OBJECTIVE To consider the arguments for and against funding for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and to explore potential avenues for policy change. DESIGN Narrative literature review, policy analysis. SETTING University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. PATIENT(S) Sub-fertile women and men. INTERVENTION(S) Fertility treatments, in particular IVF. RESULT(S) The two main arguments u...

Implantation failure could be related to antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). We retrospectively analyzed the usefulness of aPL determination in women undergoing IVF. Conventional aPL of the antiphospholipid syndrome, lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), anti-β2glycoprotein I (a β2GPI) antibodies, and IgG and IgM isotypes as well as IgA isotype were analyzed in women presen...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether changes in serum cortisol (CORT) and PRL are affected by acupuncture (Ac) in Ac-treated IVF patients. DESIGN Prospective cohort clinical study. SETTING Private practice reproductive endocrinology and infertility clinic and private practice acupuncture consortium. PATIENT(S) Sixty-seven reproductive-age infertile women undergoing IVF. INTERVENTION(S) Blood ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the surgical resection or aspiration with ethanol sclerotherapy (AEST) of endometrioma before in vitro fertilization (IVF) affect controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) and IVF outcome in the infertilie women with endometroma undergoing IVF. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, 101 consecutive IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles that were performed i...

STUDY QUESTION Does IVF increase the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs)? SUMMARY ANSWER No association between IVF and ASDs or any of its subtypes was found in this sample. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Certain prenatal factors may increase the risk of ASDs. Studies on the association between IVF and ASDs have shown inconsistent results. IVF is known to increase the risk of perinatal problems...

BACKGROUND To evaluate the neonatal outcome and the prevalence of congenital malformations in children born after IVF in northern Finland we carried out a population-based study with matched controls. METHODS Firstly, 304 IVF children born in 1990-1995 were compared with 569 controls, representing the general population in proportion of multiple births, randomly chosen from the Finnish Medica...

BACKGROUND During in vitro fertilization (IVF), fertility patients are expected to self-administer many injections as part of this treatment. While newer medications have been developed to substantially reduce the number of these injections, such agents are typically much more expensive. Considering these differences in both cost and number of injections, this study compared patient preferences...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Additional intraventricular hemorrhage leads to higher mortality and worse functional outcome after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Intraventricular fibrinolysis (IVF) with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) is an emerging treatment strategy for such patients. However, experimental studies suggest that rtPA may exert proedematous effects and lead to increased...

OBJECTIVE Insulin resistance is associated with aging and stress, both common among patients repeatedly failing to conceive with in vitro fertilization (IVF repeaters). In the present study we examined whether low-dose metformin could improve the outcome in IVF repeaters without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN Study I was a preliminary clinical trial aiming at defining indications fo...

Objective: To evaluate the effect of fibroids on outcome of IVF and study value of myomectomy prior to IVF. Design: Prospective controlled study. Setting: Private IVF center, The Egyptian IVF ET Center, Maadi, Cairo. Materials and methods: One hundred and eighty four patients were included. Sixty three patients with intramural fibroids were counseled for either myomectomy or no treatment prior ...