Secondary Infertility Patients Research Articles

Associations between tobacco inhalation and semen parameters in men with primary and secondary infertility: a cross-sectional study.

To examine the impact of tobacco smoking on seminal parameters in men with both primary and secondary infertility. This cross-sectional study analyzed 1938 infertile men from China who were categorized as nonsmokers (n=1,067) and smokers (n=871), with the latter group further divided into moderate smokers (1-10 cigarettes per day) (n=568) and heavy smokers (>10 cigarettes per day) (n=303). We assessed semen volume, concentration, total sperm count, progressive motility, and normal morphology following World Health Organization (WHO 2010) guidelines. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationships between smoking and seminal parameters while also controlling for lifestyle factors. The analysis demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between smoking and adverse seminal parameters in both primary and secondary infertility patients. Specifically, primary infertile men who smoked had a lower semen concentration, with heavy smokers showing a median sperm concentration of 59.2×10^6/ml compared to 68.6×10^6/ml in nonsmokers (P=0.01). The secondary infertile men who smoked exhibited reduced forward sperm motility, with heavy smokers demonstrating a median progressive motility of 44.7%, which was significantly lower than the 48.1% observed in nonsmokers (P=0.04). Smoking is significantly associated with detrimental effects on seminal parameters in infertile men, thus highlighting the need for cessation programs as part of fertility treatment protocols. Encouraging smoking cessation could substantially improve semen quality and fertility outcomes in this population.

Detection of Chlamydial Heat Shock Protein 60 and 10 Antibody among Female Infertility.

Of the many sexually transmitted pathogens, Chlamydia trachomatis is increasingly being associated with long-term sequelae such as infertility, apart from causing genital tract infections. Many inflammatory responses directed against chlamydial infection can cause tubal damage resulting in infertility. For example, chlamydial heat shock protein 60 (cHSP60) and cHSP10 along with humoral immune response. The aim of our study is to detect the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against Major Outer Membrane Protein (MOMP), cHSP60, and cHSP10 among female infertility. A total number of 230 female infertility patients attending the Outpatient Department of Reproductive Medicine, SRIHER, were included in the study. Detailed history documented in the proforma. Serological detection of C. trachomatis IgG antibody against MOMP, cHSP60, and cHSP10 antibody was done by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). C. trachomatis IgG antibody against MOMP was detected in 15 (6.5%) of 230 females. High seropositivity to cHSP60 antibodies was detected among females of tubal factor infertility (TFI). Our study showed that cHSP60 antibodies (3.4%) were more common than cHSP10 (2.6%). Our study suggest cHSP60 or cHSP10 antibody detection by ELISA along with TFI is helpful for diagnosis and early institution of therapy. The accuracy of TFI prediction could be increased by the detection of anti-MOMP and cHSP60 over cHSP10 among secondary infertility than primary. The most probable reason for high seropositivity among secondary infertility patients may be due to repeated infection and chronicity because of longer active sexual life.

The predictive value of serum IL-17A and IL-6 expression in postoperative recurrence in patients with intrauterine adhesion.

The recurrence rate of intrauterine adhesions (IUA) was high. At present, there are few studies on the relationship between proinflammatory factors IL-17A and IL-6 and IUA. The expression of serum IL-17A and IL-6 in IUA patients and their predictive value for postoperative recurrence were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 90 IUA patients who underwent hysteroscopic adhesion lysis in our hospital from January 2020 to January 2023 were selected as the IUA group. Patients were divided into mild, moderate, and severe IUA groups. At the same time, 60 cases of secondary infertility patients with normal endometrium were selected as the control group. The clinical baseline characteristics and serum levels of IL-17A and IL-6 were compared between control group and IUA group. To analyze the correlation and predictive value of IL-17A and IL-6 expression levels with the recurrence rate of IUA patients. The preoperative levels of IL-17A and IL-6 in the IUA group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The higher the levels of inflammatory factors IL-17A and IL-6, the deeper the degree of IUA. Multivariate analysis showed that pregnancy, curettage history, IL-17A, and IL-6 levels were risk factors for IUA recurrence. In addition, the specificity and area under the curve of combining baseline data with postoperative serum IL-17A and IL-6 for predicting IUA were higher than those predicted separately. The expression levels of serum IL-17A and IL-6 can be used as a value index to evaluate postoperative recurrence in IUA patients.

Identification of novel homozygous missense and deletion mutations manifesting oligospermia infertility in Kashmiri population.

Human male infertility has a lot of known molecular components that have an accurate diagnosis, such as Y chromosome deletion and monogenic causes. Only 4% of all infertile males are diagnosed with genetic causes, while 60-70% of infertile men remain without an accurate diagnosis and are classified as unexplained. Oligospermia is a major cause of human male infertility. Its etiology and pathogenesis are linked to genetic abnormalities. The majority of genetic causes related to human male infertility remain unclear. Generally, we found a significant association between the specific type of disease and gender (p= 0.003), and the regression value (R2 ) for this association was 0.75. Association of the type of disease with body mass index was not significant (p= 0.34). There was no statistically significant difference (p= 0.40) among disease types with patients occupations. All explored mutations are listed for primary and secondary infertility in relation to the oligospermia condition. p.Arg286X is the outcome of a mismatch mutation in which the nucleotide change resulted in the substitution of Arg (arginine) amino acid with X (any amino acid) at position 286 in the Hyal3 gene of primary infertile patients having oligospermia. In primary infertile patients with the p.Arg286X mutation, a frameshift deletion mutation was also found just after the 25 nucleotide sequences of the Hyal3 genes of the second mutated exon. This deletion mutation was only detected in patients with primary infertility and was not found in people with secondary infertility or healthy controls. The other mutations in secondary infertile patients with oligospermia were: p.Lys168Ser, replacement of lysine (Lys) with serine (Ser) at position 168; p.Lys168The, replacement of lysine (Lys) with threonine (The) at position 168; p.His113X, substitution of histidine (His) with an unknown amino acid (X) at position 113; p.Pro162X, substitution of proline (Pro) with an unknown amino acid (X) at position 162; and p.Phe157X, phenylalanine (Phe) substitution with an unknown amino acid (X) at position 157. This study clarifies the site of novel mismatch and frameshift deletion mutations in the Hyal3 gene in primary infertile oligospermia patients.

Evaluation and perspectives on hysterosalpingography (HSG) procedure in infertility: a comprehensive study.

Infertility continues to be a common medical problem with significant societal repercussions and psychological and economic effects on families' lives. Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is the preferred method in clinical practice for evaluating the uterine cavity and tubal patency. Our study aims to present a comprehensive perspective on the importance of the HSG procedure in the evaluation of infertile patients, starting with the recommendation of the HSG procedure to the patient, the application of the procedure, and the evaluation of the patient's post-procedure process. This is a prospective evaluation of 323 women who underwent HSG at Kafkas University between 2021-2022. The type and duration of infertility in patients, the source from which the patient received the recommendation for HSG, visual pain score for evaluating pain during the HSG procedure, HSG results, patients' perspectives on the procedure's contribution to the treatment processes, their immediate post-procedure pain, and their pregnancy status within 6 months after the procedure were evaluated. 72.1% of patients had primary, and 27.8% had secondary infertility. 82% of HSG results were reported as normal. Among primary infertility, uterine pathologies were detected in 62.5%. In secondary infertile patients, tubal pathology was detected in 88.4%. There is a statistically significant difference between the infertility types of patients with normal HSG results and those without (p=0.001). There was also a difference between the results of HSG and follow-up types (p<0.001). A statistical difference was also found between the HSG result and the patients' conception status within 6 months after the procedure (p<0.001). When it comes to the cost of the HSG procedure for infertility, as well as potential pain, radiation exposure, and rare allergic reactions to the contrast material, it is important to choose the appropriate circumstances for this procedure. In order to avoid unnecessary interventional procedures, it would be beneficial to discuss the recommendation of HSG for primary infertile patients under 28.5 years of age. Further research is required in this regard. Since tubal factors are most common among secondary infertile women, this group of patients is more likely to benefit from HSG in the evaluation.

The role of saline infusion sonohysterography in the evaluation of infertility

Aims: The study aimed to evaluate possible intrauterine pathologies that may not be visible in basal transvaginal ultrasonography in infertile patients using saline infusion sonohysterography.&#x0D; Methods: Between January 2019 and January 2020, 110 patients who presented to the Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology Infertility Polyclinic were enrolled in the study. Saline infusion sonohysterography was performed on primary and secondary infertile patients who were not diagnosed with endometrial pathology via ultrasonography.&#x0D; Results: Pathological findings were detected in 11 out of 110 patients (10.6%) during saline infusion sonohysterography, including polyps, myomas, and adhesions. These patients were referred to hysteroscopy by their practitioner. After the procedure, pathological findings were detected in 54.5% of cases by hysteroscopy. According to these data, the sensitivity of saline infusion sonohysterography in detecting intracavitary pathologies was 60%, specificity was 80.7%, positive predictive value was 54.5%, negative predictive value was 84%, and reliability was 75%.&#x0D; Conclusion: Saline infusion sonohysterography can detect endometrial pathologies not identified by TV USG, suggesting its cost-effective addition to routine evaluations for infertile patients and potential endometrial pathologies.

Hysteroscopic alterations in women with infertility or recurrent spontaneous abortion in case of normal transvaginal ultrasonography

Introduction: Whether hysteroscopy should routinely be conducted before embryo transfer remains uncertain especially when transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) is normal. We aimed to investigate the hysteroscopic findings for patients with infertility or recurrent spontaneous abortion and with normal TVS. Methods: Patients who underwent TVS and hysteroscopy in the hospital from January 2014 to May 2019 were enrolled. Propensity score matching (1:1) was carried out for TVS positive and negative result groups. The positive results of hysteroscopy in the primary and secondary infertility patients were further compared. The prevalence rates of various diseases in different age groups were summarized and analyzed. Results: A total of 1532 individuals were enrolled in the study group and 19,118 cases in the control group. A total of 1495 cases with TVS positive results were matched using propensity score matching (1:1). The prevalence of uterine diseases in the TVS positive group was significantly higher than that in the TVS negative group (P&lt;0.001).The prevalence of endometrial polyps and endometrial hyperplasia in patients with primary infertility was significantly higher than that with secondary infertility (P&lt;0.001). The diagnostic sensitivity of TVS for major uterine cavity diseases, confirmed by hysteroscopy was relatively low (12.7%; 11.9%–13.6%). Conclusions: Hysteroscopy can detect a considerable number of uterine lesions even after normal TVS results. The sensitivity of TVS for the diagnosis of intrauterine lesions is relatively low. We suggest that hysteroscopy be recommended for patients with infertility or recurrent spontaneous abortion.

P-348 Correlation between cesarean scar defect and chronic endometritis and its effect on the pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization

Abstract Study question Do patients with symptomatic cesarean scar defect (CSD) have a higher risk of chronic endometritis (CE) and worse early pregnancy outcomes after hysteroscopic reconstruction for CSD? Summary answer Symptomatic CSD has a positive correlation with CE. Antibiotic administration is a promising option for patients with CE to obtain better early pregnancy outcomes. What is known already Cesarean scar defect (CSD), a niche-shaped myometrium defect, can be noticed after cesarean sections (CS). Studies about the impact of CSD on fertility are limited. The uterine isthmic region is a sperm reservoir, and CSD may negatively affect natural fertility. CE could reduce endometrial receptivity and thus leads to a lower clinical pregnancy rate. Secondary infertile patients with a history of CS are quite common in the department of reproductive medicine. However, there was still limited data to determine whether CSD correlates with CE, especially in cases suffering from symptomatic CSD with postmenstrual spotting. Study design, size, duration This is a retrospective study including 118 patients with a leading symptom of postmenstrual spotting and 224 asymptomatic patients from January 1, 2018 to May 31, 2021. Participants/materials, setting, methods Group A was with a leading symptom of postmenstrual spotting, and group B was asymptomatic. Office operative hysteroscopy was performed to correct the CSD for symptomatic patients in group A, and thermoablation of the endometrium in CSD was performed. Out-patient hysteroscopy was performed for asymptomatic patients in group B, and only the morphology of the endometrium was evaluated. Both groups have CD138 immunohistochemistry staining of their endometrium. Main results and the role of chance A higher incidence of CE was found in group A compared with group B (50/118 vs. 62/224, P=0.006, OR = 1.921, 95%CI=1.203-3.068). There were no significant differences in the comparisons of chemical pregnancy rate (26/86 vs. 75/216, P=0.455, OR = 0.815, 95%CI=0.475-1.396), ectopic pregnancy rate (1/86 vs. 1/216, P=0.489, OR = 2.529, 95%CI=0.156-40.901), miscarriage rate (6/86 vs. 22/216, P=0.368, OR = 0.661, 95%CI=0.258-1.692), preterm birth rate (2/86 vs. 4/216, P=1.000, OR = 1.262, 95%CI=0.227-7.020) or full-term pregnancy rate (12/86 vs. 35/216, P=0.626, OR = 0.839, 95%CI=0.413-1.704) between the two groups. Limitations, reasons for caution First, different doctors might have inconsistent judgments on the definition of postmenstrual spotting. Second, three different operators performed the hysteroscopy. It might contribute to the heterogeneity of the study findings. Wider implications of the findings Canalling and thermoablation during hysteroscopy are effective treatments for symptomatic CSD. CSD accompanied by CE should be given more attention before embryo transfer. Trial registration number No. 2020A1515110791

Evaluating health-related quality of life and subjective wellbeing among infertility patients: a cross-sectional study in mainland China.

This study aimed to explore the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and subjective wellbeing (SWB) of infertility patients in mainlandChina and to investigate the relationships between HRQoL and SWB instruments in infertility patients. We conducted this cross-sectional study in the Hospital for Reproductive Medicine Affiliated of Shandong University between April 2019 and November 2019. Participants self-completed the five-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire, the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL)-8D, and the WHO-5 wellbeing index (WHO-5). The agreements between EQ-5D-5L and AQoL-8D were assessed employing intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to examine the difference in descriptive systems among the three instruments. We analyzed a valid sample of 618 infertility patients (84.4%). The mean scores of the total EQ-5D-5L, AQoL-8D, and WHO-5 were 0.96 (95%CI 0.96, 0.96), 0.80 (95%CI 0.79, 0.81), and 16.92 (95%CI 16.52, 17.31), respectively. Patients diagnosed with primary infertility had significantly lower HRQoL and SWB than those with secondary infertility. The ICC of EQ-5D-5L and AQoL-8D was 0.14. The AQoL-8D (r = 0.625) was more strongly correlated with WHO-5 than with the EQ-5D-5L (r = 0.262). The EFA results indicated that HRQoL instruments and the WHO-5 instruments were complementary rather than substitutable. Poorer HRQoL and SWB were found that primary than secondary infertility patients. There exists a poor agreement between EQ-5D-5L and AQoL-8D and the difference in the psychosocial components may explain the difference. Measuring both HRQoL and SWB could provide complementary information for infertility patients.

Microbiological composition of follicular fluid in patients undergoing IVF and its association with infertility.

In recent years, the incidence of female infertility has risen sharply, which is affected by many factors. It was recognized that female reproductive tract microbes play a role in the process of female conception. If the reproductive tract microbes could solve a certain proportion of infertility, it would certainly reduce the pain and economic burden of many patients. The objective of this study was to investigate the microbial community composition of follicular fluid in infertile patients and its potential impact on infertility. Follicular fluid from 49 primary infertility and 52 secondary infertility patients was collected by a negative pressure needle, and the microbiota was analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing. It was found that Lactobacillus, especially L. crispatus, might have a positive effect on female pregnancy. Considering the presence or absence of male factors and different body mass indices, L. iners might inhibit female pregnancy. However, L. iners seemed to play a positive role in egg maturation, while Gardnerella and Cutibacterium acnes might have a negative effect on female pregnancy. This study suggested the potential role of Lactobacillus in follicular fluid in improving female infertility and provided a theoretical basis for the future microbiological treatment of female infertility.

Septum Resection Prior to In Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer: A Retrospective Controlled Study.

To investigate the effectiveness of surgery for septate uterus in infertile patients before in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The data of 937 infertile patients with septate uterus and achieved singleton pregnancy after IVF-ET from January 2014 to December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Thousand five hundred seventy-eight infertile patients with a normal uterus who achieved singleton pregnancy during the same period were selected as the control group. Patients with septate uterus were divided into two groups according to whether the septum was resected. The pregnancy and perinatal outcomes of the surgical group and the nonsurgical group were compared with the control group. The secondary infertility patients who were surgically corrected septa were also chosen as self-controls and an analysis was performed on their fertility outcomes pre- and post-surgery. Compared with the control group, the surgical group had increased rates of early miscarriage, preterm delivery, and low birthweight and a significantly reduced live birth rate (P < .05). The outcomes of the nonsurgical and control groups were similar. Using secondary infertility patients who were surgically corrected septa as self-controls, after surgery, the rates of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy were significantly lower and the live birth rate was significantly higher (P ≤ .001); however, perinatal mortality was not significantly different before and after surgery. Patients with a septum depth greater than 10 mm or 5-10 mm associated with a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriage, IVF failure, or infertility might benefit from resection of the uterine septum with hysteroscopic metroplasty.

Effect of acupuncture intervention at different time points on the pregnancy rate of frozen embryo transfer

To observe the difference in the efficacy of acupuncture intervention at different time points on the pregnancy rate of in vitro fertilization-frozen embryo transfer (IVF-FET). Ninety-nine patients with secondary infertility who were going to receive IVF-FET were divided into a transplantation-day acupuncture group, a transplantation cycle acupuncture group, and a non-acupuncture group according to their wishes, with 33 cases in each group. All three groups of patients received conventional IVF-FET treatment. The transplantation-day acupuncture group received acupuncture treatment 1 h before and 30 min after the embryo transfer, and the transplantation cycle acupuncture group received acupuncture treatment 5 weeks before the FET (once a week, 5 times) and on the day of transplantation, Zigong (EX-CA 1), Guanyuan (CV 4), Taichong (LR 3), Hegu (LI 4), etc. were selected in the two groups. The biochemical pregnancy rate and clinical pregnancy rate in the three groups were compared. The biochemical pregnancy rate and clinical pregnancy rate in the transplantation cycle acupuncture group were higher than those in the non-acupuncture group (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the biochemical pregnancy rate and clinical pregnancy rate between the transplantation cycle acupuncture group and the transplantation-day acupuncture group, and between the transplantation-day acupuncture group and the non-acupuncture group (P>0.05). Acupuncture during the transplantation cycle can effectively improve the pregnancy rate of secondary infertility patients receiving IVF-FET.

Fertility Outcome and Safety of Ethiodized Poppy Seed Oil for Hysterosalpingography in 1,053 Infertile Patients: A Real-World Study.

ObjectiveEthiodized poppy seed oil for hysterosalpingography (HSG) is reported to display some therapeutic effect on infertility, but big a sample-size study under real clinical settings is still lacking to verify the speculation. Thus, this real-world study enrolled 1,053 infertile patients who underwent ethiodized poppy seed oil-based HSG to explore its fertility enhancement value.MethodA total of 1,053 infertile patients who underwent HSG using ethiodized poppy seed oil as the contrast medium were retrospectively analyzed. The live birth rate and 3-, 6-, 12-month and total pregnancy rate were retrieved. Besides, adverse events during and after HSG were recorded.ResultsThe 3-, 6-, 12-month and total pregnancy rate was 22, 36.8, 50, and 53.8%, respectively. The total live birth rate was 42.7%. Sub-group analyses showed that pregnancy rate was 53.7, 53.8, 54.1, and 62.4% in subgroups of primary infertility patients, secondary infertility patients, infertility patients with fallopian tube disease, and infertility patients with unknown cause, respectively. Meanwhile the live birth rate was 44.3, 41.3, 41.5, and 59.2% in these subgroups, separately. Multivariate logistic regression analysis disclosed that BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2, history of dysmenorrhea, and abnormity of sperm count or motility-related infertility were independently correlated with reduced pregnancy rate and livebirth rate (All Ps < 0.05). Adverse events mainly included pain (20.6%) and interstitial reflux (7.9%), which were mild and tolerable.ConclusionEthiodized poppy seed oil for HSG discloses a satisfying fertility outcome with a tolerable safety profile in infertile patients; meanwhile, this effect might be influenced by BMI, history of dysmenorrhea, and paternal abnormity of sperm.

Association between gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) history and clinical outcomes in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles

BackgroundGestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) usually affects young women of childbearing age. After treatment for GTD, 86% of women wish to achieve pregnancy. On account of the impacts of GTD and treatments as well as patient anxiety, large numbers of couples turn to assisted reproductive technology (ART), especially in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI). But few studies have investigated whether a history of GTD affects the outcomes of IVF/ICSI in secondary infertile patients and how it occurs. We investigate whether a history of GTD affects the IVF/ICSI outcomes and the live birth rates in women with secondary infertility.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study enrolled 176 women with secondary infertility who underwent IVF/ICSI treatment at the reproductive medical center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020. Participants were divided into the GTD group (44 women with GTD history) and control group (132 women without GTD history matched from 8318 secondary infertile women). The control group and the study group were matched at a ratio of 3:1 according to patient age, infertility duration, number of cycles and body mass index (BMI). We assessed retrieved oocytes and high-grade embryos, biochemical pregnancy, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, gestational age at delivery, delivery mode and live birth rates.Result(s)We found a significantly reduced live-birth rate (34.1% vs 66.7%) associated with IVF/ICSI cycles in patients with a GTD history compared to those without a GTD history. The biochemical pregnancy and miscarriage rates of the GTD group were slightly higher than those of the control group. In addition, there was a difference in gestational age at delivery between the GTD and control groups (p < 0.001) but no differences in the mode of delivery (p = 0.267). Furthermore, the number of abandoned embryos in the GTD group was greater than that in the control group (p = 0.018), and the number of good-quality embryos was less than that in the control group (p = 0.019). The endometrial thickness was thinner (p < 0.001) in the GTD group. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed abnormal endometrial receptivity in the GTD group.Conclusion(s)The GTD history of patients undergoing IVF/ICSI cycles had an impact on the live-birth rate and gestational age at delivery, which might result from the thinner endometrium and abnormal endometrial receptivity before embryo transfer.

Correlation of Bladder Wall Endometriosis Histological Location, To Infertility Patients’ Clinical Characteristics and Severity of Peritoneal Endometriosis

Study question: What is the correlation of bladder wall endometriosis histological location, to the severity of peritoneal endometriosis in infertility patients? Summary answer: Secondary infertility, back pain, micturition problems, history of ectopic pregnancy and number of abortions can probably be considered as high-risk factors for bladder wall endometriosis for infertility patients. What is known already: Bladder and/or ureter endometriosis occur in 70–85% among patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis. The knowledge regarding the bladder wall involvement with endometriosis in association to peritoneal endometriosis and infertility patients’ clinical characteristics is limited. Study design, size, duration: Retrospective, longitudinal cohort, Sixty-six, primary and secondary infertility patients, collection of surgical and clinical data between 2010 to 2018. Participants/materials, setting, and methods: An experienced histopathologist on endometriosis was asked to review all the patients’ histopathological results. The histopathological reported findings were reviewed prior to the study to reassure the bladder wall depth of endometriosis involvement. The operation and tissue macroscopic description reports before processing were also reviewed. Attention was paid for possible discrepancies or missed important data that could influence the histopathological results. In cases where results were equivocal, the paraffin blocks were available for additional sections for reassuring the diagnosis. An extra effort was made to meticulously observe and identify the involvement of the bladder serosa, muscularis and mucosa with endometriotic cells and glands. Main results and the role of chance: Primary infertility was the indication for the current laparoscopic surgeries in 32 out of 66 (48.5%) patients and secondary infertility for the rest of the group. The highest incidence of bladder endometriosis (BE) was detected on the serosa of 12 patients and in the detrusor muscle (DM) of 11 cases. Bladder serosa endometriosis (BSE) was significantly more prominent among patients with history of ectopic pregnancy (p=0.004) and among patients with secondary infertility (p=0.029). Destrusor muscle endometriosis (DME) was significantly more frequent (p=0.012) in patients with increasing number of abortions. DME highest rates of 37.7% were observed among the severe spread of abdominal endometriosis as compared to 19% of the cases with bladder serosa endometriosis. No statistically significant difference found between serosa and detrusor muscle endometriosis involvement, when compared to severity and spread of endometriosis within the abdominal cavity. Back pain was most prominent with statistical significant difference (p=0.007) in 8 patients with BSE + DME as compared with other groups of patients (4 BSE, 3 DME and 3 BME+DME patients). Among 30 cases with an ovarian endometrioma detected by TVU, DME was diagnosed in 13 patients, in serosa of 10, and in serosa and DM of 6 patients. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson chi-square, Fisher’s exact tests and the Kruskal-Wallis test by STATA version 15 SE (StataCorp. 2017). Limitations, reasons for caution: This is a cohort retrospective study. There is a possibility that other areas with endometriosis were also involved in the BW other than those diagnosed and treated. The mixture of patients with primary and secondary infertility could also affect the results, although statistical analysis did not show any significance in BWE, clinical symptoms and surgical findings. BE is rarely an isolated condition, and other forms of endometriosis are frequently concomitant Wider implications of the findings: Detrusor muscle endometriosis involvement was in 68% and bladder serosa in 32% of all cases with bladder endometriosis and infertility investigated. The severity of the peritoneal endometriosis can probably direct to meticulous intraoperative investigation for bladder endometriosis.

Role of diagnostic hysterolaparoscopy in the evaluation of infertility among the patients attending one of the tertiary care centers of Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Background: Reproduction is the basic expectation of human life. There is worldwide increase in incidence of infertility due to many factors such as delaying child-bearing, increase in lifestyle disorders, and stress to achieve personal and professional goals. The incidence varies between 5 and 15%. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the factors responsible for infertility using diagnostic hysterolaparoscopy among the patients attending tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: It was a prospective study conducted from December 2018 to May 2022 in Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of GCS Medical College, Ahmedabad. Around 150 patients were included in study. All patients of primary and secondary infertility whose hormonal profile was normal were included in the study. Results: In the present study, primary infertility was present in 73% of cases where as 27% were having secondary. Majority (43%) of patients of the primary infertility belonged to age 26–30 years and 29% of secondary infertility cases were in the age group 31–35 years. Tubal factors were highest (32%), followed by ovarian factors (29%), peritoneal factors (11%), and uterine factors (9%). Among tubal factors, bilateral block was present in 19% and unilateral tubal block in 11%; among ovarian factors, polycystic ovary syndrome was highest (18%) and in peritoneal factor, endometriosis was seen in 6%. In uterine factors, fibroid was present in about 8% of cases. Conclusion: Diagnostic hysterolaparoscopy provides reliable information in evaluation of infertility and determining various causes such as tubal, ovarian, peritoneal, and uterine.

The Role of Endometrial Scratching to Improve the Pregnancy Rate Among Infertile Couples

Background: Different technologies have been used in order to improve the endometrial condition as well as the quality of embryos; however, still the implantation process could fail. Endometrial Scratching (ES) has been proposed by many studies and revealed conflicting results. Objective: The study Aims to investigate the effect of ES on improving the Clinical Pregnancy Rate (CPR) and Live Birth Rate (LBR). Methodology: This is a retrospective study was carried out at Libyan National Fertility Centre. 188 Infertile women were included in the study in two different groups. 95 patients who underwent ES and 93 as control group. Cases with male factor infertility, history of surgical sterilization, premature ovarian failure, endometriosis and other hormonal disturbance (thyroid /prolactin) had been excluded from the study. Results: The CPR was positively affected by scratching procedure among infertile women after perform ES (p value 0.022). The secondary infertile patients have got significant benefit after performing ES by improving the CPR (P value 0.045). The ES has improved the CPR on patients with previous history of failed Intra-Cytoplasmic Semen Injection ICSI (P value 0.043). However, there was no statistically significant difference to the effect of ES on LBR. Conclusion: The study found that the ES has a positive role to improve the implantation among specific group of infertile couples. It is recommended to perform ES for couples with secondary infertility and previously failed ICSI cycle.

Association between gene expression levels of GDF9 and BMP15 and clinicopathological factors in the prognosis of female infertility in northeast Indian populations

Female Infertility is a serious health issue, and genetic factors plays crucial role in female infertility. To explore the molecular mechanism involved in female infertility, we had investigated demographic, clinicopathological factors and gene expression profile of BMP15 and GDF9 in primary and secondary female infertility patients. Present study comprised of 469 primary and 210 secondary infertile females, and 419 fertile females (controls). The expression level of GDF9 and BMP15 genes was studied using quantitative real-time PCR and multifactor dimensionality reduction tool (MDR) was used to detect high-risk interaction. Finding revealed that there was down-regulation of the BMP15 and GDF9 gene in both primary and secondary infertile women in comparison to fertile women. A significant difference in the expression level of GDF9 gene among the study subjects for the various levels of TSH and RBS (p < 0.01) indicating that the level of gene expression was influenced by few hormonal factors. The best risk factor model predicted for female infertility was the five-factors model of TSH, LH, LH/FSH ratio, Hb, MCV with 100% CVC and maximum TBA = 0.921 and p < 0.01. Thus, down-regulation of GDF9 and BMP15 gene and interaction of clinicopathological factors significantly persuade female infertility, and these findings might be useful as possible biomarker for the estimation of primary and secondary female infertility.

O-144 Endometrial production of 17β-estradiol in relation to pregnancy outcome in women undergoing IVF/ICSI

Abstract Study question Does the endometrial synthesis and inactivation of 17β- estradiol differ between receptive and non-receptive endometrium in women undergoing IVF/ICSI? Summary answer The synthesis and inactivation of 17β-estradiol is similar in the endometrium of women who did and did not achieve a clinical pregnancy through IVF/ICSI. What is known already Implantation failure of high-quality embryos is a main concern in IVF/ICSI treatment. Blood sex-steroid concentrations do not reflect their corresponding concentrations in endometrial tissue. This is in line with the concept that blood steroids (and precursors) are locally converted to bioactive metabolites and vice versa, by expressing steroid-metabolising enzymes, such as 17β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD). Studies indicate that alterations in intracrinology might modulate endometrial receptivity. We hypothesize that the local 17β-HSD activity during the window of implantation (WOI) differs between pregnant and non-pregnant IVF/ICSI patients. Study design, size, duration Case-control study of 40 patients that were recruited in the SCRaTCH study (NL5193/NTR5342), a randomised trial exploring whether ‘endometrial scratching’ in patients with a previous IVF/ICSI cycle failure affects pregnancy outcome in a subsequent IVF/ICSI cycle. For the present investigation, 20 endometrial biopsies from women who achieved clinical pregnancy after fresh embryo transfer (ET) were compared with 20 endometrial biopsies of women that did not conceive after fresh ET. Participants/materials, setting, methods Endometrial biopsies and serum were obtained at LH + 5-8 days (urinary test) in a natural cycle, prior to the fresh ET cycle. Cases (negative pregnancy test, n = 20) and controls (clinically pregnant, n = 20) were matched for primary vs. secondary infertility, embryo quality and age. Reduction of estrone to 17β-estradiol (synthesizing 17β-HSDs) and oxidation of 17β-estradiol to estrone (inactivating 17β-HSDs) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results were compared with the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney Rank Sum Test. Main results and the role of chance Activity of 17β-HSDs responsible for the reduction of estrone to 17β-estradiol (mainly 17β-HSD type 1) was detected in all samples and ranged from 55 to 1864 pmol 17β-estradiol formed/mg protein/24 h. The values obtained from pregnant women (median: 1054) were not significantly different to those obtained from non-pregnant women (median: 997), p = 0.97. The activity of enzymes responsible for the oxidation of 17β-­ estradiol (mainly 17β-HSD type 2) into the less active estrone ranged from 32 to 1731 estrone formed/mg protein/24 h. The values obtained from pregnant women (median: 737) were not significantly different to those obtained from non-pregnant women (median: 624), p = 0.90. The ratio of 17β-HSD type 1:17β-HSD type 2 had a median of 1.63 in the pregnant woman compared to 1.95 in the group of non-pregnant woman (p = 0.57). Limitations, reasons for caution The study is pilot in nature and study population is small. Primary and secondary infertility patients were analysed together. A chance phenomenon could have occurred as included women were included after their first IVF/ICSI cycle, hence not every included study person met the criteria for repeated implantation failure (RIF). Wider implications of the findings 17β-estradiol metabolism takes place during the WOI, controlling the final 17β-estradiol level. Although the present investigation did not show differences between pregnant and non-pregnant women, it remains important to explore if estrogen balance deviations, e.g. in other cycle phases plays a role in clinical conditions such as primary infertility/RIF. Trial registration number NL5193/NTR5342

Platelet Antibodies in Infertility Patients.

Platelet antigens can stimulate the body to produce platelet alloimmune antibodies through blood transfusion, pregnancy, and autoimmunity. In the blood of pregnant women, anti-platelet antibodies can cause embryo implantation failure, abortion, etc. if they are present. The platelet antibody was screened in 326 infertile patients (282 primary infertility and 44 secondary infertility) and 522 healthy controls in the physical examination center of our hospital by solid phase agglutination of red blood cells. The positive rate of anti-platelet antibody was 9.51% in the infertility group and 2.30% in the healthy control group. There was a significant difference between them (χ2 = 4.51, p < 0.05). The positive rate of anti-platelet antibody in the infertility group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The positive rate of anti-platelet antibody in the secondary infertility patients was significantly higher than that in the primary infertility patients (χ2 = 1.62, p < 0.05), and the positive rate of serum anti-platelet antibody increased gradually with the increase of infertility years. The positive rate of anti-platelet antibody is closely related to infertility and gradually increases with the age of infertility.