Reproduction & fertility最新文献

{"title":"Characterization of TNSALP expression and activity in porcine utero-placental tissues.","authors":"Claire Stenhouse, Nirvay Sah, Katherine M Halloran, Robyn M Moses, Makenzie G Newton, Joe W Cain, Heewon Seo, Guoyao Wu, Gregory A Johnson, Fuller W Bazer","doi":"10.1530/RAF-25-0005","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-25-0005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) regulates postnatal phosphate homeostasis, but its role in utero-placental phosphate availability remains poorly understood. Gilts were bred and hysterectomized on Day 60 or Day 90 of gestation (n = 6/day). Phosphate was less abundant in allantoic and amniotic fluids on Day 90 compared to Day 60. TNSALP protein was immunolocalized, and enzymatic activity was quantified and localized in endometrial and chorioallantois tissues. Day had no effect on TNSALP activity in the chorioallantois. In contrast, endometrial TNSALP activity was lower on Day 90 compared to Day 60. Phosphate abundance in allantoic fluid correlated positively with endometrial TNSALP activity on Day 60 but not Day 90. TNSALP protein was abundantly expressed in the endometrium and chorioallantois on both days investigated, with localization to the endometrial, chorionic, and areolar epithelia, as well as stromal cells and endothelium. TNSALP activity was detected in the endothelium of the blood vessels in both the endometrium and chorioallantois, and on the basal surface of the endometrial glands on Day 60 but not Day 90. The endometrial stratum compactum stroma had strong TNSALP activity on Day 60. Weak TNSALP activity was present in the areolar epithelium, with a modest increase in activity on Day 90 compared to Day 60. TNSALP activity was present in the columnar chorionic epithelial cells, with an apparent decrease in activity in the chorioallantois on Day 90 compared to Day 60. These data reveal spatiotemporal changes in TNSALP localization and activity, suggesting its involvement in regulating phosphate availability at the utero-placental interface in swine.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong>Phosphate is an essential nutrient for fetal growth, but how it is managed during pregnancy is not fully understood. This study explored the role of an enzyme called tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) in regulating phosphate availability in the uterus and placenta in pigs in mid- and late pregnancy. Phosphate levels decreased in the fluids surrounding the fetus in late pregnancy. TNSALP was present in the uterus and placenta, and the amount of the enzyme varied depending on the tissue and stage of pregnancy and correlated with changes in phosphate levels. These findings suggest that TNSALP plays a key role in managing phosphate transport from the mother to the fetus in pregnancy to support fetal development.</p>","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12177879/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144228237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"'In the weeds': navigating the complex concerns, challenges and choices associated with medicinal cannabis consumption for endometriosis.","authors":"Justin Sinclair, Allie Eathorne, Hannah Adler, Amelia Mardon, Orit Holtzman, Jason Abbott, Jerome Sarris, Mike Armour","doi":"10.1530/RAF-24-0098","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-24-0098","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>People with endometriosis report consuming cannabis to manage their symptoms. Given the range of differing legalities and access pathways across the world, this study aimed to investigate the drivers and barriers to cannabis use worldwide. An online, anonymous, cross-sectional survey was distributed internationally by endometriosis organisations and was open to anyone consuming cannabis for endometriosis symptoms. Survey questions included motivations for both starting and ongoing cannabis consumption, concerns over cannabis use, reasons for stopping cannabis, and communication of cannabis consumption with healthcare providers. Eight hundred and eighty-nine responses were collected across >10 countries. Illicit cannabis (56.7%) was the most common access pathway. 99% of respondents stated they would continue to use cannabis to manage their endometriosis-based symptoms, with 90% reporting they would recommend its use to a friend or relative with the disease. The most common motivation(s) for cannabis consumption were inadequate pain control (68.6%) and bothersome side effects of medications (56.3%). Similar motivations were reported for ongoing cannabis consumption, with concerns over dependence/addiction on pharmaceutical medications (43.9%) being another common motivation. Those using illicit cannabis were significantly less likely (P < 0.0001) to disclose their cannabis consumption to medical professionals. Cannabis was viewed as superior to pharmaceuticals both in terms of effectiveness and side-effect profile. Despite this, concerns around cost, breaking the law, judgement due to stigma, and current drug-driving laws were reported. Illicit usage and lack of medical oversight raise concerns over potential drug interactions or withdrawal effects due to reduction in pharmaceutical medications because of cannabis.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong>Survey participants reported that it is most common internationally for people using cannabis to manage endometriosis pain and associated symptoms to access this illegally, despite medical access being available in many countries. Many respondents also reported that cannabis was more effective and had a more tolerable side-effect profile than pharmaceutical medications they had used previously. However, over half of respondents were concerned about the negative impact of stigma associated with cannabis and how this might affect their day-to-day lives. Other concerns were potentially breaking the law where they live, possibly losing their driving licence due to drug-driving laws, or losing their job due to workplace drug-testing policies. Such concerns may be why more than 30% of participants reported not disclosing their cannabis consumption to their doctor. This is concerning because medical supervision is important to monitor for side effects and potential drug interactions, which people using cannabis may not know exist.</p>","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12164284/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144188710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical efficacy and safety of two highly purified human menopausal gonadotropins in women undergoing in vitro fertilization.","authors":"Kamini A Rao, Geeta Khanna, Himanshu Bavishi, N Sanjeeva Reddy, Kajal Mangukiya, Renu Jain, Kishan Pv","doi":"10.1530/RAF-24-0132","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-24-0132","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>This study compared the efficacy and safety of two highly purified (HP) human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) preparations, Gynogen HP and Menopur, in women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for in vitro fertilization (IVF). A multicenter, randomized, active-controlled noninferiority comparative study was conducted between 2019 and 2021. Women aged 21-40 undergoing COS for their first or second IVF cycle, with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection, were randomized to receive either Gynogen HP or Menopur. The primary endpoint was to determine the total number of oocytes retrieved. Key secondary endpoints included total hMG dose, days of hMG stimulation, fertilization rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate and safety. A total of 150 patients were randomized into two groups: 77 received Gynogen HP and 73 received Menopur COS. The primary endpoint, the number of oocytes retrieved (mean ± standard deviation (SD)), was similar between the Gynogen HP (6.3 ± 3.39) and Menopur (6.7 ± 4.52) groups. The least square (LS) mean values were 5.9 for the Gynogen HP and 6.3 for Menopur, with an LS mean difference of - 0.4 (95% CI: -1.83, 1.07; P = 0.6067), indicating that noninferiority as the lower limit of the 95% CI was above the non-inferiority threshold of -2.0. Secondary efficacy endpoints and safety analysis showed no significant differences between groups. Gynogen HP is noninferior and therapeutically equivalent to Menopur in terms of the number of oocytes retrieval, with a comparable safety profile. These results support the use of Gynogen HP for COS in women undergoing IVF as a part of assisted reproduction techniques.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong>This study compared two fertility medications (Gynogen HP and Menopur) that are used to help women recruit eggs for IVF treatment. The researchers assessed if these medications are equally potent and safe. The study involved 150 women undergoing their first or second round of IVF between 2019 and 2021. Half of the women received Gynogen HP, while another half received Menopur. The main finding was that both medications worked similarly - women on Gynogen HP recruited an average of 6.3 eggs, while those on Menopur recruited an average of 6.7 eggs. This small difference was not meaningful from a medical perspective. Other important factors, such as pregnancy rates and safety concerns, were also similar between the two medications. Researchers concluded that Gynogen HP works just as well as Menopur for IVF treatment and is equally safe to use. This means doctors can confidently prescribe either medication for women undergoing IVF.</p>","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12152847/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144188711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fertility Care in Low and Middle Income Countries: Policy, Politics, and Macro-Level Influences on Implementation in Uganda.","authors":"Margaret Joanita Mutumba Nakalembe, Craig Janes","doi":"10.1530/RAF-24-0063","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-24-0063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Infertility is a reproductive disease affecting millions globally. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the burden is considerably higher, affecting one in four couples. The psychosocial and economic impacts of infertility remain severe. Furthermore, restricted access to affordable fertility services is justified by international population reduction agendas and limited resources, resulting in inequitable access. Treatment, when available, is primarily through private sector clinics, at catastrophically high costs. For this reason, low-cost IVF (LCIVF) technologies have been developed to simplify and minimize treatment costs. Still, there are limited studies on their adoption and utilization in the region.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative case study was used to explore implementation of LCIVF technologies in Uganda's public health system. Macro-level factors influencing implementation of an ART department at Mulago Women's Hospital were assessed through semi-structured interviews conducted with 21 actors, along with hospital observations, field notes and document review. A combination of inductive and deductive thematic analysis techniques were used for data analysis in NVivo 12, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Following our analysis, several factors facilitated macro-level implementation including acknowledgement of infertility as a reproductive disease, strong political advocacy and oversight, government funding and multi-organizational collaboration. Barriers included poor public knowledge, absence of legislation, limited community leader engagement and diminished political support. Contributions: This study contributed to knowledge on external factors that influence sustainable implementation of LCIVF initiatives in low-resource settings and is one of the first studies to apply CFIR to infertility care implementation in a low-resource setting.</p>","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12203773/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144251717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perceived effectiveness of endometriosis therapies on fatigue: an international survey.","authors":"Kevin K W Kuan, Florian Heinzl, Andrew W Horne, Lucy H R Whitaker, Jana Heine, Christine Bekos","doi":"10.1530/RAF-25-0010","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-25-0010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Graphical abstract: </strong></p><p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Current endometriosis treatments primarily focus on pain management, despite many patients also experiencing fatigue, which significantly impacts their quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of endometriosis treatments in managing fatigue. An international anonymous survey was conducted using the Qualtrics platform, with participants (aged 16 years and over) and a self-reported diagnosis of endometriosis. The survey collected demographic information, the brief fatigue inventory, and perceived impact of treatments on fatigue over the past 5 years. Ethical approval was granted by the Edinburgh Medical School Research Ethics Committee. Data analysis was performed using R, with results presented as medians and interquartile ranges. From 12 April to 25 May 2023, 2,907 responses were collected. Our results showed that fatigue was significantly worsened during menstruation (median: -2, IQR: -3 to -1) and slightly worsened during ovulation (median: -1, IQR: -2 to 0). Analysis revealed limited associations between common medical treatments, such as analgesics or hormonal therapy, and improvements in fatigue symptoms. Use of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists was linked to a worsened fatigue, reported by 54% users. Surgical interventions and changes in rest patterns showed minimal improvement, while other behavioural modifications showed little to no effect. These findings suggest that current endometriosis treatments are largely ineffective in addressing fatigue. Limitations of this study include recall bias and confounding factors, which may influence perceived effectiveness of endometriosis therapies on fatigue. This underscores the need for more comprehensive management strategies to better support patients experiencing endometriosis-associated fatigue.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong>Endometriosis is a common chronic pain condition affecting 180 million women worldwide. Many women with endometriosis also report that fatigue significantly impacts their quality of life. Despite this, fatigue management has been largely neglected, and there are limited studies that have evaluated the benefit of current endometriosis treatments on fatigue. This international survey aimed to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of various therapies for endometriosis on fatigue, including pain medication, hormonal medication, surgery and behavioural changes. Pain medication and most hormonal therapies provided limited relief. However, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists worsened fatigue in more than half of the users. These results suggest that existing endometriosis treatments are largely ineffective in addressing fatigue, highlighting the need for improved strategies to address this symptom to enhance quality of life for women with endometriosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":"6 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12084798/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144082848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Artificial intelligence model for the assessment of unstained live sperm morphology.","authors":"Jermphiphut Jaruenpunyasak, Prawai Maneelert, Marwan Nawae, Chainarong Choksuchat","doi":"10.1530/RAF-25-0014","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-25-0014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Traditional sperm morphology assessment requires staining and high magnification (100×), rendering sperm unsuitable for further use. We aimed to determine whether an in-house artificial intelligence (AI) model could reliably assess normal sperm morphology in living sperm and compare its performance with that of computer-aided semen analysis and conventional semen analysis methods. In this experimental study, we enrolled 30 healthy male volunteers aged 18-40 years at the Songklanagarind Assisted Reproductive Centre, Songklanagarind Hospital. We developed a novel dataset of sperm morphological images captured with confocal laser scanning microscopy at low magnification and high resolution to train and validate an AI model. Semen samples were divided into three aliquots and assessed for unstained live sperm morphology using the AI model, whereas computer-aided and conventional semen analysis methods evaluated fixed sperm morphology. The performance of our in-house AI model for evaluating unstained live sperm morphology was compared with that of the other two methods. The in-house AI model showed the strongest correlation with computer-aided semen analysis (r = 0.88), followed by conventional semen analysis (r = 0.76). The correlation between computer-aided semen analysis and conventional semen analysis was weaker (r = 0.57). Both the in-house AI and conventional semen analysis methods detected normal sperm morphology at significantly higher rates than computer-aided semen analysis. The in-house AI model could enhance assisted reproductive technology outcomes by improving the selection of high-quality sperm with normal morphology. This could lead to better outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injections and other fertility treatments.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong>We evaluated a new in-house AI model for assessing the shape and size (morphology) of live sperm without staining and performed comparisons with computer-aided semen analysis and conventional semen analysis, which require sperm to be fixed and stained before analysis. This new method of assessing unstained, live sperm is significant because it facilitates viable sperm selection for use in assisted reproductive technology immediately after assessment, ultimately contributing to improved fertility outcomes. The AI model allowed sperm morphology assessments with significantly improved accuracy and reliability. By using high-resolution images and advanced microscopy, the AI model could detect subcellular features. This AI model could be an effective tool in clinical settings, because it minimizes subjectivity and improves sperm selection for assisted reproductive technologies, potentially leading to higher success rates in infertility treatments. Further research can refine the model and validate its effectiveness in diverse clinical environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":"6 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12060770/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144047299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relative mtDNA copy number in embryo spent culture medium is not a reliable biomarker of human embryo aneuploidy.","authors":"Sasipat Teerawongsuwan, Kodchakorn Wiangwised, Nattapavee Ngampiyakul, Nitid Wanikorn, Panida Boonnithipaisit, Panyada Khiuhok, Phanthitra Aekudompong, Amarin Narkwichean, Sirinun Pongmayteegul, Ruttachuk Rungsiwiwut","doi":"10.1530/RAF-25-0001","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-25-0001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Graphical abstract: </strong></p><p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from embryonic cells is released into the spent culture medium (SCM) during cellular processes, providing a potential biomarker of embryo health. Analysing mtDNA levels in SCM enables a non-invasive evaluation of embryo quality and potential developmental abnormalities. In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between relative mtDNA copy number in embryo SCM and key factors, including embryo fragmentation, morphological quality and chromosomal abnormalities. Fertilised embryos produced through intracytoplasmic sperm injection were cultured to the blastocyst stage in an incubator. Embryo fragmentation was assessed on day 3 using the Istanbul criteria, while morphological grading was evaluated on day 5 using the Gardner criteria. On day 5, trophectoderm (TE) biopsies were performed for preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy, followed by embryo cryopreservation and collection of embryo SCM. The mtDNA was quantified using quantitative PCR. Statistical analyses using the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests (significance at P < 0.05) showed that relative mtDNA copy number did not significantly differ among embryos with fragmentation levels <10%, 10-25% and >25% (P > 0.05). For blastocyst grading, which evaluates the inner cell mass (ICM) and TE, no significant difference was observed in relative mtDNA copy number between grades B and C for ICM (P = 0.190) and TE (P = 0.289). Furthermore, a trend towards higher relative mtDNA levels was observed in aneuploid than in euploid embryos, although the difference was not statistically significant. Thus, relative mtDNA copy number in SCM may not accurately reflect embryo characteristics, such as fragmentation, morphological grading or chromosomal abnormalities.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong>This study examined whether the amount of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the fluid used to culture embryos in the laboratory could indicate embryo quality. We assessed various factors, including the appearance of the embryos, the presence of fragmented cells and the occurrence of chromosomal abnormalities. Fertilized eggs were cultured until they developed into blastocysts, and the amount of mtDNA in the culture fluid was measured using a machine that detects genetic material. The results revealed no clear association between mtDNA levels and embryo appearance or fragmentation. Although embryos with chromosomal abnormalities had slightly more mtDNA, the difference was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that mtDNA in the culture fluid may not be a reliable marker for assessing embryo quality or chromosomal status.</p>","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":"6 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12060771/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144048629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hormonal balance, anovulatory cycles and luteal phase deficiency: exploring relationships between hematological variables, sex hormones and V̇O2max in athletes.","authors":"Paula Recacha-Ponce, Pilar Suárez-Alcázar, Carlos Hernando, Pablo Salas-Medina, Maria Muriach, Pablo Baliño, Isabel Guisado-Cuadrado, Eladio Collado-Boira","doi":"10.1530/RAF-24-0119","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-24-0119","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Graphical abstract: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abstract: &lt;/strong&gt;The impact of the menstrual cycle on physical fitness in athletes remains controversial in the scientific literature. Notable fluctuations in sex hormones occur at three key phases of the menstrual cycle, during which estrogen and progesterone levels vary significantly. In addition, the presence of regular bleeding does not ensure ovulation; therefore many women may not be aware that they have anovulatory cycles. These sex hormones can influence the physiology of women and can affect their level of cardiorespiratory performance depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle they are in. Method: Twenty-seven women aged 18-40 years with regular cycles were recruited. All participants had to be athletes classified as level II-III of the McKay et al. 2022 proposal based on training volume/physical activity metrics, among other variables. Cardiorespiratory fitness was indirectly assessed using V̇O2max measurements. Blood samples were collected on three occasions to determine the phase of the menstrual cycle by analyzing sex hormone levels. In addition, urine analyses were performed to detect ovulation, which was positive in all participants. To classify a cycle as ovulatory, progesterone levels must reach 16 nmol/L during the mid-luteal phase. However, it was observed that 26% of the sample did not reach this threshold, exhibiting anovulatory cycles or cycles with deficient luteal phases. Thus, two study groups were created: the ovulatory menstrual cycle group (n = 20) and the menstrual cycle group with deficient/anovulatory luteal phases (n = 7). These groups did not show statistically significant differences in age, weight, body mass index or V̇O2max during the bleeding phase (phase I). Female sex hormones did not show significant differences in the anovulatory cycle group, whereas they did show significant differences in the ovulatory cycle group. A high prevalence of female athletes with anovulatory menstrual cycles was observed. Women with ovulatory cycles experienced changes in their V̇O2max (P = 3.78E-4), in contrast to women with anovulatory cycles, who exhibited stable V̇O2max levels throughout their cycle (P = 0.638). Women with anovulatory menstrual cycles exhibit linear patterns of sex hormones throughout the menstrual cycle, which could lead to the maintenance of physical fitness throughout the cycle. In ovulatory cycles, it would be possible to polarize the training load according to the phase of the menstrual cycle. Monitoring ovulation, in addition to menstrual bleeding, is necessary to enhance knowledge about women's reproductive health.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lay summary: &lt;/strong&gt;The menstrual cycle may affect physical fitness in female athletes, but the evidence remains unclear. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone fluctuate during different phases of the menstrual cycle and can influence performance. However, menstrual bleeding does not always indicate ovulation","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":"6 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12060674/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144061380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expression of tripartite motif family-like protein 1 and 2 in early conceptus development and placentation in the pig.","authors":"Emily K Eitel, Mariana Sponchiado, Riley M Sullivan, Caroline G Lucas, Bethany K Redel, Paula R Chen, Kevin D Wells, Randall S Prather, Wesley C Warren, Rodney D Geisert","doi":"10.1530/RAF-24-0107","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-24-0107","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>The eutherian placenta is highly complex, evolving to regulate the inflammatory phase of pregnancy during conceptus attachment and placental tissue development. Tripartite motif family-like (TRIMLs) proteins are implicated in downregulating inflammation. In mammals, TRIML1 and TRIML2 show preferential expression in gonads, preimplantation embryos and placenta. TRIML1 domains differ between eutherians and marsupials, while TRIML2 is absent in marsupials, suggesting it may play a unique role in regulating the inflammatory phase during conceptus attachment, critical for establishing and maintaining pregnancy to term. This study aimed to investigate the expression pattern of TRIML1 and TRIML2 in various tissues, as well as during embryo development, conceptus attachment, and placental formation in pigs. Transcripts for TRIML2 were detected in embryos, conceptuses, extraembryonic membranes, ovary and testis but not in any of the other tissues examined. In contrast, TRIML1 expression was only observed in testis. In situ hybridization of TRIML1 and TRIML2 confirmed these results. The specific expression of TRIML2 in immune privileged sites is consistent with it serving as an anti-inflammatory factor to provide immunological protection of the eutherian placenta. To further investigate the role of TRIML2, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing was employed to knock out either TRIML1 (control) or TRIML2. TRIML1 -/- and TRIML2 -/- porcine fetal fibroblasts were used for somatic cell nuclear transfer, and the resulting embryos were transferred into surrogate gilts. Early conceptus and placental development were not affected by the loss of conceptus TRIML2. Although a tissue-specific expression pattern was found, TRIML1 or TRIML2 are not required for pregnancy establishment in the pig.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong>This study investigates the expression and possible roles of two specific proteins in pigs. These proteins are implicated in regulating inflammation and are thought to be important for the proper development of the placenta, which is essential for a successful pregnancy. TRIML2 was found in embryos and certain tissues, including ovary, testis and placenta, while TRIML1 appears only in the testis. We further used gene-editing techniques to generate pig embryos lacking these proteins to test whether their absence would affect early pregnancy and placental development. Lack of either TRIML1 or TRIML2 did not disrupt the early stages of pregnancy or placental formation, indicating that these proteins may not be critical for these processes in pigs.</p>","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12007913/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143733853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High multiple pregnancy rates after double embryo transfers in human: a retrospective cohort study.","authors":"Jens Erik Dietrich, Ingrid Cáceres Valcárcel, Edison Capp, Thomas Strowitzki, Ariane Germeyer","doi":"10.1530/RAF-24-0078","DOIUrl":"10.1530/RAF-24-0078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>To improve clinical outcomes of human medically assisted reproduction, the transfer of multiple embryos is frequently performed. This leads to high rates of multiple pregnancies. In this study we explored if a cohort of patients can be defined, that benefits from the transfer of two embryos while mitigating the odds of multiple pregnancies by considering female patients' age, embryo quality and embryo cohort quality. In this retrospective cohort study, clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), live birth rate (LBR) and multiple pregnancy rate (MPR) after fresh single embryo transfers (SETs, n = 245) were compared to those after double embryo transfer (DET, n = 278). Female patient's age, embryo quality and embryo cohort quality were used to explore clinical outcomes in subgroups. Overall, this study found that compared to SET, DET significantly increased the CPR (33.5 vs 49.6%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.233, 95% CI: 1.529-3.261, P < 0.001), LBR (24.1 vs 39.2%, aOR: 2.416, 1.605-3.636, P < 0.001) and MPR (0.0 vs 25.4%, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis based on female age, embryo quality and further stratification based on embryo cohort score revealed that the MPR in all subgroups was high after DET and a subgroup with significantly reduced MPR after DET could not be defined. In conclusion, DETs are associated with high MPRs that cannot be avoided by considering female patients' age, embryo quality and embryo cohort quality. SET is the most effective way to avoid a multiple pregnancy.</p><p><strong>Lay summary: </strong>This study examined whether it is possible to avoid multiple pregnancies in treatments of assisted reproduction when two embryos are transferred to certain patients. Transferring more than one embryo can increase the chances of pregnancy and live birth but also raises the risk of multiple pregnancies. Multiple pregnancies are linked to health risks for both the mother and the children. Using data from a single clinic, this study explored whether there are specific patients who could benefit from the transfer of two embryos while still having a lower risk of multiple pregnancy. However, the researchers found that DETs consistently lead to high rates of multiple pregnancies, even when factors like the mother's age, embryo quality and overall embryo cohort quality are considered. The researchers concluded that transferring a single embryo remains the safest approach to prevent multiple pregnancies.</p>","PeriodicalId":101312,"journal":{"name":"Reproduction & fertility","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12002859/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143665797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}