International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine
Volume:16 Issue: 5, May 2018

Family of colony-stimulating factors (CSF) have an essential role on early cross talk between embryo and uterine endometrium.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the single dose of Granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF) injection on clinical outcome of assisted reproductive technology cycle in patients with repeated implantation failures.

This randomized control trial study was performed on 52 infertile women who referred to the clinic with the history of more than three previous In vitro fertilization/Intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer failures. All patients were stimulated with standard long protocol. All embryos were transferred on day five in blastocyst stage in both groups. The treated group received 300 μg (0.5 ml) recombinant human G-CSF subcutaneously which was injected 30 min before blastocyst embryo transfer.

There was not statistically significant differences in abortion rate in G-CSF and control group (p=0.09). G-CSF treated group showed higher clinical pregnancy rate in comparison with control group (56.2% vs. 40.0%) but it was not statistically significant (p=0.09). Although live birth rate in G-CSF group was higher than control group (53.1% vs. 35.0%) but there wasn’t statistically significant difference in the overall live birth rate between the two groups (p=0.10). G-CSF group had a twin pregnancies while in control group there was no twin pregnancy.

Our result demonstrates the possibility that pregnancy outcome is better in women with repeated unexplained In vitro fertilization failure who are treated with G-CSF.

Establishment of a standardized animal endometriosis model is necessary for evaluation of new drug effects and for explaining different ethological aspects of this disease. For this purpose, we need a model which has more similarity to human endometriosis.

Our objective was to establish an autologous endometriosis mouse model based on endogenous estrogen level and analyze the influence of estrus cycle on the maintenance of endometriotic lesions.

In this experimental study, endometriotic lesions were induced in 52 female NMRI mice by suturing uterine tissue samples to the abdominal wall. The transplantation was either performed at proestrus/estrus or at metestrus/diestrus cycles. Urine-soaked beddings from males and also male vasectomized mice were transferred to the cages to synchronize and maintenance of estrus cycle in female mice. The mice were sacrificed after different transplantation periods (2, 4, 6 or 8 wk). The lesions size, macroscopic growth, model success rate, histological and immune-histochemical analyses were assessed at the end.

From a total of 200 tissue samples sutured into the peritoneal cavity, 83 endometriotic lesions were confirmed by histopathology (41.5%). Model success rate for proestrus/estrus mice was 60.7% vs. 79.2% for metestrus/diestrus mice. The endometriotic lesions had similar growth in both groups. Number of caspase-3, Ki67-positive cells and CD31-positive micro vessels were also similar in endometriotic lesions of two groups.

If we maintain the endogenous estrogen levels in mice, we can induce endometriosis mouse model in both proestrus/estrus and metestrus/diestrus cycle without any significant difference.

Troxerutin is a flavonoid antioxidant that protect different organ against damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of troxerutin in reducing the damages caused by ischemia-reperfusion in rat's testis.

40 Male Wistar rats (2 month old) were divide to four groups (n=10). Group1 (sham), Group 2 (control, ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) without treatment), Group 3 (I/R힝 mg/kg of troxerutin), and group 4 (I/R mg/kg of vitamin C). Treatment of group 3 and group 4 during torsion (twists 720 counter clock at 90 min) followed by 50 days detorsion. After 50 days, blood samples were collected and rats in all study groups were killed and their testes were removed, and fixed with Bouin’s solution. Testis was stained with hematoxylin and eosin dye and the level of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured with ELISEA methods. TUNEL was employed to detect apoptosis. Epididymis caudal part was removed and total sperm count was determined. Johnson techniques were used for assessment of seminiferous tubules quality.

Troxerutin treated group has higher Johnson score’s (p≤0.001), antiapoptotic properties (p≤0.001), sperm count (p=0.065), and higher LH (p≤0.001), FSH (p≤0.001) and testosterone (p=0.002) levels than control group. Vitamin C treated group showed increase level of testosterone but didn’t show significant differences on the number of apoptotic cells, Johnson scores, LH, FSH and sperm count than control group.

Troxerutin has protective effects on testicular torsion induced injury and can ameliorate spermatogenesis in the torsion-detorsion models.

Cyclophosphamide (CP), as an anticancer agent, causes ovarian toxicity and subsequent infertility in women. Atorvastatin (ATV) at a low dose has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of ATV against CP-induced ovarian injury in rat.

In this experimental study, thirty-two female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups as I) control, II) ATV (10 mg/kg), III) CP (150 mg/kg), and IV) CP ĵ. The ATV treated groups were received ATV for 10 days via oral gavage. In the CPĵ group, ATV was administrated on 5 days before and 5 days after CP injection. Histological structure, apoptosis (caspase-3), oxidative stress parameters as malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, protein carbonyl levels and cell viability were evaluated in ovary tissue by histological scores, immunohistochemistry, histochemical and biochemical assays. The levels of estrogen and progesterone hormones were measured on the 12th day of study.

ATV pretreatment significantly decreased the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers as malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species and protein carbonyl levels and increased cell death in CP-treated rats as compared with the CP alone group. ATV significantly increased estrogen and progesterone levels in CP-treated rats. In addition, the histological examination showed ATV mitigated acute inflammation, degenerative cells in stroma and follicles, stromal edema, vacuolization, atresia of the follicles and congestion of blood vessels in the CP-treated animals. Furthermore, ATV significantly reduced immunoreactivity level of caspase-3 in CP-treated rats.

Our results showed that the ATV with antioxidant and anti-apoptosis (caspase-3) activities protected ovarian against CP-induced toxicity.

Spermatogonial stem cells are the foundation of spermatogenesis and male fertility. So, their maintenance and culture are very important.

In this study, we assessed protective effects of the Calligonum on in vitro viability and apoptotic and antiapoptotic genes expression of spermatogonial stem cells.

After 24 hr of culture, the spermatogonial stem cells were treated with 30 μM dose of H2O2 and then 10 μg/ml the Calligonum extract was added for 3 wks. Viability was assessed by Trypan blue, apoptosis using PI-Annexin and finally Bax, Bcl-2 and P53 genes expression by Real-Time Polymerase chain reaction.

After 3 wk of treatment, viability in the Calligonum extractὣ group was significantly higher than H2O2 group alone (p=0.001). In the Calligonum extractὣ group, apoptosis, as well as expression of apoptotic genes (Bax and P53), was significantly lower than the group treated with H2O2 alone.

The results of this study showed that 30 μM H2O2 increased apoptosis but decreased viability in spermatogonial stem cells. Calligonum has antioxidant properties that can reduce apoptosis, Bax and P53 expression and increase the viability and Bcl-2 expression.

One of the most important etiologies in pretermpremature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is cervical bacterial colonization.

This study evaluated cervical bacterial colonization in women with PPROM and the pregnancy outcomes.

In this cohort study, 200 pregnant women with PPROM at 27-37 wk of gestation who were admitted in an academic hospital of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences from March 2015 to July 2016 were studied. samples were obtained from endocervical canal for detection of routine bacteria and Gram staining. Also, we obtained one blood culture from neonates. Maternal endocervical culture, chorioamnionitis, neonatal intensive care unit admission, neonatal positive blood culture, neonatal sepsis, and mortality were documented.

Most common isolated microorganism of endocervical culture were Escherichia coli (24.2%), Coagulase negative Staphylococci (27.2%), Enterococcus and candida each one (11.7%). The prevalence of GBS was only 2.2%. Simultaneous positive blood cultures were seen in 3% of neonates. Among them, Gram-negative bacilli accounted for (66.6%), while Gram-positive cocci and candida made up only (16.7%). Endocervical colonization was associated with a higher admission rate (p=0.004), but there was no significant correlation between endocervical colonization and chorioamnionitis, positive blood culture and neonatal mortality rate.

With regard to low GBS colonization rate, appropriate antibiotic regimens should be considered in PPROM cases according to the most prevalent micro organisms of endocervical bacterial colonization. Maybe cervical bacterial colonization had some effects on neonatal outcomes. There was no significant association between endocervical bacterial colonization and chorioamnionitis, positive neonatal blood culture and neonatal mortality.

Women constitute about half of the Iranian population. Sexual behaviour is one of the most important elements in their lives. Identifying the elements associated with sexual behaviours seems necessary in order to draw a thorough picture of Iranian women's sexuality.

To elicit information from Iranian women at their reproductive ages on sexual behaviours related to their elements including sexual capacity, sexual motivation, performance and sexual scripts.

Study participants involved 295 women at reproductive age from five different cities. Women completed a national self-reporting questionnaire on elements related to sexual behaviours. The elements included sexual capacity, sexual motivation, sexual performance, and sexual script. Pearson’s correlation variance analysis and multi-linear regression were used to analyze data.

Significant positive correlation was found between the sexual capacity, motivation, performance, and sexual script (p

Identifying the elements of sexual behaviours would help women understand their sexual behaviours and related influencing factors. Therefore, enrichment of women's sexuality is needed; also a well-planned educational program is a need for women to understand their sexuality-related potentials.

Dear Editor Uniform and definitive terminology in reproductive medicine is important for appropriate timing in starting an infertility workup to avoid over- and under-treatment, their related financial burden and psychological pressures (1, 2) and comparison of different treatments. Despite surveys and definitions provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), it seems that some terms are still confusing and misleading and therefore further discussion in this area is essential (2). The objective of the current letter is, to discuss critically a number of issues including the definitions of infertility, especially the role of assisted reproductive treatments. In the most recent definition proposed by WHO and the International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technology ICMART (3), clinical infertility was considered as "a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse". However, it appears that in couples with sterility and no chance of spontaneous pregnancy (such as some men with azoospermia, primary hypothalamic amenorrhea, bilateral tubal ligation, some type of premature ovarian failure, etc.), this definition is illogical and the duration of the infertility should be considered equal to the time that the couple has tried to achieve a pregnancy. A broad spectrum of patients with different histories is observed among infertile couples who are referred to treatment centers. On the one hand there are couples who have not experienced any clinical pregnancy, on the other hand there are those who have a child and are trying to have another child, and there are some women who have experienced abortion and after that never have conceived again. On the basis of WHO and International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technology definitions (3), the role of infertility treatment, specially assisted reproduction treatment, is not considered. Achieving clinical pregnancy in couples who have had a previous spontaneous pregnancy is very different in comparison with those who have not ever conceived and this gives them a much better prognosis (4). It seems that for evaluation of the efficacy of different infertility treatments, particularly assisted reproduction treatments, it is more appropriate that the primary infertility be defined as "inability to achieve a spontaneous clinical pregnancy". By this definition, patients who achieve the clinical pregnancy by using different infertility treatments for example: medical, intrauterine insemination and assisted reproduction technology or surgery, have not achieved a natural clinical pregnancy; the same would be true of primary infertility. So, it is more appropriate that secondary infertility be defined as "the inability to achieve a spontaneous clinical pregnancy following a previous spontaneous pregnancy". However, the main question is which type of treatment should be considered in this definition; only assisted reproduction technology cycles or any infertility treatment? In all infertility treatments, the focus is to have a live child which will survive; however, in most infertility research one of the main outcomes is the capacity to achieve a clinical pregnancy. By this new definition, the efficacy of different infertility treatments for the broad spectrum of infertile patients with different obstetrical histories could be better compared with each other. Despite successful conception, several factors are involved to reach a clinical pregnancy to live birth at term. It seems that the WHO classifications are not sufficiently detailed for these situations which have been described and require revision. The type of conception should be considered in the definition of primary and secondary infertility. Three important factors should be considered before starting an infertility workup: the most important factors are the age of the woman, followed by the time attempting pregnancy, and the cause of infertility. Immediate infertility treatment should be suggested for the couple who are sterile (e.g. azoospermia, primary hypothalamic amenorrhea and bilateral tubal ligation etc...). More time could be allowed for couples with a good prognosis (e.g. women under 35 yr old, unexplained infertility etc…) to achieve a spontaneous pregnancy.