Short incubation time prevents deleterious effects of cumulus cell degeneration and excess spermatozoa in IVF embryos. We performed a short incubation (3 h) protocol in 328 IVF cycles, in order to compare the developmental potential of regular IVF embryos with those originating from 316 cycles entered our intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) programme over the same period. Embryo transfers w...

BACKGROUND Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure with unknown causes are the controversial issues that are probably related to the immune system. OBJECTIVE To compare circulating NK cells expressing activation and inhibition surface markers between patients with RSA and IVF failure with those of healthy multiparous and successful IVF control women, resp...

BACKGROUND We investigated the separate and combined effects of smoking and body mass index (BMI) on the success rate of IVF for couples with different causes of subfertility. METHODS The success rate of IVF was examined in 8457 women. Detailed information on reproduction and lifestyle factors was combined with medical record data on IVF treatment. All IVF clinics in The Netherlands participa...

PURPOSE Egg sharing in female couples can be used to allow dual participation of female couples in the pregnancy process. The oocyte donor-partner provides the eggs and the recipient partner provides the uterine environment for gestation. We present descriptive data of our experience in female couples to establish a better understanding of utilization of co-in vitro fertilization (Co-IVF) for s...

BACKGROUND The binocular Esterman visual field test (EVFT) is the current visual field test for driving in the UK. Merging of monocular field tests (Integrated Visual Field, IVF) has been proposed as an alternative for glaucoma patients. AIMS To examine the level of agreement between the EVFT and IVF for patients with binocular paracentral scotomata, caused by either ophthalmological or neuro...

Starting in 1970s as experimental procedures following numerous trial-and-error processes, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have developed extensively through the past three decades. Following the successful birth of the first IVF baby, ART rapidly developed in both research and clinical practice during 1980s. Then after during1990s, IVF clinics, different ART methods and their success ...

BACKGROUND This study was designed to evaluate the incidence of uterine pathologies in infertile women with a history of two implantation failures after in vitro fertilization (IVF) and estimate the effect of hysteroscopic correction on achieving a pregnancy in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS The retrospective study population included 238 infertile women attended the outpatient inferti...

It has been suggested that the high rates of prematurity, low birth weight, perinatal morbidity and mortality in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) infants are due to the increased frequency of multiple gestations in this population. The aim of our study was to test this hypothesis by comparing the outcome of IVF twins with that of twins born after spontaneously conceived pregnancies. The perinatal o...

PROBLEM The effect of mini-dose heparin/aspirin (H/A) alone vs. combined intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIg) and H/A on in vitro fertilization (IVF) birthrates in women who test seropositive for antiphospholipid antibodies (APA+) was evaluated, as was the question of whether outcome is influenced by the gammaglobulin isotype(s) or the phospholipid (PL) epitope(s) to which the APAs are directed....

STUDY QUESTION How do the different forms of regulation and public financing of IVF affect utilization in otherwise similar European welfare state systems? SUMMARY ANSWER Countries with more liberal social eligibility regulations had higher levels of IVF utilization, which diminished as the countries' policies became more restrictive. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Europe is a world leader in the de...