Microdeletions in the AZFc region of the Y chromosome are found in oligo- and azoospermic men. These mutations were genetically lethal before the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) era but they can nowadays be transmitted to next generations via ICSI. We have tried to answer the question, 'Does ICSI lead to a significant rise in the frequency of these microdeletions in future generations?'...

BACKGROUND Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) requires long training and has low success rates, primarily due to poor control over the injection force. Making force feedback available to the operator will improve the success rate of the injection task. A macro-micro-teleoperation system bridges the gap between the task performed at the micro-level and the macroscopic movements of the opera...

In this paper, the development of a computer controlled piezo manipulation system for biomedical applications such as intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is presented. The hardware setup and the control strategies will be described in full details to illustrate the advantages of this approach as compared to other manual-based injection methods.

BACKGROUND Several studies have investigated seasonal variations during IVF. Their results are contradictory, especially concerning fertilization and pregnancy rates. The aim of the present study was to re-evaluate these parameters using a large number of IVF cycles. METHODS A total of 7368 IVF cycles conducted in Switzerland between 1995 and 2003 were retrospectively analysed. To avoid a bia...

The purpose of this study was to compare the psychological reactions of men undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (n=18) or in-vitro fertilization (IVF) (n=22). Men monitored their psychological reactions daily for one complete treatment cycle from the first day of down-regulation until the outcome of treatment was known (approximately 52 days). The results showed that ICSI patient...

STUDY QUESTION Until what age can couples wait to start a family without compromising their chances of realizing the desired number of children? SUMMARY ANSWER The latest female age at which a couple should start trying to become pregnant strongly depends on the importance attached to achieving a desired family size and on whether or not IVF is an acceptable option in case no natural pregnanc...

Many countries now have registers of assisted conception that were initially set up to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment, to monitor pregnancy outcomes and the health of treated women, and to assess any immediate risks for the women and their children. World reports, based on information from national registers, have enabled international comparisons of the extent to which the various tec...

The objective of this study was to determine whether or not abnormalities in the autosomal structure of the male partner have any influence on fertilization and early embryo development after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Thirty-seven couples in whom the male partners were examined by the same andrologist were included in this study. Six couples (group I) in whom the male partner pos...

To our knowledge, this is the first analysis in which male and female weights have been combined. The registry dataset covering a 12-year period was analysed for all treatment cycles where an embryo transfer was reported. In all, 706,360 cycles were analysed. Treatments include IVF, ICSI, IVF/ICSI and CPE. The highest success rate in IVF cycles was found in couples, with an obese male partner. ...