalities and the 1PN or 3PN formation rates.The highest and lowest 0PN rates were reported for the oligoasthenoteratozoospermic and normal groups,respectively.The lowest cleavage formation rates were identified in the oligoasthenozoospermic and oligoasthenoteratozoospermic groups.The aforementioned groups along with the oligoteratozoospermic group similarly presented the lowest blastocyst formation rates.For the clinical pregnancy rate,no statistically significant difference was observed.In conclusion,the incidence of two or more abnormal SA parameters–with the common denominator being oligozoospermia–may jeopardize normal fertilization,cleavage,and blastocyst rates.Once the developmental milestone of achieving blastocyst stage status was achieved,only oligoasthenozoospermia and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia were associated with lower rates.Interestingly,following adjustment for the number of blastocysts,no statistically significant differences were observed.

Artificial intelligence in andrology-fact or fiction:essential takeaway for busy clinicians

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the current approach to medicine. AI uses machine learning algorithms to predict the success of therapeutic procedures or assist the clinician in the decision-making process. To date, machine learning studies in the andrological field have mainly focused on prostate cancer imaging and management. However, an increasing number of studies are documenting the use of AI to assist clinicians in decision-making and patient management in andrological diseases such as varicocele or sexual dysfunction. Additionally, machine learning applications are being employed to enhance success rates in assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs). This article offers the clinicians as well as the researchers with a brief overview of the current use of AI in andrology, highlighting the current state-of-the-art scientific evidence, the direction in which the research is going, and the strengths and limitations of this approach.