• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.174-182
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• 2015

Objectives : AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) is considered a sensitive marker of ovarian reserve, and it tends to be included among basic fertility tests. This paper is to report four pregnancies which were achieved by subfertile women with low AMH level after Korean medical treatments. Methods : Four cases of pregnancy by subfertile women, aged 34 to 37, with low AMH level (0.04 to 0.76 ng/mL), after Korean medical treatments between July 2012 and May 2015, were analysed. The patients were diagnosed as Kidney deficiency (腎虛), Blood extravasation (瘀血) and/or Liver Qi stagnation (肝氣 鬱結). Herbal medicine, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture and moxibustion treatments were applied. Results : The four subfertile women with low AMH level achieved pregnancy after Korean medical treatments. Conclusions : The case report suggests that Korean medical treatment can be an effective option for subfertile women with low AMH level before Assisted Reproductive Technology.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 1993

From September 1988 to August 1992, two different methods of preparing human sperm before intrauterine insemination(IUI) were compared using the semen samples of seventy-three infertile couples. The sperms were prepared by a swim-up after sperm washing or by a continuous percoll gradient technique. Fourteen of 35 women conceived during IUI cycles using a sperm washing and swim-up method (40%), and 12 of 38 women conceived during IUI cycles using a percoll gradient technique(31.6%). Among the group with male infertile etiologic factor only, one of 5 women conceived during sperm washing and swim-up cycles(20%); one of 4 women conceived during percoll gradient cycles(25%). On the contrary, among the group with cervical factor only, six of 10 women conceived during sperm washing and swim-up cycles (60%) ; Five of 17 women conceived during percoll gradient cycles(29.4%). It is suggested that sperm separation by sperm washing ar -up is a useful technique for intrauterine insemination in cervical infertility, and sperm separation in percoll gradient appears to be more valuable for intrauterine insemination of male subfertility.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.361-368
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• 2010

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influences of uterine septum and their elimination on the reproductive outcomes in women who have history of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) and/or infertility. Methods: The medical records of reproductive outcomes in patients who have had history of RSA and infertility who were diagnosed with uterine septum only by hysterosalpingogram (HSG) between January 2008 and December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. The subjects who have had severe male factor, tubal factors, other uterine factors, endocrine abnormalities, peritoneal factors, and abnormal karyotyping among both partners were excluded. In 27 patients, confirmation of diagnosis by laparoscopy and elimination of uterine septum by trans-vaginal hysteroscopy was done. Seventeen patients were strongly suspected to uterine septum on HSG but tried to get pregnancy without any other procedure for evaluation and management of uterine anomaly. Age matched 42 patients who have history of RSA and/or infertility and diagnosed to normal HSG finding at same period were randomly selected as control. The medical records of reproductive outcomes were analyzed and compared between groups. Results: The mean time of observation after diagnosis was 21.8 months (10 to 32). 55.6% (15/27) of patients in patients who received trans-vaginal hysteroscopic uterine septotomy were success to get pregnancies and was significantly higher than that of 17 patients who did not receive proper management (23.5%, 4/17, p<0.05). In control population, 40.5% (17/42) were success to pregnancies and the differences were not statistically significant compared to both two study groups. The live birth rate which was excluded pregnancy loss by abnormal fetal karyotyping and congenital anomaly were 75% (9/12) in treated septated uterus group and 84.6% (11/13) in control group each which have no statistically significant different. In patients with septated uterus who did not receive proper management showed lower delivery rate (50%, 2/4) than that of other groups but was not statistically significant. Conclusion: According to present data, women with a uterine septum have an increased chance of successful pregnancy with improved obstetric outcome after proper management of the uterine cavity. And these results were showed in patients with no regard to their reproductive history. But, in case of failed to receive proper management, uterine septum can affect not only pregnancy ongoing but successful pregnancy too.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2011

Objective: To determine whether the serum ${\beta}$-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) profile following preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is lower than that of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Methods: A total of 129 PGD cycles and 1,161 age-matched ICSI cycles, which resulted in pregnancy (serum ${\beta}-hCG{\geq}5$ mIU/mL) on post-ovulation day (POD) 12 were included. We compared the mean serum ${\beta}$-hCG levels on POD 12, 14, 21, and 28, doubling time of serum hCG, and created a cut-off value for predicting a singleton pregnancy in each group. Results: The mean serum ${\beta}$-hCG concentration of the PGD group was significantly lower than that of the control group on POD 12, 14, and 21. The doubling time of serum ${\beta}$-hCG at each time interval showed no significant difference. The cut-off-value of serum ${\beta}$-hCG for predicting a single viable pregnancy was 32.5 mIU/mL on POD 12 and 113.5 mIU/mL on POD 14 for the PGD group, which was lower than that for the control group. Conclusion: Blastomere biopsy may decrease the ${\beta}$-hCG-producing activity of the trophoblasts, especially in early pregnancy. Setting a lower cut-off value of serum ${\beta}$-hCG for predicting pregnancy outcomes in PGD may be needed.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2008

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether multipotent germline stem cells (MGSCs) can be established from neonatal mouse testis. Methods: Various cells containing MGSCs were collected from neonatal testis of ICR mice and allocated to plates for in vitro culture. After 7 days in culture, the cells were passed to a fresh culture plate and continuously cultured. From the third or fourth passage, the presumed MGSCs were cultured and maintained on mitomycin C-inactivated STO feeder cells. The MGSCs were cultured in a condition where mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are cultured. Characteristics of the MGSCs were evaluated by RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, alkaline phosphatase activity, karyotyping, and transmission electron microscopy. Results: Two MGSCs lines were established from 9 pooled sets of neonatal testicular cells. MGSCs colonies were morphologically undistinguishable from ESCs colonies and both MGSC lines as well as ESCs expressed undifferentiated stem cell markers, such as Thy-1, Oct-4, Nanog, Sox2 and alkaline phosphatase. Fine structure of undifferentiated MGSCs were similar to those of ESCs and 60% of MGSCs (12/20) had normal karyotype at passage 10. They were able to form embryoid bodies (EBs) and MGSC-derived EBs expressed marker genes of three germ layers. Conclusion: We could establish the MGSCs from neonatal mouse testis and they were differentiated to multipotent lineages of three germ layers. Molecular characteristics of MGSCs were similar to those of ESCs. Our results suggest a possibility that multipotent stem cells derived from testis, the MGSCs, could replace the ESCs in biotechnology and regenerative medicine.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.91-97
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• 2000

Objective: The presence of the various cytokines in human peritoneal fluid has been evaluated incompletely. Changes in cytokine levels may be related to activation of peritoneal macrophage and T-lymphocyte, development of endometriosis, and infertility. This study assesses peritoneal fluid levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) in infertile women with endometriosis and normal women without endometriosis. Design: Prospective and case-control study in university hospital. Materials and Methods: Cytokine levels in peritoneal fluid obtained during laparotomy or laparoscopy from 21 patients in infertile patients with endometriosis and 24 controls undergoing laparotomy or laparoscopy with no evidence of pelvic endometriosis were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The mean levels of interleukin-6 in infertile patients with endometriosis and controls were $72.7{\pm}23.7$ pg/ml and $18.5{\pm}9.7$ pg/ml respectively (p=0.02). Similarly, the mean levels of interleukin-8 in infertile patients with endometriosis was significantly higher than that of controls ($445.0{\pm}89.6$, vs $45.1{\pm}48.4$, p=0.04). The mean concentration of interleukin-10 in infertile patients with endometriosis was significantly lower than that of controls ($1.09{\pm}0.04$ vs $2.19{\pm}0.03$, p=0.03). The level of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ was not significantly different between the two study groups. Conclusions: Increased IL-6 and IL-8 and decreased IL-10 levels in the peritoneal fluid may be related to pathogenesis in the endometriosis and infertility, suggesting that partially contribute to the disturbed immune regulation observed in infertili women with endometriosis.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2004

Adequate vitamin B$_2$ vitamin B$_{6}$, folate and vitamin B$_{12}$ nutrition is known to be important for reproductive function in women of childbearing age. The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum vitamin B$_2$ vitamin B$_{6}$, folate and vitamin B$_{12}$ status and serum homocysteine levels in 115 women aged 33.2$\pm$4.0 years, who had been diagnosed with infertility, and 49 women aged 34.5$\pm$3.8 years having at least one born child. Total vitamin B$_2$ and vitamin B$_{6}$ intakes in infertile women were significantly lower than those in control. Serum vitamin B$_2$ vitamin B$_{6}$, folate and vitamin B$_{12}$ concentrations were significantly lower in infertile women than those in control and serum homocysteine levels were significantly higher in infertile women than those in control. Thirteen percent in infertile women and zero percent in control were assessed as hyperhomocysteinemic and there was a significant difference in the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia between infertile women and control. 41% infertile women were assessed as folate deficiency. Serum folate concentrations was negatively correlated with serum homocysteine of the infertile women and control. Total vitamin B$_2$ intakes was negatively correlated with serum homocysteine of the infertile women and control. Total vitamin B$_{6}$, folate intakes were negatively correlated with homocysteine of infertile women only. In conclusion, infertile women are needed to intake more B vitamins intakes. Furthermore researches are needed to estimate adequate B vitamin supplementation in infertile women. (Korean J Nutrition 37(2): 115-122, 2004): 115-122, 2004)

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.119-127
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• 2004

Purpose: A Phenomenological study was conducted to investigate the experiences of infertile women who had an unsuccessful in vitro fertilization(IVF) attempt and the structure of these experiences was identified in a socio-cultural context. Method: In-depth interviews were done with five participants from Nov. 1997 to Feb. 1998. Data was recorded and analyzed by Colazzi's method. Result: Significant statements were extracted from the data resulting in 4 themes and 11 concepts. The concepts were: 'lack of information', 'unable to anticipate the outcome', 'reaffirmation of need', 'financial strain', 'emotional suppression', 'change of social relationships', 'physical fatigue', 'blaming oneself or God', 'trying different ways', 'famous place shopping', and 'praying to God'. The significant themes of the participants' experiences with IVF emerged as: "uncertainty", "burden", "blaming" and "vigorous desire". Conclusion: The results indicate that the care of infertile women with an unsuccessful IVF attempt should be based on a deep understanding of their personal experiences. Also, information on alternative choices should be offered and supported.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.127.1-127.1
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• 2005

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.150-150
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• 2006