D.A. Ryley

The effect of body mass index on the outcomes of first assisted reproductive technology cycles.

OBJECTIVE To provide assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcome rates per body mass index (BMI) category after controlling for potential confounders. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Large university-affiliated infertility practice. PATIENT(S) Women undergoing ART. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) The primary outcome was live birth. Analyses were stratified according to BMI category and adjusted for potential confounders, including maternal and paternal age, baseline serum FSH, duration of gonadotropin stimulation, mean daily gonadotropin dose, peak serum E(2), number of oocytes retrieved, use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection, embryo quality and number, transfer day, and number of embryos transferred. RESULT(S) We analyzed the first autologous fresh IVF or IVF-ICSI cycle of 4,609 patients. There were no differences in the rates of cycle cancellation, spontaneous abortion, biochemical and ectopic pregnancies, or multiple births. After adjusting for potential confounders, patients with BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m(2) had significantly decreased odds of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth. The adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) of live birth were 0.63 (0.47-0.85) for BMI 30.00-34.99, 0.39 (0.25-0.61) for BMI 35.00-39.99, and 0.32 (0.16-0.64) for BMI ≥ 40.0 compared with normal-weight cohorts. CONCLUSION(S) Obesity has a significant negative effect on ART outcomes. Patients with BMI > 30 kg/m(2) have up to 68% lower odds of having a live birth following their first ART cycle compared with women with BMI < 30.

The risks of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use in infertile women: a review of the impact on fertility, pregnancy, neonatal health and beyond

STUDY QUESTION What is the current literature on the safety and efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use in infertile women? SUMMARY ANSWER There is little evidence that infertile women benefit from taking an SSRI, therefore they should be counseled appropriately about the risks and be advised to consider alternate safer treatments to treat depressive symptoms. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY SSRI use is associated with possible reduced infertility treatment efficacy as well as higher rates of pregnancy loss, preterm birth, pregnancy complications, neonatal issues and long-term neurobehavioral abnormalities in offspring. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Review of existing literature. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS We conducted a review of all published studies that evaluate females with depressive symptoms who are taking antidepressant medications and who are experiencing infertility. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Antidepressant use during pregnancy is associated with increased risks of miscarriage, birth defects, preterm birth, newborn behavioral syndrome, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn and possible longer term neurobehavioral effects. There is no evidence of improved pregnancy outcomes with antidepressant use. There is some evidence that psychotherapy, including cognitive-behavioral therapy as well as physical exercise, is associated with significant decreases in depressive symptoms in the general population; research indicates that some forms of counseling are effective in treating depressive symptoms in infertile women. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Our findings are limited by the availability of published studies in the field, which are often retrospective and of small size. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Practitioners who care for infertility patients should have a thorough understanding of the published literature so that they can adequately counsel their patients. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) None.

A randomized clinical trial to determine optimal infertility treatment in older couples: the Forty and Over Treatment Trial (FORT-T)

OBJECTIVE To determine the optimal infertility therapy for women at the end of their reproductive potential. DESIGN Randomized clinical trial. SETTING Academic medical centers and private infertility center in a state with mandated insurance coverage. PATIENT(S) Couples with ≥ 6 months of unexplained infertility; female partner aged 38-42 years. INTERVENTION(S) Randomized to treatment with two cycles of clomiphene citrate (CC) and intrauterine insemination (IUI), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)/IUI, or immediate IVF, followed by IVF if not pregnant. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Proportion with a clinically recognized pregnancy, number of treatment cycles, and time to conception after two treatment cycles and at the end of treatment. RESULT(S) We randomized 154 couples to receive CC/IUI (N = 51), FSH/IUI (N = 52), or immediate IVF (N = 51); 140 (90.9%) couples initiated treatment. The cumulative clinical pregnancy rates per couple after the first two cycles of CC/IUI, FSH/IUI, or immediate IVF were 21.6%, 17.3%, and 49.0%, respectively. After all treatments, 110 (71.4%) of 154 couples had conceived a clinically recognized pregnancy, and 46.1% had delivered at least one live-born baby; 84.2% of all live-born infants resulting from treatment were achieved via IVF. There were 36% fewer treatment cycles in the IVF arm compared with either COH/IUI arm, and the couples conceived a pregnancy leading to a live birth after fewer treatment cycles. CONCLUSION(S) A randomized controlled trial in older women with unexplained infertility to compare treatment initiated with two cycles of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation/IUI versus immediate IVF demonstrated superior pregnancy rates with fewer treatment cycles in the immediate IVF group. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT00246506.

Fertility preservation: nonsurgical and surgical options.

Improved surveillance and treatment regimens have resulted in decreased mortality rates among cancer patients, allowing these women to focus on survival and quality of life, including the ability to preserve their fertility. The treatments that have improved survival among both adults and children diagnosed with cancer are often gonadotoxic, especially those that employ high doses of alkylating agents and radiation therapy directed near or toward the pelvis. The impact on the ovarian reserve is related to the accelerated depletion of the primordial germ cell pool resulting from these therapies. Nonsurgical approaches to fertility preservation, including embryo cryopreservation from in vitro fertilization, oocyte cryopreservation from controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, and in vitro maturation of oocytes, are discussed. Surgical approaches such as conservative gynecologic surgery, ovarian transposition, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation are reviewed. Guidelines from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the American Society of Clinical Oncology classify these treatments into established and experimental procedures, and they provide the practitioner with an optimal approach to preserve the fertility of these patients before the initiation of their cancer therapies.

Management of a cervical heterotopic pregnancy presenting with first-trimester bleeding: case report and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE To report a rare case of a cervical heterotopic pregnancy resulting from intrauterine insemination (IUI) that presented with first-trimester bleeding. DESIGN Case report and literature review. SETTING Large university-affiliated infertility practice. PATIENT(S) A 40-year-old gravida 2 para 1 Asian woman at 7-3/7 weeks gestational age following clomiphene citrate/IUI for the treatment of secondary infertility presented with heavy vaginal bleeding for several days. INTERVENTION(S) Transvaginal ultrasound on admission revealed a single live intrauterine pregnancy and a cervical gestational sac containing a nonviable embryo. The patient continued to have vaginal bleeding and 2 days later underwent removal of the cervical ectopic pregnancy tissue with ring forceps, as well as an ultrasound-guided intracervical Foley balloon and cerclage placement. The bleeding subsided, and 48 hours later the Foley and cerclage were removed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Pregnancy outcome. RESULT(S) The remainder of the pregnancy was uncomplicated and the patient had a full-term cesarean delivery for footling breech of a healthy male infant. CONCLUSION(S) Cervical heterotopic pregnancy is a very rare event that almost universally results from infertility treatment. We present a case where we were able to remove the cervical ectopic and tamponade the bleeding, thus preserving the intrauterine pregnancy for this subfertile couple, and we review the existing literature.