Caspian Journal of Reproductive Medicine
Volume:9 Issue: 1, Winter-Spring 2023

Implantation failure in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) remains a challenge. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) may enhance embryo implantation, but its efficacy needs more investigation. This study aimed to assess if adding GM-CSF to thawed embryo culture could improve implantation rates in frozen embryo transfer cycles.

One hundred rats were randomly assigned to GM-CSF or control groups at Avicenna Infertility Clinic, Tehran. Control group had standard embryo culture; GM-CSF group had embryos cultured in Embryogen® with GM-CSF. Pregnancy outcomes were assessed via serum β-HCG levels post frozen embryo transfer (FET) and ultrasonography at gestational week seven.

No significant difference in blastocyst formation rates was found between groups. Positive beta-HCG levels were 36% in control and 40% in GM-CSF groups. Gestational sacs were detected in 36% of control and 34% of GM-CSF group during weeks 5-6. Clinical pregnancy rates were 32% in control and 30% in GM-CSF groups.

GM-CSF in embryo culture of thawed embryos shows no significant impact on blastocyst formation or pregnancy outcomes. However, interventions like these may enhance fertility treatments, warranting larger-scale clinical trials for further exploration.

Stillbirth represents a significant public health concern in India, yet progress in addressing this issue has been incremental. The objective of this study was to comprehensively investigate and document the incidence and characteristics of stillbirth rates in an Indian tertiary care hospital over the period from 2020 to 2022.

This descriptive study focused on patients beyond 28 weeks of gestation, excluding cases of intrapartum stillbirth. Data were collected from medical records and analyzed descriptively. Among 12,682 births in an Indian tertiary care hospital from 2020 to 2022, all cases of stillbirth were analyzed.

Throughout the study duration, a cumulative total of 245 births, representing 19.31% of the entire birth cohort, resulted in stillbirth within the examined environment. The mean gestational age at the time of stillbirth was determined to be 34.1 ± 3.7 weeks. Noteworthy characteristics among the stillbirth cases included a substantial proportion being primigravida (44.5%) and having undergone at least one antenatal visit (25.7%). Additionally, it was observed that 10.6% of these cases underwent history of previous stillbirth. Relevant medical histories among the subjects experiencing stillbirth encompassed hypothyroidism in 20.8% of cases and hypertension in 16.7%. Maternal conditions associated with stillbirth included abruption placenta (15.5%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (12.2%), and antepartum hemorrhage (11.4%).

These findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions to reduce stillbirth rates and improve maternal and fetal health outcomes. Further research is needed to understand the determinants of stillbirth and develop effective prevention strategies within the Indian healthcare context.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wrought significant repercussions on lives worldwide. Pregnancy, a period marked by profound physiological changes, renders women susceptible to fluctuations in various biological parameters. The study aimed to fill this void by examining the levels of inflammatory markers, as well as liver and renal function tests, in pregnant women suffering from COVID-19.

This study was conducted to investigate inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), white blood cell (WBC), as well as liver function tests (LFT) and renal function tests (RFT) in pregnant women afflicted with COVID-19. We enrolled 52 COVID-19-positive women (cases) alongside 48 COVID-negative women (controls) who underwent delivery at Dr. D. Y. Patil Hospital and Research Institute in Kolhapur, India. All participants underwent COVID-19 testing via reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) methodology.

The findings revealed that a majority of cases exhibited elevated WBC counts compared to controls (78.8% versus 27.1%), with D-dimer levels higher in 61.5% of cases versus 12.5% of controls. LFT and RFT abnormalities were observed in 51.9% of cases versus 20.8% of controls. Moreover, LDH and CRP levels were elevated in 71.2% and 90.4% of cases, respectively, in contrast to 16.7% and 10.4% of controls, respectively. Statistical analysis underscored a significant association between deranged laboratory parameters and COVID-19 positivity.

The study underscores the potential exacerbation of inflammatory responses to COVID-19 among pregnant women with preexisting chronic conditions, which may precipitate liver damage. Thus, prioritizing inflammation and liver health management in the treatment regimen for pregnant women with COVID-19, especially those with chronic comorbidities, emerges as imperative.