Introduction Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are changing the legal definitions of parenthood. The severing of genetic ties from gestational ones and from the social aspect of parenting has resulted in courts having to revise traditional definitions of mother and father. This has led to a legal construct known as “intended parenthood,” in which biological ties are sometimes subordinate...

Proteomic technologies have begun providing evidence that viable embryos possess unique protein profiles. Some of these potential protein biomarkers have been identified as extracellular and could be used in the development of a noninvasive quantitative method for embryo assessment. The field of assisted reproductive technologies would benefit from defining the human embryonic proteome and secr...

Endometriosis is a physiological state in which endometrial tissue is present outside the uterine cavity. The prevalence rate is estimated to be between 10 to 15% in women in reproductive age and is often associated with infertility. Despite extensive studies, no mechanisms of the endometriosis-connected infertility have been found. Only two types of treatment are currently recommended-either s...

Although the presence of spermatozoa with an abnormally large head is rare, it is associated with low fertility or even total infertility. We reviewed the literature on assisted reproductive technology (ART) strategies and outcomes for men with large-headed spermatozoa. We also discuss additional analyses that can usefully characterize sperm defects and help with the choice between intra-couple...

Micro-analytic research on intuitive parenting behaviors has shed light on the temporal dynamics of parent and child interactions. Observations have shown that parents possess remarkable implicit communicative abilities allowing them to adapt to the clues infants give and therefore stimulate the development of many of the infants' abilities, such as communication skills. This work focused on ob...

OBJECTIVE To provide an in-depth analysis of offspring attitudes toward their means of conception and the practice of sperm donation in the United States. DESIGN Survey-based study using a 46-item questionnaire. PATIENT(S) Eighty-five adult offspring of sperm donation. INTERVENTION(S) Participants were recruited through an Internet-based support group for adults conceived through sperm do...

Among the different DNA anomalies that can be present in the male gamete, DNA fragmentation is the most frequent, particularly in infertile subjects. There is now consistent evidence that a sperm containing fragmented DNA can be alive, motile, morphologically normal and able to fertilize an oocyte. There is also evidence that the oocyte is able to repair DNA damage; however, the extent of this ...

OBJECTIVE To examine the safety and effectiveness of assisted reproduction using sperm washing for HIV-1-serodiscordant couples wishing to procreate where the male partner is infected. DESIGN AND METHODS A retrospective multicentre study at eight centres adhering on the European network CREAThE and involving 1036 serodiscordant couples wishing to procreate. Sperm washing was used to obtain mo...

The adult human ovary is composed of various cell types. Preovulatory follicles contain two distinct types of granulosa cells that arise during folliculogenesis as the cell populations segregate upon formation of the fluid-filled follicular antrum. The granulosa cells line in the follicle wall, reside very close to the basement membrane and are essential for estrogen production and follicular r...

This paper provides an appraisal of countries that have legislations pertaining to assisted reproductive technologies (ART). In doing so, the paper highlights the emphasis on the protection of reproductive freedom of the couples seeking ART treatment. This belief is grounded primarily on the basic notion of liberalism that attaches primary importance to respect for individual freedom, which is ...