{"title":"When similar live birth rates do not mean protocol equivalence in frozen embryo transfer.","authors":"Dang Anh Tuan","doi":"10.1007/s10815-026-03998-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-026-03998-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Similar live birth rates in frozen embryo transfer (FET) trials can be over-read as evidence that natural, modified natural, and programmed endometrial preparation protocols are biologically equivalent. This interpretation is not warranted when cancellation, delayed transfer, and rescue switching are built into care. Under these conditions, randomization compares starting strategies that unfold through managed clinical pathways, not uninterrupted protocols completed exactly as assigned. Using recent FET trials as practical examples, this Clinical Opinion argues for a narrower and more constructive interpretation: similar live birth supports pathway effectiveness only for the estimand that was actually analyzed. Clinicians should ask whether the reported effect reflects assignment to an initial strategy, completion of the first assigned protocol, or a hypothetical no-switch contrast. Cancellation and rescue switching should be treated as outcomes; pathway burden should be reported alongside live birth, and safety outcomes should use denominators aligned with the stage at which harms occur. These FET-specific reporting recommendations apply existing CONSORT, CONSORT Harms, and ICH E9(R1) principles to trials in which cancellation or switching can materially affect interpretation.</p>","PeriodicalId":15246,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148701341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Alignment between expanded carrier screening panels and conditions leading to PGT-M: a real-world cohort study.","authors":"Einat Zivi, Avia Clymer, Orit Freireich, Gheona Altarescu, Ido Ben-Ami, Avi Tsafrir","doi":"10.1007/s10815-026-03992-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-026-03992-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To assess the extent to which expanded carrier screening (ECS) panels capture the genetic conditions for which preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic diseases (PGT-M) is performed.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective observational study conducted at a single university-affiliated PGT unit from 2015 to 2023. Women undergoing PGT-M for autosomal recessive or X-linked genetic conditions were included. Genetic conditions were cross-matched with five ECS panels (four commercial panels and one publicly funded ECS panel) and compared with a targeted, population-specific screening. Coverage was assessed at both the woman and gene levels using paired statistical comparisons.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 330 cases were included; seven women underwent PGT-M for two eligible conditions and were therefore counted twice. These cases involved 110 different genes with an uneven distribution: eight genes accounted for 53.2% of cases, while 71 genes were observed in a single case. At the individual-woman level, targeted, population-specific screening showed lower coverage (47.9%) than that of all ECS panels (71.8-91.5%), with overall differences statistically significant (P < 0.001). At the gene level, coverage ranged from 20.9 to 79.1% across panels (P < 0.001). The evaluated ECS panels included 271-787 genes, with the largest panel demonstrating higher case coverage than the other commercial panels.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Expanded carrier screening panels capture most autosomal recessive and X-linked genetic conditions for which PGT-M is performed. These findings support the clinical utility of ECS in identifying couples at risk of having children affected by such conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":15246,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148684723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Biying Li, Hong Liu, Fan Yu, Mai Xiong, Ting Tang, Rong-Hua Wu, Shan-Mei-Zi Zhao, Chong-Li Shi, Tong-Wei Zhang, Bing Yao, Xuan Huang, Li Chen
{"title":"Machine learning-enabled prediction of ART pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Biying Li, Hong Liu, Fan Yu, Mai Xiong, Ting Tang, Rong-Hua Wu, Shan-Mei-Zi Zhao, Chong-Li Shi, Tong-Wei Zhang, Bing Yao, Xuan Huang, Li Chen","doi":"10.1007/s10815-026-03988-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-026-03988-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To systematically evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and methodological quality of machine learning (ML) prediction models for pregnancy outcomes after assisted reproductive technology (ART).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, IEEE Xplore, MEDLINE, ClinicalTrials.gov, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP were searched from inception to July 2026. Eligible studies developed or validated ML models to predict clinical pregnancy or live birth after ART. For studies reporting complete 2 × 2 contingency data, pooled sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were estimated using random-effects diagnostic meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed with PROBAST.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty studies were included in the systematic review, of which 14 contributed to the diagnostic meta-analysis. Overall risk of bias was low in 1 study (5.0%), high in 8 studies (40.0%), and unclear in 11 studies (55.0%). The pooled sensitivity was 0.737 (95% CI, 0.662-0.799) and the pooled specificity was 0.789 (95% CI, 0.709-0.851), with substantial heterogeneity (I<sup>2</sup> = 97.7% and 99.0%, respectively). The pooled DOR was 10.49 (95% CI, 6.28-17.53), and the SROC curve indicated acceptable overall discrimination. Exploratory DOR subgroup analyses showed comparable performance for clinical pregnancy and live birth. No statistically robust subgroup difference was observed by algorithm type, center type, or validation status under a random-effects framework; study design showed a significant subgroup difference, but this estimate was driven by a single prospective study.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>ML models show moderate diagnostic accuracy for predicting ART pregnancy outcomes, but the evidence base is limited by substantial heterogeneity and frequent high or unclear risk of bias. Future studies should follow TRIPOD + AI and PROBAST-aligned standards, report calibration and clinical utility, and prioritize prospective multi-center external validation before clinical implementation.</p><p><strong>Systematic review registration: </strong>PROSPERO, CRD420251108846.</p>","PeriodicalId":15246,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148678774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giuseppe Seminara, Rossella Cannarella, Aldo Eugenio Calogero, Antonio Aversa
{"title":"Reversible azoospermia associated with the selective JAK1 inhibitor abrocitinib: a case report.","authors":"Giuseppe Seminara, Rossella Cannarella, Aldo Eugenio Calogero, Antonio Aversa","doi":"10.1007/s10815-026-03993-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-026-03993-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To describe a case of reversible azoospermia temporally associated with abrocitinib treatment in a man with severe atopic dermatitis (AD) and discuss its potential implications for male reproductive safety.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Case report.</p><p><strong>Patient: </strong>A 38-year-old normal-weight man with highly refractory AD, a history of neonatal orchidopexy, and primary infertility.</p><p><strong>Intervention: </strong>Clinical, hormonal, and semen evaluation before and after discontinuation of abrocitinib therapy (200mg/day).</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Semen parameters and reproductive hormone profile.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two consecutive semen analyses performed during abrocitinib treatment demonstrated azoospermia. Baseline endocrine evaluation showed elevated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH; 12.3 mIU/mL), suggestive of seminiferous tubule dysfunction. Abrocitinib was discontinued, and reassessment after 3 months revealed complete recovery of spermatogenesis, with a sperm concentration of 50 million/mL. Although isolated teratozoospermia persisted, FSH levels normalized (8.6 mIU/mL) and inhibin B increased markedly (from 58 to 135 pg/mL), consistent with improved Sertoli cell function. The temporal association between drug withdrawal and recovery supports a potential reversible effect on spermatogenesis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This is, to our knowledge, the first report describing reversible azoospermia temporally associated with abrocitinib therapy. Although causality cannot be established from a single observation, this case raises a potential safety signal regarding the effects of selective JAK1 inhibition on male reproductive function. Further preclinical studies, pharmacovigilance analyses, and prospective clinical investigations are warranted to determine whether prolonged or high-dose abrocitinib exposure may adversely affect spermatogenesis in susceptible individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":15246,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148678802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Louise Michenaud, Julie Fiscus, Bruno Salle, Eloise Fraison, Elsa Labrune
{"title":"Transcriptomic insights into ovine ovarian response to extended in vitro culture and cryopreservation.","authors":"Louise Michenaud, Julie Fiscus, Bruno Salle, Eloise Fraison, Elsa Labrune","doi":"10.1007/s10815-026-03975-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-026-03975-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Sheep ovarian tissue is a valuable model for studying folliculogenesis, cellular interactions, and fertility preservation strategies. The impact of culture duration, culture conditions, and cryopreservation techniques on the transcriptome of ovarian tissue remains incompletely understood.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ovarian fragments were subjected to conventional or bioreactor culture for up to 12 weeks, with or without prior cryopreservation by slow freezing or vitrification. RNA was extracted at multiple time points and analyzed using RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Prolonged conventional culture induced metabolic reprogramming, increased glycolytic and biosynthetic activity, and triggered stress, inflammatory, and even apoptosis pathways, whereas bioreactor culture limited stress responses and better-preserved cell proliferation and development. Ovarian tissue culture in bioreactor allowed for extended in vitro culture periods of up to 12 weeks, whereas conventional culture did not allow survival of the samples. Cryopreservation had minor effects on gene expression, with slow freezing and vitrification yielding largely similar transcriptomic profiles. Folliculogenesis-related genes showed a trend towards downregulation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Bioreactor culture seems to provide a more physiologically relevant environment for maintaining ovarian tissue viability and function, and cryopreservation seems to have limited impact on the transcriptome compared to culture conditions. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing fertility preservation and translational approaches in reproductive medicine.</p>","PeriodicalId":15246,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148669531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alessandro Bartolacci, Arianna Frezza, Sofia de Girolamo, Beatrice Maria Barbagallo, Giulia D'Alessandro, Stefania Esposito, Lucia De Santis, Elisa Rabellotti, Lisett Solano Narduche, Elisa Giacomini, Luca Pagliardini
{"title":"Shortened vitrification and warming improve survival and accelerate meiotic resumption in human germinal vesicle oocytes compared with standard protocols.","authors":"Alessandro Bartolacci, Arianna Frezza, Sofia de Girolamo, Beatrice Maria Barbagallo, Giulia D'Alessandro, Stefania Esposito, Lucia De Santis, Elisa Rabellotti, Lisett Solano Narduche, Elisa Giacomini, Luca Pagliardini","doi":"10.1007/s10815-026-03991-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-026-03991-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Do shortened vitrification and warming (S-V/W) protocols achieve similar survival rates and meiotic resumption compared with standard protocols in human germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes?</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A prospective sibling study was conducted with 230 vitrified human GV-oocytes obtained from 43 patients. Oocytes were divided into three groups: standard vitrification and warming protocols (STD-V/W), S-V/W protocols, and fresh control. Survival rates were assessed at 2 and 24 h post-warming. GV breakdown (GVBD, GV to MI) and maturation rates were assessed at 2, 4, 6, 24, and 48 h post-warming. An analytical model was developed to estimate laboratory workload associated with oocyte vitrification and warming under routine clinical conditions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The S-V/W group showed higher survival rates compared with the STD-V/W group at 2 h [STD-V/W: 76/95 (80.0%) vs S-V/W: 90/98 (91.83%), p-value = 0.02] and 24 h [STD-V/W: 74/95 (77.89%) vs S-V/W: 88/98 (89.79%), p-value = 0.03]. The S-V/W group showed faster meiotic resumption, with a significantly higher GVBD rate at 2, and 6 h (p-value = 0.001 and p-value = 0.003, respectively), as well as earlier (6 h, p-value = 0.005) and increased MII appearance at 24 h (p-value = 0.010). The shortened protocol achieved an adjusted workload reduction of ~ 60-75% for vitrification and ~ 75-85% for warming.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study highlights the advantages of the S-V/W protocols in improving survival rate, laboratory workflow, and accelerating meiotic resumption and MII appearance. In conclusion, these findings are promising and primarily support the need for further investigations in human mature oocytes.</p>","PeriodicalId":15246,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148664019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comment on \"Live birth after oocyte donation in women with Turner syndrome compared with other causes of premature ovarian insufficiency: a retrospective cohort study\".","authors":"Madhuri Tribhuvan, Shashikant N Phatke","doi":"10.1007/s10815-026-03986-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-026-03986-z","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15246,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148663946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lejun Li, Hongping Li, Qingjing Wang, Minhao Hu, Fang Le, Xiaozhen Liu, Liya Wang
{"title":"Sperm 28S ribosomal RNA fragments as a potential biomarker for embryo quality in in vitro fertilization.","authors":"Lejun Li, Hongping Li, Qingjing Wang, Minhao Hu, Fang Le, Xiaozhen Liu, Liya Wang","doi":"10.1007/s10815-026-03940-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10815-026-03940-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Male factors account for approximately 50% of infertility cases worldwide. However, the ability of current diagnostic tools-such as conventional semen analysis and sperm DNA fragmentation testing-to predict outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART) is limited.. Although sperm RNA content has emerged as a potential molecular marker of fertility, the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) fragments in embryo development remains poorly understood.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively analyzed 135 infertile couples who underwent IVF. Using quantitative RT‒PCR, we analyzed sperm samples and detected the expression of miR-150, miR-199a, miR-200a, miR-451, miR-181a, and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) fragments. These miRNAs were previously reported to be abundant in fertilized embryos and sperm but are expressed at low levels in oocytes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We demonstrated the predominant presence of fragmented 28S rRNA, with significantly higher expression levels observed in patients who produced higher-quality embryos (7-9 blastomeres with < 10% fragmentation on day 3). Notably, 28S rRNA expression showed a strong positive correlation with embryo quality rates (P < 0.05), whereas no such association was detected for the 45S precursor, 18S, 5.8S rRNA forms and miRNAs. Importantly, conventional semen parameters (concentration and motility) were not significantly correlated with embryo quality, highlighting the unique predictive value of sperm rRNA profiling.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings reveal that sperm 28S rRNA fragments may serve as novel biomarkers for predicting embryo developmental potential in IVF. These findings highlight the potential clinical utility of sperm RNA profiling in improving embryo selection and reproductive outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":15246,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"2571-2579"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13598048/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148421337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of semen quality on the risk of direct cleavage in human embryos.","authors":"Pengcheng Xu, Shujuan Ma, Yating Li, Yifan Gu, Fei Gong, Ge Lin, Junhua Zhou, Shuoping Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s10815-026-03942-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10815-026-03942-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Direct cleavage (DC) is a prevalent abnormal cleavage pattern that adversely affects embryonic development. Though sperm dysfunction is thought to be involved in its pathogenesis, large-scale data confirming the link between routine semen parameters and DC risk are still lacking. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between semen parameters and DC occurrence in human embryos.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective study enrolled 4529 patients and analyzed morphokinetic data of 28,517 embryos retrieved at the Reproductive & Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, with the study period spanning from November 2022 and June 2025. All participants received semen parameter detection, covering sperm concentration, progressive motility, normal morphology, and acrosin activity within 1 year prior to oocyte retrieval. Embryos were categorized into DC and non-DC groups based on cleavage patterns observed at the first and second cleavage stages. Restriction cubic spline regression (RCS) was employed to analyze dose-response associations, and generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to account for hierarchical data from multiple embryos per patient. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted to verify the robustness of the findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>RCS analysis revealed a significant association between progressive motility and DC risk at the second cleavage stage (overall P = 0.006). GLMMs confirmed that elevated progressive motility was significantly associated with a decreased DC risk at this stage (OR = 0.922, 95% CI 0.870-0.977, P = 0.006). Higher acrosin activity was significantly associated with a lower DC risk at the second cleavage stage (OR = 0.910, 95% CI 0.830-0.999, P = 0.046). Sensitivity analyses, including limiting semen samples to those collected within 3 months before oocyte retrieval, excluding embryos from patients with severe oligo-, astheno-, or teratozoospermia, and restricting analyses to fresh semen specimens only, confirmed the consistency and robustness of the primary findings. Subgroup analyses additionally consolidated the reliable associations between progressive motility, acrosin activity, and DC.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Higher sperm progressive motility and acrosin activity are independently associated with a lower DC risk in human embryos. This study highlights the impact of semen quality on early embryonic development.</p>","PeriodicalId":15246,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics","volume":" ","pages":"2557-2569"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13598010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148295130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}