• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.148-152
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• 2011

Objective: Laser-assisted intracytoplasmic sperm injection (LA-ICSI), also known as micro-opening or thinning of the zona pellucida (ZP) prior to ICSI, may help to reduce mechanical damage to the oocyte during the procedure. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and analyze the efficacy of our institutional LA-ICSI program, which features laser-assisted ZP thinning prior to ICSI, in comparison with conventional ICSI (C-ICSI), performed on patients with different clinical characteristics. Methods: Patients undergoing a total of 212 ICSI cycles were randomly divided into an LA-ICSI group (106 cycles) and a conventional ICSI group (106 cycles). To reduce tissue damage, we thinned the ZP by approximately 70%, using a laser, before ICSI. Patients thus treated formed the LAICSI group. Comparisons included the morphological quality of transferred embryos, blastocyst development of the remaining embryos, and clinical pregnancy, in terms of ICSI method and patient characteristics. Results: Fertilization, development of remaining embryos, and pregnancy rate were significantly higher in the LA-ICSI group compared with the C-ICSI group. Fertilization, embryonic development, and the pregnancy rate were all improved in younger patients (<38 years of age) and in those who underwent a low number of IVF-ET attempts (<3 trials). In addition, the pregnancy rate was increased in older patients. Conclusion: LA-ICSI may be useful in improving the chance of pregnancy in all ICSI patients.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제34권8호
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• pp.1253-1270
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• 2021

Assessment of male fertility is based on the evaluation of sperm. Semen evaluation measures various sperm quality parameters as fertility indicators. However, semen evaluation has limitations, and it requires the advancement and application of strict quality control methods to interpret the results. This article reviews the recent advances in evaluating various sperm-specific quality characteristics and methodologies, with the help of different assays to assess sperm-fertility status. Sperm evaluation methods that include conventional microscopic methods, computer-assisted sperm analyzers (CASA), and flow cytometric analysis, provide precise information related to sperm morphology and function. Moreover, profiling fertility-related biomarkers in sperm or seminal plasma can be helpful in predicting fertility. Identification of different sperm proteins and diagnosis of DNA damage has positively contributed to the existing pool of knowledge about sperm physiology and molecular anomalies associated with different infertility issues in males. Advances in methods and sperm-specific evaluation has subsequently resulted in a better understanding of sperm biology that has improved the diagnosis and clinical management of male factor infertility. Accurate sperm evaluation is of paramount importance in the application of artificial insemination and assisted reproductive technology. However, no single test can precisely determine fertility; the selection of an appropriate test or a set of tests and parameters is required to accurately determine the fertility of specific animal species. Therefore, a need to further calibrate the CASA and advance the gene expression tests is recommended for faster and field-level applications.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.68-74
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• 2014

Objective: In search of an ideal method of assisted hatching (AH), we compared the effects of conventional micropipette-AH and laser-AH on the blastocyst formation rate (BFR) and blastocyst cell numbers. Methods: Four-to five-week-old ICR female mice were paired with male mice after superovulation using Pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and hCG. The two-cell embryos were flushed from the oviducts of female mice. The retrieved two-cell embryos underwent one of five AH procedures: single mechanical assisted hatching (sMAH); cross mechanical assisted hatching (cMAH); single laser assisted hatching (sLAH); quarter laser assisted hatching (qLAH); and quarter laser zona thinning assisted hatching (qLZT-AH). After 72 hours incubation, double immunofluorescence staining was performed. Results: Following a 72 hours incubation, a higher hatching BFR was observed in the control, sMAH, cMAH, and sLAH groups, compared to those in the qLAH and qLZT-AH groups (p<0.05). The hatched BFR was significantly higher in the qLAH and qLZT-AH groups than in the others (p<0.05 for each group). The inner cell mass (ICM) was higher in the control and sMAH group (p<0.05). The trophectoderm cell number was higher in the cMAH and qLAH groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results showed that the hatched BFR was higher in groups exposed the the qLAH and qLZT-AH methods compared to groups exposed to other AH methods. In the qLAH group, although the total cell number was significantly higher than in controls, the ICM ratio was significantly lower in than controls.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.168-173
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to report a successful twin pregnancy and delivery in a female patient with X-linked dominant incontinentia pigmenti (IP) who underwent assisted reproductive technology followed by preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). A 29-year-old female with IP had a previous history of recurrent spontaneous abortion. A molecular analysis revealed the patient had a de novo mutation, 1308_1309insCCCCTTG(p.Ala438ProfsTer26), in the inhibitor of the kappa B kinase gamma gene located in the Xq28 region. IVF/ICSI and PGS was performed, in which male embryos were sexed using array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). After IVF/ICSI and PGS using aCGH on seven embryos, two euploid male blastocysts were transferred with a 50% probability of a viable male pregnancy. The dizygotic twin pregnancy was confirmed and the amniocentesis results of each twin were normal with regard to the mutation found in the mother. The patient delivered healthy twin babies during the 37th week of gestation. This case shows the beneficial role of PGS in achieving a successful pregnancy through euploid male embryo gender selection in a woman with X-linked dominant IP with a history of multiple male miscarriages.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.87-92
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• 2011

Objective: This study aimed to determine the safety and clinical effect of artificial shrinkage (AS) in terms of assisted hatching of fresh blastocysts. Also, we evaluated the correlation between patient age and the effect of AS on clinical outcome. Methods: Two AS methods, using a 29-gauge needle and laser pulse, were compared. Seventy-three blastocysts were shrunk using a 29-gauge needle and the same number of other blastocysts were shrunk by a laser pulse. We evaluated the shrunken blastocysts hourly and considered them viable if they re-expanded >70%. Blastocyst transfer cycles (n=134) were divided into two groups: a control group consisted of the cycles whose intact embryos were transferred (n=100), while the AS group consisted of the cycles whose embryos were replaced following AS (n=34). The implantation and pregnancy rates of the control group and AS group were compared ($p$ <0.05). Results: The re-expansion rates of the 29-gauge needle and laser pulse AS groups were similar (56 [76.7%] vs. 62 [84.9%], respectively). All of the remaining shrunken blastocysts were re-expanded within 2 hours. There was no degeneration of shrunken blastocysts. The total and clinical pregnancy rate of the AS group (23 [67.6%]; 20 [58.8%], respectively) was significantly higher than that of the control group (47 [47.0%]; 39 [39.0%], respectively). In the older patient group, there was no difference in the clinical outcomes between the AS and control groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that AS of blastocoele cavity, followed by the transfer, would be a useful approach to improve the clinical outcome in cycles in which fresh blastocyst stage embryos are transferred.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.193-202
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• 2008

목 적: 보조부화술이 적용되는 좋지 않은 예후를 보여주는 선별된 환자군을 대상으로 산성 용액을 이용한 AHA 방법과 레이저를 이용한 AHL 방법의 효용성을 비교하여, 보다 효과적으로 임신율과 착상률을 높일 수 있는 보조부화술 방법을 찾고자 하였다. 연구방법: 2006년 2월부터 9월까지 체외수정 시술을 시행한 환자 중 보조부화술이 필요한 328주기를 대상으로 산성용액을 이용한 AHA 방법 (180주기)과 ZILOS-tk 레이저를 이용한 AHL 방법 (148주기)으로 나누어 시행하였다. 보조부화술을 시행한 환자군은 환자의 나이가 38세 이상이거나 투명대의 두께가 $18{\mu}m$ 이상, 기저 FSH 농도가 15 mIU/ml이상, 체외수정 시술을 3번 이상 실패한 환자, 이식하는 배아의 상태가 양호하지 않은 환자들로 이상에 적용요인이 있으면 시행하여 무작위로 보조부화술 방법간에 환자들의 임상적 특징과 임신율과 착상률을 분석하였다. 결 과: 전체 보조부화술을 시행한 환자군에 AHL 방법과 AHA 방법간에 임신율 (42.6%, 63/148 vs. 33.3%, 60/180)과 착상률 (17.4%, 82/470 vs. 16.0%, 89/556)에 유의적 차이는 나타나지 않았다. 그러나 나이가 많은 환자군인 Group 1은 임신율 (37.0%, 20/54 vs. 18.7%, 14/75)과 착상률 (14.4%, 23/160 vs. 7.1%, 15/210)이 AHL 방법이 AHA 방법보다 유의적 (p<0.05)으로 높게 나타났다. 전체 환자군이나 선별된 각 군내에 보조부화술 방법간에 환자의 임상적 특징은 유의적 차이가 나타나지 않았다. 3번 이상 체외시술에 실패한 환자군 [Group 2: 43.8% (21/48)과 31.6% (25/79)], 투명대의 두께가 $18{\mu}m$ 이상인 환자군 [Group 3: 43.8% (32/73)과 34.1% (28/82)], 이식한 배아의 질이 양호하지 않은 환자군[Group 4: 25.0% (7/28)과 14.6% (6/41)]에서는 AHL 방법이 임상결과는 좋았으나 유의적 차이는 없었다. 결 론: 레이저를 이용한 AHL 방법이 나이가 많은 환자군과 3번 이상 체외수정 시술에 실패한 환자군에서 AHA방법에 비해 높은 임신율과 착상률을 나타내었다. 결론적으로, AHL을 이용한 보조부화술이 임상적으로 보다 효과적이고 안전한 방법이라고 사료된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.184-187
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• 2021

Radical trachelectomy is a fertility-preserving alternative to radical hysterectomy in carefully selected young women with early-stage cervical cancer. However, in cases with subsequent severe cervical stenosis, assisted reproductive techniques can be difficult. This is a case report of a 34-year-old patient who underwent robot-assisted radical trachelectomy and cerclage for early-stage (IB2) adenosquamous carcinoma. Three months after surgery, the patient underwent ovarian stimulation using a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol. As it was impossible to perform transcervical embryo transfer due to the almost complete absence of the cervical opening, transmyometrial embryo transfer under ultrasound guidance was performed. This resulted in a successful singleton pregnancy. This is the first case of successful pregnancy conceived by in vitro fertilization with transmyometrial embryo transfer in a patient who had previously undergone robot-assisted radical trachelectomy.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제54권1호
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• pp.59-72
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• 2024

Purpose: This cross-sectional study aimed to identify factors influencing the intention for continual fertility treatments among women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART). Methods: A total of 197 women were recruited through convenience sample from fertility hospitals in Gyeonggi-do and Busan, South Korea. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire incorporating measures of uncertainty; Depression Anxiety Stress Scales; Fatigue Severity Scale; Coping Scale for Infertility-Women; spousal support; treatment environment; and intention for continual fertility treatment. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, and logistic regression analysis were conducted using IBM SPSS 26.0. Results: As many as 70.6% of the participants expressed an intention for continual fertility treatments. Logistic regression analysis revealed that factors such as uncertainty (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20~0.95), active coping (OR = 4.04, 95% CI 1.11~14.71), treatment environment (OR = 2.77, 95% CI 1.26~6.07), and the duration of marriage (OR = 2.61, 95% CI 1.24~5.49) were significantly related with this intention. Conclusion: These findings underscore the significance of uncertainty management, having proactive coping strategies, having supportive treatment environments, and considering the duration of marriage concerning women's intention for continual fertility treatment in the context of ART. The implications of these results extend to the development of nursing intervention programs aimed at providing crucial support for women undergoing ART and seeking to continue their infertility treatment.

• 한국유전체학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국유전체학회 2005년도 The 14th Korea Genome Conference
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• pp.50-50
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• 2005

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.143-147
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• 2013

Oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) is an assisted reproductive technology in which oocytes are retrieved from the antral follicles of unstimulated or minimally stimulated ovaries. IVM of human oocytes has emerged as a promising procedure. This new technology has advantages over controlled ovarian stimulation such as reduction of costs, simplicity, and elimination of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. By elimination or reduction of gonadotropin stimulation, IVM offers eligible infertile couples a safe and convenient form of treatment, and IVM outcomes are currently comparable in safety and efficacy to those of conventional in vitro fertilization. IVM has been applied mainly in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome or ultrasound-only polycystic ovaries, but with time, the indications for IVM have expanded to other uncommon situations such as fertility preservation, as well as to normal responders. In this review, the current clinical experiences with IVM will be described.