Artificial Insemination Research Articles

Cryoprotective Assessment of Lycopene in Tris-based Extender on Freezability of Bull Semen

Background: Intensive use of artificial insemination is the demand of the present era, it deals with cryopreservation. During this process many changes, especially oxidative damages, which affect fertility and can be neutralized by supplementing some antioxidants. Methods: To conduct this study, a total of thirty-two ejaculates collected from four bulls were preliminary evaluated. Based on progressive motility and viability, qualified samples were processed for cryopreservation. Diluted ejaculates with Egg yolk tris glycerol (EYTG) were split into four aliquots and grouped as Group I: control (without lycopene), Group II, Group III and Group IV as treatment group with 0.25 mM, 0.5 mM and 1 mM lycopene respectively. Post-thaw evaluation for progressive motility, viability, plasma membrane integrity, capacitation status, motility and kinematics, in vitro cervical mucus penetration and antioxidative enzymes activity was performed. Result: The treatment group containing 0.25 mM lycopene showed significant (P less than 0.05) improvement in post-thaw sperm progressive motility (%), viability (%), HOS response (%), capacitation status (%), motility and kinematics (CASA), bovine cervical mucus penetration and antioxidant activity (SOD, GST, MDA). This study concluded that lycopene supplementation in bull semen protects spermatozoa from cryo-injury and oxidative stress during the freezing-thawing process.

Sustainable Alternatives to the Reduction of Plastic Straws Used with Chilled Equine Semen

Currently, plastic is used being without any limitations. The livestock sector is no stranger to its use. For example, artificial insemination involves the use of different plastic materials, including semen straws and insemination catheters, which increase the levels of waste in our environment. Finding a sustainable solution to avoid plastic materials is a challenge. The aim of this study was to examine different biodegradable materials as alternatives to conventional syringes used for refrigerated equine semen. The materials tested were bamboo, avocado, grass, paper, Kraft paper, wheat, and rice. Bamboo and avocado were selected to continue testing with the refrigerated semen with a lifespan extended by INRA 96®; the rest of the materials did not meet the requirements necessary for preservation. Motility and movement kinetics tests were performed at 24 and 96 h of refrigeration to evaluate semen quality; relative to the control, significantly better results were displayed in regard to the total and progressive motility avocado straws. The kinetic parameters were comparable to the control for both materials and within normal ranges. After performing a microbiological control process for both straws, it was confirmed that there was no bacterial growth in either straw. We can confirm that avocado straws can be used to preserve chilled equine semen, guaranteeing seminal quality while being respectful to the environment.

An electronic medical record retrieval system can be used to identify missed diagnosis in patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare, genetically heterogeneous disease. Due to difficulty accessing diagnostic services and a lack of awareness of the syndrome, clinicians often fail to recognize the classic phenotype, leading to missed diagnoses. Relevant medical records were accessed through The BIG DATA QUERY AND ANALYSIS SYSTEM of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 1, 2012 to March 31, 2024. The search strategy included the following key terms: (bronchiectasis OR atelectasis OR recurrent cough OR recurrent expectoration OR hemoptysis) AND (sinusitis OR nasal polyps OR otitis media OR neonatal pneumonia OR neonatal respiratory distress OR ectopic pregnancy OR infertility OR artificial insemination OR assisted reproduction OR hydrocephalus OR congenital heart disease OR organ laterality defect OR right-sided heart OR semen OR consanguineous marriage). Patients were filtered according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and those with clinical suspicion of PCD were invited for screening, which included nasal nitric oxide and whole exome sequencing. A total of 874 medical records were retrieved. After filtering based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 65 patients with clinical suspicion of PCD were identified, 21 of whom accepted our invitation to complete PCD-related screening. Among them, four were diagnosed with PCD, one was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, and one was diagnosed with immunodeficiency-21. This is the first study to use an electronic medical record retrieval system to identify missed diagnoses PCD. We believe that the methods used in this study can be extended to other rare diseases in the future.

Conception Rate in Dairy Cows Receiving a First or Repeatedly Used Controlled Internal Drug Release Devices in Timed Artificial Insemination Protocol

Controlled internal drug release (CIDR) devices for releasing progesterone have been used for reproductive management in dairy cattle. In order to minimize the cost, the devices can be reused upon disinfection after being used for 7-8 days. Therefore, the aim of this research is to compare the conception rate of dairy cows after the first, second, and third-use of CIDR devices timed following artificial insemination (TAI) protocol. A total of 783 cows receiving short-term hormonal protocol (9.5 days) by inserting CIDR for 7 day. At the initiation of the TAI protocol, cows were randomly assigned into three groups, (1st CIDR; n = 312), (2nd CIDR; n = 233), and (3rd CIDR; n = 238). Moreover, in each CIDR group, cows were subdivided into two types (primiparous and multiparous cows). Cows in all groups were inseminated on day 9.5 of the TAI protocol. Diagnosis of pregnancy was performed using ultrasound on days 30 and 60 after insemination. From the results, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd used CIDR devices did not significantly change the conception rates on days 30 (28.8% vs. 25.3% vs. 28.2%, respectively) and 60 (26.9% vs. 24.5% vs. 27.7%, respectively) post-TAI in dairy cows (P > 0.05). The embryonic loss did not differ among cows receiving the 1st, 2nd and 3rd used CIDR devices (6.7% vs. 3.4% vs. 1.5%, respectively) (P > 0.05). For each CIDR group, parity (primiparous and multiparous) did not alter conception rates on days 30 and 60 post-TAI and embryonic loss in dairy cows (P > 0.05). Our findings indicate that the CIDR device could be used for at least three times in the TAI protocol in primiparous and multiparous dairy cows.

Reproductive efficiency in Bos indicus and Bos indicus crossed: impact of timed artificial insemination (TAI) using a progesterone and estradiol benzoate-based protocol

ABSTRACT Data from 15,342 bovine females subjected to timed artificial insemination (TAI) were analysed with the objective of assessing the pregnancy rate (PR) and its association with breed, number of uses of intravaginal implant, body condition score (BCS), animal categories, number of AI, and estrus expression before TAI. The protocol involved administering intravaginal progesterone + estradiol benzoate (day zero), progesterone removal + prostaglandin F2α+estradiol cypionate + equine chorionic gonadotropin (day 8) and TAI + gonadotropin-releasing hormone (day 10) in animals without estrus. Crossbred cows demonstrated higher PR. Non-suckling cows, those with 1st – and 2nd-use implants, and a single-dose implant demonstrated higher PR between categories; the BCS (>2.75–3.5) resulted in better overall PR. There were no differences in the general PR between number of AI. 2nd-use implants resulted in a better overall PR. Primiparous cows resulted better PR with 3rd-use implants. Animals in estrus before TAI demonstrated a higher PR. In conclusion, this study observed no significant differences in general PR among number of AI. Second-use implants were effective. Crossed and non-suckling cows, and 1st – and 2nd-use and single-dose implants exhibited higher fertility. Estrus before TAI favoured PR.

Role of intra-individual variation in the detection of thresholds for DFI and for misclassification rates: A retrospective analysis of 14,775 SCSA® tests.

Sperm DNA damage is associated with reduced male fertility after natural conception and intrauterine insemination. However, the impact on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and especially intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments is still unclear. Few studies have focused on the intra-individual variation in DFI even though it may have an important role to play in terms of detection of thresholds and for misclassification rates. Results for Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay (SCSA®) tests performed for 70 European fertility clinics between January 1st, 2008 and December 31st, 2022 were examined. A small retrospective study included 406 couples receiving their first treatment with IVF or ICSI. These results were then used for a mathematical simulation to investigate the role of intra-individual variation. The large retrospective study included a total of 14,138 diagnostic tests and 637 tests from an IUI study. The distribution of DFI was assessed for the IUI cohort and cohorts of patients attending Sims IVF and Fertility Center Hamburg (FCH). Descriptive analysis of the data was performed regarding time of year, male age, and year. When DFI was above the thresholds of 15 and 25, a significant reduction in ongoing pregnancies after 12weeks of gestation was observed for IVF and ICSI treatments, respectively. For IVF treatments, the pregnancy rate was reduced from 45.1% to 24.6%, odds ratio=2.58 (p=0.004). For ICSI treatments, the pregnancy rate was reduced from 48.6% to 29.6%, odds ratio=2.00 (p=0.032). Intra-individual variation was significantly related to the misclassification rate and the sample size required to identify a threshold. The percentage of patients with a DFI below 15 was 64.8% for the IUI cohort and 51.7% and 41.6% for cohorts of patients attending Sims IVF and FCH, respectively. The median DFI for these cohorts differed significantly and was 11.6, 15.0 and 17.2, respectively. DFI shows a seasonal variation, and increases with male age. During the past 15 years, the median DFI has increased by 0.05% per year (p=0.02). Ongoing pregnancy rates are reduced significantly for both IVF and ICSI treatments when DFI is above the thresholds of 15 and 25, respectively. The misclassification rate and the required sample size increase with increasing intra-individual variation. Couples with a DFI above 15 are more likely to experience failed assisted reproductive technology(ART) cycles. DFI appears to have increased during the past 15 years.

Swine Industry in Canada: Biosecurity in Live Animal, Semen Transportation, and Embryo Transfer

The pork industry, a key player in the Canadian economy, significantly contributes to livestock production, international trade markets, and employment. The multi-faceted swine industry is comprised of nucleus, multiplier, and commercial herds. The recognition and application of exemplary internal and external biosecurity measures are paramount for maintaining sustainable swine production. Historically, live animal transport has been an important means of disseminating superior genetics between production herds and poses a considerable risk for disease transmission and biosecurity breach points. The industry has evolved over time to employ other methods, through the shipping of boar semen and the adoption of artificial insemination practices to acquire genetic resources with a lower risk of disease transmission. These effective changes have led to an improvement in herd health, production performance, and efficiency. In particular, the industry’s dedication to enhanced biosecurity is evident in the effort to streamline embryo collection and transfer procedures. Such advances reduce the potential need to transport live animals, thereby lowering the risk of introducing infectious agents. This review article explores the different forms of disseminating swine genetics, namely, live animal, semen transportation, and embryo transfer, examining potential breaches in biosecurity, and discussing mitigation strategies that reduce disease transmission to protect the health of animal stock.

Evolution of Population Structure, Reproductive Performance, Inbreeding, and Genetic Diversity in Ecuadorian Charolais Cattle.

The objective was to evaluate the evolution of the population structure, reproductive performance, inbreeding, and genetic diversity in Charolais cattle. Official genealogical information from the Ecuadorian Charolais Association was divided into five populations: (a) historical (total), (b) 2008-2012 (natural mating period), (c) 2013-2017 (natural mating + artificial insemination period), (d) 2018-2022 (artificial insemination + embryo transfer period), and (e) the reference (known sires and dams) from which the population structure was evaluated using pedigree completeness and the generation interval (GI). Meanwhile, for genetic diversity (GD), inbreeding (F), average relatedness (AR), and the effective population size (Ne) were estimated. The gene origin probability (number of founders, effective number of founders/ancestors, and number of founder genomes) explaining genetic variability, reproductive efficiency, the number of offspring per sire and dam, and the average ages of parents at the birth of their offspring were determined. The database was analyzed using the ENDOG, POPREP, and CFC software programs. The results indicate that pedigree completeness and the GI decreased over time among populations, although the first generation showed higher values. The sire gametic pathway was greater in all populations. F increased over time, although not markedly. Although Ne variations were observed, the levels remained above the recommended limit value. The GD loss increased progressively over time although the most recent population was not significantly affected. Finally, the female reproductive efficiency increased over time as well. In conclusion, the Charolais cattle GI should be reduced. After 2012, the use of Assisted Reproductive Technologies and breeding schemes raised the GD loss. Finally, the F increased over time although it could be reduced using foreign genetic resources in the current Ecuadorian Charolais population.

The association of men's beverage intake with semen quality and assisted reproduction outcomes in patients undergoing fertility treatment.

Although some studies have investigated the relationships between beverage intake and reproductive health these have generated conflicting results. To evaluate the associations between men's beverage intake and semen quality parameters and couple outcomes of medically assisted reproduction. The relationship between preconception beverage intake and semen quality was evaluated in 896 semen samples from 343 men. The relation between beverage intake and medically assisted reproduction outcomes (fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy, total/clinical pregnancy loss, and live birth) was evaluated in 296 men and their female partners who underwent 714 medically assisted reproduction cycles: 306 intrauterine insemination cycles and 408 in vitro fertilization. Intake of caffeinated, alcoholic, sugar-sweetened, and artificially sweetened beverages and sub-groups were considered as exposures. Caffeinated, alcoholic, sugar-sweetened, and artificially sweetened beverage intake was not associated with semen quality parameters or with fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy, or live birth in couples undergoing medically assisted reproduction. When specific types of beverages were explored, there was an inverse association between a greater intake of coffee/tea with caffeine and lower live birth probabilities in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization cycles. The adjusted probabilities (95% confidence interval) of live birth in the lowest and highest tertiles of intake were 0.49 (0.38, 0.61) and 0.33 (0.24, 0.43) for coffee with caffeine, and 0.49 (0.33, 0.51) and 0.31 (0.22, 0.41) for tea with caffeine. A similar trend was detected with liquor intake and live birth probabilities: 0.45 (0.37, 0.53) and 0.32 (0.25, 0.41). We also found an association between a greater beer intake and higher live birth probabilities. The adjusted probabilities (95% confidence interval) in the lowest and highest quartile of intake were 0.32 (0.23, 0.42) and 0.51 (0.39, 0.62). Male preconception intakes of coffee, tea, and liquor were inversely associated, whereas beer intake was positively associated with the probability of live birth during infertility treatment.

A multivariate model for the prediction of pregnancy following laparoscopic artificial insemination of sheep

The causes of variation in the success of laparoscopic artificial insemination (AI) in sheep are not well understood. As such, this study incorporated the contributions of multiple male and female factors relevant to the success of AI into a comprehensive prediction model for pregnancy success. Data from Merino ewes (N = 30 254) including age, uterine tone (1; pale/flaccid-5; turgid/pink), intra-abdominal fat (1; little to no fat present-5; high fat), time of insemination and sire used, were recorded during AI. A subset of semen per sire (N = 388) was thawed and assessed for volume, subjective motility, sperm concentration, and morphology. Sperm motility (CASA), viability and acrosome integrity (FITC-PNA/PI), membrane fluidity (M540/Yo-Pro), mitochondrial superoxide production (Mitosox Red/Sytox Green), lipid peroxidation (Bodipy C11), level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (H2DCFDA) and DNA fragmentation (Acridine Orange) were also assessed 0, 3 and 6 h post-thaw. Logistic binomial regression revealed sperm concentration (P < 0.001), CASA parameters at 0 h (PCA3; P = 0.03), viable acrosome intact sperm at 6 h (P = 0.02), abnormal morphology (P < 0.001), uterine tone (P < 0.001) and intra-abdominal fat (P = 0.03) of ewes influenced likelihood of pregnancy. Results generated will help standardise the pre-screening and selection of semen and ewes prior to artificial breeding programs, reducing variation in the success of sheep AI.

Artificial Insemination as a Possible Convenient Tool to Acquire Genome-Edited Mice via In Vivo Fertilization with Engineered Sperm.

Advances in genome editing technology have made it possible to create genome-edited (GE) animals, which are useful for identifying isolated genes and producing models of human diseases within a short period of time. The production of GE animals mainly relies on the gene manipulation of pre-implantation embryos, such as fertilized eggs and two-cell embryos, which can usually be achieved by the microinjection of nucleic acids, electroporation in the presence of nucleic acids, or infection with viral vectors, such as adeno-associated viruses. In contrast, GE animals can theoretically be generated by fertilizing ovulated oocytes with GE sperm. However, there are only a few reports showing the successful production of GE animals using GE sperm. Artificial insemination (AI) is an assisted reproduction technology based on the introduction of isolated sperm into the female reproductive tract, such as the uterine horn or oviductal lumen, for the in vivo fertilization of ovulated oocytes. This approach is simpler than the in vitro fertilization-based production of offspring, as the latter always requires an egg transfer to recipient females, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. In this review, we summarize the various methods for AI reported so far, the history of sperm-mediated gene transfer, a technology to produce genetically engineered animals through in vivo fertilization with sperm carrying exogenous DNA, and finally describe the possibility of AI-mediated creation of GE animals using GE sperm.

Satisfaction Level of Cattle Breeders Through The Artificial Insemination Officers Services In Gorontalo District, Indonesia

This study aimed to identify the characteristics of cattle breeders who receive Artificial Insemination (AI) services and analyze the level of satisfaction of acceptor breeders with the services of inseminator officers in Gorontalo Regency. The research method used is a survey method. The research sample was determined intentionally with the consideration that active breeders who adopt AI. Data were collected through direct observation in the field, interviews, and questionnaires using the Likert Scale. The research variables include five dimensions, such as: tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and attention. The data collected were processed using the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI). The results showed that the majority of cattle breeders who became acceptors or 79.54% were in the age range of 31-60 years, 76.14% had secondary education and below, 82.96% had implemented AI between 3-9 years or an average of 6 years. The Weighted Total (WT) value of all attributes was 3.55 with a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) value of 71.03%. The CSI value is in the range of 66% - 80.99% which shows that the level of breeder satisfaction with AI services is in the satisfied category.

Associations of Ureaplasma urealyticum infection with male infertility and intrauterine insemination outcomes.

Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) is one of the most commonly occurring pathogens associated with genital tract infections in infertile males, but the impact of seminal UU infection in semen on intrauterine insemination (IUI) outcomes is poorly understood. We collected data from 245 infertile couples who underwent IUI at The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC (Hefei, China) between January 2021 and January 2023. The subjects were classified into two groups according to their UU infection status: the UU-positive group and the UU-negative group. We compared semen parameters, pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal birth outcomes to investigate the impact of UU infection on IUI outcomes. There were no significantly statistical differences in various semen parameters, including semen volume, sperm concentration, total and progressive motility, sperm morphology, leukocyte count, the presence of anti-sperm antibody, and sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), between the UU-positive and UU-negative groups of male infertile patients (all P > 0.05). However, the high DNA stainability (HDS) status of sperm differed between the UU-positive and UU-negative groups, suggesting that seminal UU infection may affect sperm nuclear maturation (P = 0.04). Additionally, there were no significant differences in pregnancy or neonatal birth outcomes between the two groups (all P > 0.05). These results suggest that IUI remains a viable and cost-effective option for infertile couples with UU infection who are facing infertility issues.

Analysis of influencing factors of clinical pregnancy rate in second cycle intrauterine insemination.

To explore the factors influencing the clinical pregnancy rate in the Reproductive Center of the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College in the second cycle, a retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 175 patients who underwent the second cycle of intrauterine insemination (175 cycles) from July 2019 to July 2022 was performed. According to whether the patients reached clinical pregnancy, they were divided into the pregnant group (32 cycles) and non-pregnant group (143 cycles). The age, infertility years, infertility factors, infertility type, number of sinus follicles, intimal thickness, intimal type, basal follicle-stimulating hormone, basal luteinizing hormone, basal estradiol, stimulation regimen, season, body mass index, and male semen quality were statistically analyzed between the 2 groups. The number of intrauterine insemination (IUI) in the second cycle was 175, and the clinical pregnancy rate was 18.3% (32/175). The age of the pregnant group was lower than that of the non-pregnant group [(26.7 ± 1.07) vs (30.56 ± 0.51), P = .05]. The clinical pregnancy rate in patients aged ≤30 years was significantly higher than that in patients aged > 30 years [28.6% vs 7.1%, P < .05]. Among infertility factors, the pregnancy rate of patients who underwent IUI due to female factors was significantly higher than that of male factors, combined factors (both male and female), and unexplained infertility, and the differences were statistically significant [37.1% vs 22.4%, 18.2%, 3.2%, P < .05]. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, age and infertility factors were independent influencing factors of clinical pregnancy rate in the second cycle of IUI. In, while in artificial insemination, female age and infertility factors were important factors affecting the clinical pregnancy rate of the second cycle of IUI. If the outcome of the first cycle is not pregnant, the female age is <30 years, infertility is the female factor, and the second cycle of IUI can be considered.

The Sire Effect on Gestational Length in Wagyu Cattle.

This study investigated the factors influencing gestation length in a herd of Wagyu cattle in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Fifty-five multiparous purebred Wagyu cows underwent a Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination (FTAI) protocol using semen from a bull randomly selected from five bulls representing three distinct genetic lines. Following birth, we recorded the calves' gender, weight, and gestation length. The ANOVA test was employed to assess genetic effects on calf weight and gestation length, with significance set at p < 0.05. The 55 inseminations resulted in 52 births, comprising 34 females and 18 males. The average calf weight was 25.9 kg, with 25.2 kg for females and 27.2 kg for males (p = 0.38). No significant effect was observed for birth weight concerning the sire's genetic line (p = 0.42), although there was a trend towards an effect from the maternal grandfather (p = 0.09). The mean duration of pregnancy was 283.8 ± 5.91 days, with no significant effect of gender on gestation length (p = 0.6). However, when evaluating the genetic influences on gestation length, we observed significant effects from the sire's genetic line (p < 0.0001) and the maternal grandfather (p < 0.0001). Notably, longer pregnancies resulted in heavier calves (p < 0.0001). This is the first study to identify the effects of Wagyu breed lines on pregnancy length.

Maternal undernutrition in the first eighty days of gestation negatively programs ovarian development in dairy calves.

We hypothesized that in dairy cattle maternal energy restriction applied during two gestational windows (up to day 80 or 120 of gestation) impairs ovarian and cardiovascular development in juvenile female offspring. We also investigated the role of maternal leptin and testosterone in developmental programming in calves. Holstein-Friesian heifers were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups; starting 10days before artificial insemination, they were individually fed at: (i) 0.6 of their maintenance energy requirements (M) up to day 80 (Nutrient Restricted, NR80) or (ii) day 120 of gestation (NR120); (iii) 1.8M until day 120 of pregnancy (Control, CTR). Plasma leptin concentrations increased transiently in nutritionally restricted heifers pregnant with a single female calf, but maternal testosterone concentrations were not influenced by diet. Calves had similar body growth, but daughters of NR80 and NR120 had impaired ovarian development, as assessed by reduced gonadal weight, fewer surface antral & primary follicles and recovered COCs, as well as lower circulating AMH concentrations. Cardiovascular morphology and function in the offspring were not influenced by maternal diet, as determined by peripheral arterial blood pressure, echocardiography, post-mortem heart weight and aortic circumference. Regardless of its duration (until day 80 or 120 of gestation), nutritional restriction resulted in a similar alteration of ovarian development in juvenile progeny, but cardiovascular development was unaltered. Evidence suggests that the window of development that encompasses the peri-ovulatory period to the first 2.6months of gestation is critical in ovarian programming and that maternal leptin may be involved.

Male infertile couples: an actor-partner interdependence model of attachment styles and fertility pressure

BackgroundCouples undergoing artificial insemination by donor semen(AID) represent a unique group of infertility patients, the relationship between fertility pressure and attachment styles remains unclear. To investigate the fertility pressure and attachment dimensions in artificial insemination by donor semen(AID) couples, and develop an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) for patient care.MethodsThis study is a cross-sectional study. From June to September 2021, couples who were about to receive AID treatment in our hospital were assessed using the Fertility Problem Inventory, and the Experiences in Close Relationships(ECR). Dyadic analysis applying the APIM was used.ResultsA total of 448 valid questionnaires were recovered, the effective response rate was 94.9%. The average score of men’s fertility pressure was higher than that of women’s(P = 0.021). The score of male attachment anxiety was higher than that of females(P = 0.038). Attachment avoidance(β = 0.46) and attachment anxiety(β = 0.33) in wives significantly impacted their fertility pressure. Attachment avoidance(β = 0.17) and attachment anxiety(β = 0.52) in husbands significantly impacted their fertility pressure. The attachment avoidance of wives’ had a significant impact on the husbands’ fertility pressure(β = 0.11).ConclusionOverall, the study revealed that in the couples who use donor sperm to expect pregnancy, the male has higher fertility pressure. Insecure attachment can cause more severe fertility pressure, fertility pressure is also affected by one’s partner.

Influence of hormonal treatments on progesterone levels to enhance embryo survival and kidding rates in goats.

This study investigated the efficiency of different estrous synchronization programs and hormonal treatments in improving reproductive outcomes in goats. Conducted on a commercial farm in southern Thailand, the study used multiparous Shami and Anglo-Nubian breed goats. In experiment 1, goats were randomly allocated to two estrous synchronization treatments: 11-day (CI11D) and 13-day (CI13D) intravaginal progesterone implants, followed by artificial insemination (AI) with frozen-thawed semen. Various hormonal treatments (human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), GnRH analogue, progestogen) were administered on day 5 post-AI to elevate progesterone levels. Experiment 2 assessed embryo survival after transferring early- and late-stage embryos, using GnRH analogue to increase progesterone levels in the recipient goats. Results showed that GnRH analogue significantly increased pregnancy rates, kidding rates, and the number of kids born in the CI13D group. Progesterone levels were higher in treated groups, particularly with GnRH analogue, though estradiol levels varied between synchronization protocols. Late-stage embryo transfers significantly improved pregnancy rates and reduced embryonic loss compared to early-stage transfers. GnRH analogue supplementation reduced early embryonic mortality, enhancing embryo survival and overall reproductive performance. This study demonstrates the efficacy of tailored estrous synchronization and hormonal treatments in optimizing goat reproductive outcomes, with significant implications for improving fertility management in commercial goat farming. Although no significant differences were observed in progesterone levels, the administration of GnRH analogue reduced early embryonic mortality and improved reproductive outcomes, demonstrating its potential to enhance embryo survival and reproductive performance in goats.

The impact of bull breeding management on reproductive function (review)

Providing the population with quality food products is currently relevant. High-tech production of meat and dairy products requires breeding animals with high genetic potential. The main role is given to bull sires, since they are responsible for the constant reproduction of the breeding stock, which depends on the non-stop renovation of the herd with high breeding value’s calves. Management of growing and breeding of young bulls can directly affect the reproductive function of sires and the physiological health. The article provides analytical data based on literary sources containing research by various authors on this topic, and reviews methods and technologies for keeping breeding bulls on various farms in the Russia and abroad. Currently, there is a many problems of getting high-quality breeding young bulls to an artificial insemination center. Currently, there are problems with obtaining high-quality breeding bulls of the enterprise. There are animals with abnormal development of the musculoskeletal system, joints, hooves, with signs of osteomalacia, etc. Such animals require additional costs for veterinary and breeding services. The quality of the sperm products they produce often does not comply with state normative. The reason is related either to the choice of maintenance technology or feeding technology. It is necessary to competently organize management, breeding and veterinary work in farms that are purposefully engaged in breeding young animals.

ICSI and PGT-A in PCOS phenotype-D patients: a matched case-control study versus idiopathic infertile women.

To assess oocyte competence and embryo chromosomal constitution in phenotype-D PCOS women undergoing ICSI for PGT-A at the blastocyst stage. Retrospective study at a private IVF center. In the period 2013-2021, 58 naïve phenotype-D PCOS women (i.e., oligomenorrhea, ovarian PCO-morphology, and absence of hyperandrogenism) underwent ICSI with ejaculated sperm for PGT-A. These cases were matched to 58 controls selected from 2211 naïve women with idiopathic infertility planned for the same treatment in the same period. The matching variables were age (≈ 36years), BMI (≈ 22), cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) retrieved (≈ 21-23), and sperm quality (≈ 43-45% men with all sperm parameters > 5th percentile). The primary outcome was euploid blastocyst rate (EBR) per cohort of inseminated oocytes. Maturation rates per COCs and euploidy per biopsied blastocysts were similar. PCOS patients with phenotype-D showed higher fertilization per inseminated oocytes and higher blastulation per zygotes. This resulted into a higher EBR per inseminated oocytes and more euploid blastocysts available for transfer, although these differences adjusted for confounders were not significant. The live birth rate per first euploid transfers was comparable, so were all other outcomes considered. Oocyte competence was not compromised in phenotype-D PCOS women, while good prognosis idiopathic infertile women might have unknown oocyte issues. In case of repeated failures after intrauterine insemination, a timely referral to IVF might represent an efficient strategy, in line with the "one-and-done" approach fulfilling a family planning perspective. Indeed, 22% of the phenotype-D PCOS women had 2 singleton LBs and 76% had surplus oocytes/euploid blastocysts after achieving ≥ 1 live birth.