• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of bST treatment on embryo recovery and pregnancy rate following embryo transfer. Donor cows were superovulated with Folltropin-V and PGF$_2$$\alpha$ combination method and then inseminated with frozen semen 3 times 12 hrs interval. Donor and recipient cows were assigned to control and bST group, of which was given a single injection of bST (500 mg, im) at insemination or estrus detection. Embryo collection of superovulated cows were flushed nonsurgical method at 7 to 8 days after artificial insemination. The percentare and Mean$\pm$S.E. of transferable embryo was not significantly different between control and bST treatment (72.8%/5.9$\pm$4.5 vs. 83.7%15.1 $\pm$ 1.6). The percentage and Mean$\pm$S.E. of transferable embryo in non-summer season was significantly higher than in summer (81.8%/5.4$\pm$2.1 vs. 68.7%14.774.6; P<0.05). The pregnancy rate after embryo transfer in bST treatment was significantly higher than in control (64.0 vs. 47.1%; P<0.05). There was no significant difference in pregnancy rate between summer and non-summer (51.6 vs. 61.5%; P>0.05). The results indicated that InST treatment in recipient cows could improve the efficiency of transferable embryo production and pregnancy rate after embryo transfer, and non-summer season may be better far superovulation treatment and embryo transfer.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 1992

In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF & ET) is widely used for the males with subnormal or abnormal semen quality, as this was recommended in view of the relatively small numbers of spermatozoa required for fertilization and subsequent pregnancies could be obtained. The aim of this study is to know how the various functional parameters of spermatozoa in semen analysis affect the outcome IVF. This study was carried out between 1988-1989, with male factor patients selected on the basis of the semen quality. The selection criteria was based upon the mean values of concentration,% motility and % normal morphology from at least two semen analysis. There is a significant decrease in the fertilization and embryo transfer rates in the study group compared with control group (35.9% vs. 68% and 48.6% vs. 85.5% respectively), however, there was no significant difference in the pregnancy or delivery rates (19.6% vs. 21.4% and 60.0% vs. 62.5% respectively) per embryo transfer cycles. Fertilization rate is variously affected by the type and degree of sperm defect. No pregnancy was occurred in triple defect group and asthenoteratospermia group. There is no significant increase in the abortion rate in the male factor group. Improvement have to be made with the fertilization rate, as the pregnancy rate per OPU cycle in male factor group is still lower than that of normal group (9.5% vs. 18.3%). In conclusion, IVF can be used as a treatment for male factor infertility and the preparation of the semen sample can be modified to improve sperm recovery and obtain fertilization from abnormal semen samples.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 1987

Ninety-one patients with irreparable tubal disease underwent in Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET) in Seoul National University Hospital. Ovulation was stimulated in 104 cycles by human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) or follicular stimulating hormone (FSH)/human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). The patients were classified as high (>900 pg/ml), intermediate (400-900 pg/ml), or low (<400pg/ml) responder according to preovulatory $E_2$ response and four $E_2$ patterns were found. The overall pregnancy rate per cycle in this consecutive series was 11.5% (n=12). The number of preovulatory oocytes per cycle was higher significantly in intermediate and high responder group than in low responder group (P<0.01), While the number of immature oocytes per cycle significantly higher in low responder group than high and intermediate responder group (P<0.01). The pregnancy rate in each responder group was not signigicant. According to the $E_2$ pattern of response, there was no significant difference in number of the immature and preovulatory oocytes recovery per cycle. There was a apparently direct relationship between the preovulatory $E_2$ pattern and pre gnancy rate was noted.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.135-147
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• 1988

To compare the stimulation effect of the ratio in follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in induction of multiple follicular growth, the serum $E_2$ level, the diameter of follicle, number of aspirated follicles and cleavage rate of in vitro fertilized preovulatory oocytes as well as the pregnancy rate were evaluated. Forty one patients with irreparable tubal disease were stimulated by hMG(n=24) or FSH/hMG(n=17) for the purpose of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. The following results were obtained. 1. Serum estradiol($E_2$) levels on the day of hCG administration were $921.0{\pm}353.3\;pg/ml$ in hMG group and $1272.9{\pm}1060.6\;pg/ml$ in FSH/hMG group. The serum $E_2$ value of hMG group was significantly lower than that of FSH/hMG group. 2. The diameter of leading follicle by ultrasonogram on the day of hCG administration were $16.2{\pm}2.0\;mm$ in hMG group and $16.2{\pm}2.6\;mm$ in FSH/hMG group. No significant difference of follicle diameter between two groups was demonstrated. 3. The number of follicles with diameter above 10 mm by sonogram on the day of hCG injection were $3.91{\pm}2.32$ in hMG group and $6.52{\pm}3.86$ in FSH/hMG group. There was significant difference of number of follicles between two groups, (p< 0.01). 4. The number of oocytes found per patient at aspiration were $2.59{\pm}1.00$ in hMG group and 3. $76{\pm}2.31$ in FSH/hMG group. There was significant difference of number of aspirated oocytes between two groups. (p< 0.05). 5. The detection rate of preovulatory oocyte at aspiration were 68.4%(39/57) in hMG group (n=22) and 77.6%(38/49) in FSH/hMG group (n=13). 6. The cleavage rate of preovulatory oocyte at 44 hours after insemination were 74.4%(29/39) in hMG group(n=22) and 81.6%(31/38) in FSH/hMG group (n=13). When only hMG was used, one pregnancy was established in 15 patients to whom 29 zygotes were transferred. And a full term normal female baby was delivered by elective cesarean section. In the FSH/hMG group, five pregnancies out of 9 transferred patients were confirmed by serum ${\beta}-hCG$. Two pregnancies were spontaneously aborted before the 6th week of pregnancy. One patient aborted her baby at the 18th week of pregnancy because of incompetent internal os of the cervix. Two patients delivered two full term babies by elective cesarean section. From the above findings, paralell with the increase in the ratio of exogenous follicle stimulating hormone to luteinizing hormone, an increase in oocyte recovery was observed as well as an improvements in pregnancy rate. It was concluded that FSH enrichment early in the follicular phase had a beneficial effect in the controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.291-298
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the reproductive status and the effect of progesterone treatment on the recovery of reproductive disorders in Hanwoo. Hanwoo farms were surveyed the general management status, such as the type of barn, the feed intake, the incidence of reproductive disorders. The reproductive disorder cattle were treated 7 days insertion of control internal drug releasing for cattle (CIDR) and injection of PGF$_2$$\alpha$ at 1 day before removal. The recovery of reproductive disorders was assessed by determining the pregnancy following artificial insemination. The total number of surveyed Hanwoo farms was 127, and the total incidence rate of reproductive disorders was 19.7% (209/1,061). Compared to the herd size, the incidence rates of reproductive disorders in less than 10 heads (37.5%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in 10 to 20 heads (14.7%) and more than 20 heads (13.6%) of herd size per farm. The incidence rate of reproductive disorders in tie stall barn was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in free stall barn (30.4% vs. 14.7%), and even in free stall barn, that tended to decrease as the floor area was larger. The incidence rate of reproductive disorder by the parity was highest in heifer (50.7%), and that tended to decrease as the parity was increased. The distribution rate of the case of reproductive disorder in anestrus, recovery rate of reproductive disorders fellowing CIDR treatment was 75.1% (157/209). In the recovery rate of reproductive disorders by body condition score (BCS), BCS 1, 2 and 3 was significantly (P<0.05) higher pregnancy rate (85.7, 84.9 and 86.8%), and gross recovery rate in emaciated cattle was better than in obese cattle (BCS 4, 5). In conclusion, the incidence rate of reproductive disorders in Hanwoo raised in Youngju province area was 19.7%, and that tended to decrease as the herd size was increase because of increased farmer's attentions, and the floor area was larger. The majority of the case of reproductive disorders was anestrus. The recovery rate of reproductive disorders following CIDR treatment was 75.1%, and to optimize the recovery rate of reproductive disorders, cows and heifers were maintained BCS 1, 2 and 3 by moderate management.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.211-220
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• 1995

Though the endometriosis is not always related with infertility, endometriosis causes infertility in some patients. There are many treatment modalities of infertile patients who have endometriosis. In recent years, Assisted Reproductive Technology(ART) have been widely accepted as being a useful tool for the treatment of infertile endometriotic patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of ART in infertile endometriotic patients who have been carried out IVF-ET from Jan, 1992 to Dec, 1994 and to compare the results between COH/IUI and IVF-ET in the patients with endometriosis stage I. Tubal disease only patients were grouped(308 patient, 956 cycles) as a control. Endometriosis group was subdivided into 4 groups according to American Fertility Society classification; endometriosis stage I (45 patients, 61 cycles), stage II (26 patients, 39 cycles), stage III (26 pateitns, 37 cycles), stage IV (33 patients, 50 cycles). The outcomes of IVF-ET in endometriosis patients were as follows; The oocyte recovery rates were significantly lower in stage III, IV endometriosis. In case of stage III endometriosis, the fertilization rate was significantly lower than other stages of endometriosis. Clinical pregnancy rates per cycle were not different between the tubal group(22%) and the endometriosis group(25%). According to endometriosis stage, the implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate were significantly lower in stage IV (5.6%, 16%) compared with other stages (I; 10.0%, 26%, II;9.8%, 31%, III;12.6%, 32%). It suggests that some factor like autoantibodies may inhibit implantation of embryos in stage IV endometriosis. To evaluate the possibility that simply increasing the number of gametes at the site of fertilization might account for pregnancies attributed to IVF-ET, the authors retrospectively analyzed the outcome of couples undergoing IUI during hMG cycles and CC cycles between 1992 and 1994 in the women with endometriosis stage 1. In case of stage I endometriosis, though the COH/IUI group showed lower FSH level and lesser age profile than IVF-ET group, IUI group has resulted in lower pregnancy rates(19.2%) compared with the IVF-ET group(26.2%). In conclusion, endometriotic infertile patients can get comparable pregnancy rates with the tubal factor infertility patients during IVF-ET program. Moreover even in stage I endometriosis, IVF-ET may be an more effective treatment modality than COH/IUI.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.964-969
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• 2006

The efficacy of garlic extract and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ in the treatment of endometritis in cows was evaluated. A total of 26 parous cows affected with endometritis were randomly allocated into three groups. Group I (n = 10) animals were infused (IU) with 10 ml garlic extract mixed with 90 ml normal saline, three times at 12 h interval starting from the day of estrum, whereas the animals of Group II (n = 10) were treated with a single injection of $PGF_2{\alpha}$ (25 mg Lutalyse) on the $10^{th}$ to $12^{th}$ day after estrus, and group III (n = 6) remained as control. Cervico-vaginal mucus (CVM) was collected from each animal at pre- and post-treatment estrus and subjected to white side test, pH determination and total bacterial load. The clinical recovery of cows was assessed by negative white side test reaction, pH value and total bacterial count of CVM at subsequent estrus. The recovered animals were inseminated with frozen-thawed semen twice at 12 h intervals and pregnancy was confirmed at 45-60 days following insemination. A significant decline (p<0.05) in pH of CVM was observed in both the treatment groups at subsequent estrus. After treatment there was a significant (p<0.05) reduction in bacterial load, whereas, it was increased in control group. A total number of 65 isolates were identified in CVM samples comprising mostly of facultative anaerobic bacteria. Plasma $T_4$ and $T_3$ concentrations were increased in all the treated animals, whereas, a decline was observed in cortisol levels following treatment. The overall conception rate was 50% in treated groups as compared to nil pregnancy in the control.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.307-314
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• 2013

Embryos formed in vivo were collected from 171 donors housed in Chung Cheong Buk-Do Institute of Livestock and Veterinary Research of the Chungbuk community during the years 2009~2012. We evaluated annual embryo collection, effect of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), controlled internal drug release (CIDR) and prostaglandin (PG) administration to the donor for superovulation and controlling the estrus cycle, seasonal effects of embryo collection and compared the number of embryos recovered as per the collection days and pregnancy rate. In all, 1,243 embryos were collected from 118 donors with an average of $7.31{\pm}5.35$ embryos per donor, out of which 69.4% were transferable. Dosages of FSH required for inducing superovulation in various donors were compared. Average number of embryos collected from donors administered with 30 AU of FSH ($7.13{\pm}5.74$ per donor) was not significantly different from that of donors who were given an injection of 24 AU of FSH ($7.53{\pm}4.91$ per donor). However, the percentage of transferable embryos in the 30AU FSH-administered group (63.2 %, 449 of 711) was higher than that in the 24AU FSH-administered group (77.8%, 414 of 532). In the group of donors under a natural estrus cycle, the FSH dose administered did not influence the number of transferable embryos produced ($7.49{\pm}6.25$ per donor for 30 AU of FSH vs $7.49{\pm}4.92$ per donor for 24 AU of FSH). However, in donors administered with CIDR and PG for controlling the estrus cycle, the FSH dose affected the average number of transferable embryos collected ($4.25{\pm}2.87$ per donor for 30 AU of FSH vs $8.50{\pm}6.36$ per donor for 24 AU of FSH). We collected embryos from donors 6, 7 or 8 days after artificial insemination (AI). Results showed that the percentage of transferable embryos among those collected 8 days after AI was significantly higher than that among embryos collected 6 or 7 days after AI. Seasonal variations did not affect number of recovered embryos and pregnancy rates in natural estrus cycle and CIDR treatment groups (48.28% and 42.55%) but higher than pregnancy rate of frozen embryos (19.63%). These results indicated that administration of FSH beyond a threshold dose (at least 24 AU) has no beneficial effect on the production embryos and that collection of embryos 7~8 days after AI is optimal for embryo recovery. CIDR treatment induced superovulation in short term and had no influence on the natural estrus cycle. Finally, although good-quality embryos were transferred, freezing significantly reduced the pregnancy rates after transfer.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.209-218
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• 2004

To investigate the feasibility of embryo transfer technology to promote productivity of cattle, 36 cows(18 Holstein, 18 Hanwoo) were superovulated. Fresh embryos were transferred to 25 recipients(14 Holstein, 11 Hanwoo), whereas frozen embryos were transferred to 17 recipients(10 Holstein, 7 Hanwoo). Two embryos were transferred at a time to 13 recipients(9 Holstein, 4 Hanwoo) to produce twin calves. 1. 75.0％ of donor cattle were reacted to hormonal treatment far superovulation. 2. The rate of embryo recovery by non-surgical method for Holstein and Hanwoo was 90.4 and 95.8％ in comparison with numbers of corpus luteum. 3. Of all the ova collected non-surgically, the rate of viable blastocyst was 66.4％ and the rate of transferrable blastocysts was 48.6％. 4. The rate of embryo collection by one-catheter method was 75.0％. 5. The rate of pregnancy/delivery following embryo transfer with fresh embryos was 60.0％. 6. The rate of pregnancy/delivery following embryo transfer with frozen embryos was 35.3％. 7. In embryo transfer to produce twin calves, the rate of pregnancy/delivery was 28.6％ with fresh embryos and 16.7％ with frozen embryos.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2021

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship of semen parameters in samples used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with fertilization and pregnancy rates in infertile couples. Methods: In this prospective study of Infertile couples with male factor infertility that had undergone ICSI, fractions of the same semen samples obtained for microinjection (to ensure the best predictability) were evaluated to determine the semen parameters and sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) on the day of oocyte recovery. Results: In total, 120 couples completed the study and were subdivided into fertilized (n=87) and non-fertilized couples (n=33). The fertilized couples were further classified into pregnant (n=48) and non-pregnant (n=39) couples. Compared to non-fertilized and non-pregnant couples, fertilized and pregnant couples showed statistically significantly higher sperm viability and percentage of normal sperm morphology, as well as significantly lower sperm DFI values. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of data from the 120 ICSI cycles showed that sperm viability, normal sperm morphology percentages, and sperm DFI were significant prognostic indicators of fertilization at cutoff values of 40%, 7%, and 46%, respectively. A sperm DFI of 46% showed sensitivity and specificity of 95% and 90%, respectively, for predicting fertilization, and no clinical pregnancies occurred in couples with a sperm DFI above 46%. Conclusion: Semen parameters from the ICSI day sample, especially sperm viability, normal morphology, and DFI, had an impact on fertilization and pregnancy outcomes in ICSI cycles.