Early accumulation of maternal mRNA in one of the cells of the cluster of 16 cystocytes is a critical event in the determination of the Drosophila oocyte. A number of developmentally important mRNAs have been shown to accumulate in the early oocyte. We report here the early expression of the yemanuclein-alpha (yem-alpha) transcript, its accumulation in the germarial oocyte and its dynamic local...

Recent findings In random-start protocols, the number of total and mature oocytes retrieved, oocyte maturity rate, mature oocyte yield and fertilization rates are similar to those in conventional (early follicular phase start) protocols. Starting ovarian stimulation in the late follicular or luteal phase did not show any superiority against the other. The presence of corpus luteum or luteal pha...

ATP is critical for oocyte maturation, fertilization, and subsequent embryo development. Both mitochondrial membrane potential and copy number expand during oocyte maturation. In order to differentiate the roles of mitochondrial metabolic activity and mtDNA copy number during oocyte maturation, we used two inhibitors, FCCP (carbonyl cyanide p-(tri-fluromethoxy)phenyl-hydrazone) and ddC (2'3-did...

The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B at ovulation triggering day correlate with the number of immature oocytes obtained from stimulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Fifty-nine consecutive cycles of ovarian hyperstimulation and IVF were selected from 45 women who had tubal (n=18) or unexplained infertility (n=27) and ...

Reproductive aging has become an important social and medical development. the trend to delay childbearing in modern societies to a much less fecund age often confronts women with difficulties to conceive. the aging of the ovary resulting in a decline in the total number of oocytes and in their quality cannot be undone. However, it often engenders unrealistic expectations of what modern fertili...

BACKGROUND Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) has been used as a replacement for the mid-cycle luteinizing hormone (LH) surge for several years. The recent arrival of recombinant DNA technology has made recombinant HCG (rHCG) accessible. OBJECTIVE To assess efficacy of rHCG compared to urinary HCG (uHCG) for triggering of ovulation and induction of final oocyte maturation in assisted reproduc...

Ultrastructural and morphometric changes in oocyte and surrounding granulosa cells during armadillo follicular growth are described. Primordial, intermediary, early and late primary, secondary, tertiary and preovulatory Graafian follicles were found. From primordial to Graafian follicle, granulosa cells increase in height, become multilayered while fluid-filled spaces arise among them in the te...

Group culture of human preimplantation embryos could increase the number useable blastocysts per in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. The present study compares outcomes a specific group embryo strategy vs. single 1 media droplet. standard, individual protocol (IC) 30 μL drops was substituted by (GC) consisting on grouping up to 3 zygotes same volume droplets. A retrospective analysis developmen...

BACKGROUND Although cryopreservation of semen is a routine procedure for preserving male gametes, an efficient method of preserving fertility through oocyte freezing has only recently become available for women. In view of the limited female reproductive lifespan, oocyte freezing can now offer women some protection against the decline in fertility with aging. METHODS A survey was performed in...

UNLABELLED BACKGROUND; Ultrasound-guided transvaginal oocyte retrieval is often performed under local anaesthesia on an outpatient basis. The objective of this study was to compare the overall pain experience of a newly designed reduced needle (RN) compared with a thicker standard needle (SN). METHODS A prospective, randomized, multi-centre study was performed at four different clinics from J...