C. Tran

Enhanced penetration of zona-free hamster ova by sperm prepared by Nycodenz * and Percoll † gradient centrifugation

The effect of sperm penetration capacity after selection procedures using Percoll (Pharmacia AB, Uppsala, Sweden) and Nycodenz (Nycomed Diagnostics, Oslo, Norway) gradient centrifugation was compared with double-washed and swim-up in 47 subfertile men. The results of sperm motility, velocity, and amplitude lateral head displacement showed no significant improvement with the centrifugation procedures. The sperm penetration assay results obtained with double-washed and swim-up technique were poor (2.7% +/- 1.7%), however, a significant enhancement was obtained by Percoll (16.3% +/- 3.7%) and Nycodenz (15.8% +/- 3.3%) processing. Nycodenz centrifugation allowed sperm penetration of zona-free hamster ova at comparable rates to Percoll separation.

The use of electroejaculation and zygote intrafallopian transfer to achieve a pregnancy after a major gunshot wound to the abdomen: a unique application

The application of electroejaculation associated with ZIFT enabled a successful establishment of a viable pregnancy in a couple whose husband sustained a major gunshot wound to the abdomen

Successful birth after intrafallopian transfer of microhatched embryos

OBJECTIVE To present a successful transfer of microhatched embryos to the fallopian tubes via microlaparoscopy. DESIGN Case report. SETTING Private practice affiliated with a medical university. PATIENT A 40-year-old woman with primary infertility, mildly elevated baseline FSH levels, and a history of poor ovarian response to ovulation induction. Her husband had severe oligoospermia after vasectomy reversal. INTERVENTION(S) Late luteal leuprolide acetate to pituitary down-regulation followed by pure FSH, 300 IU, and hMG, 300 IU, daily for ovulation induction. Transvaginal oocyte retrieval, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, assisted embryo hatching, microlaparoscopic intrafallopian ET. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Amniocentesis at the 14th week of gestation revealed a normal karyotype (46,XX), birth of a normal female infant (3700 g). RESULT(S) Establishment of a single, viable intrauterine gestation followed by a vaginal delivery at term. CONCLUSION(S) This case shows the possibility of using assisted-hatched embryos for laparoscopic intrafallopian tube transfer.

Combined Embryo Transfers Using Donor Oocytes and Oocytes Treated With Cytoplasmic Transfer Demonstrate That Gonadotropins Do Not Reduce Endometrial Receptivity.

Introduction: Using egg donor cycles, natural cycles, and frozen cycles, a number of investigators have proposed that the presence of gonadotropins during an IVF-ET cycle reduces uterine receptivity, and hence causes lower implantation and pregnancy rates. In 1998, we began exploring the efficacy of cytoplasmic transfer (CT). The initial enthusiasm for this technique brought forth many patients who would have been more appropriate candidates for ovum donation. In a number of attempted CT cycles few or no good quality embryos were obtained. The extranumerary donor oocytes were inseminated with the male partner’s semen, and the recipients received donor egg embryos, often combined with some of their own poor quality embryos. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four CT cycles were performed, where donor egg embryos were transferred to a recipient who had been given gonadotropins and down-regulation with GnRH agonist. Results were compared with 96 cycles of conventional ovum donation. Conventional ovum donor recipients were given estradiol valerate injections, 2–3 times per week to develop the endometrium. All patients received progesterone in oil, 50 mg per day for luteal support. Results: Twelve ongoing pregnancies resulted in the CT group, for a pregnancy rate of 50%. In the 96 conventional ovum donor cycles, our ongoing pregnancy rate was 47% (P..01). Summary: The presence of gonadotropins in women receiving donor egg embryos does not lower uterine receptivity. Conclusions: The unusual experience of transferring CT embryos along with donor egg embryos provides the opportunity of evaluating the effects of gonadotropins on uterine receptivity. If we assume that most of the implantations in the CT group occurred from the donor eggs, it appears that gonadotropin stimulation does not reduce uterine receptivity. Obviously, these results do not allow us to evaluate the efficacy of CT itself. PII S0015-0282(01)01711-3