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Factor Infertility (factor + infertility)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences100%

Kinds of Factor Infertility

  • male factor infertility
    		•

    Selected Abstracts

    REVIEW ARTICLE: Clinical Relevance of Oxidative Stress in Male Factor Infertility: An Update

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 1 2008
    Ashok Agarwal
    Male factor has been considered a major contributory factor to infertility. Along with the conventional causes for male infertility such as varicocele, cryptorchidism, infections, obstructive lesions, cystic fibrosis, trauma, and tumors, a new, yet important cause has been identified: oxidative stress. Oxidative stress (OS) is a result of the imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants in the body, which can lead to sperm damage, deformity and eventually male infertility. This involves peroxidative damage to sperm membrane and DNA fragmentation at both nuclear and mitochondrial levels. OS has been implicated as the major etiological factor leading to sperm DNA damage. OS-induced DNA damage can lead to abnormalities in the offspring including childhood cancer and achondroplasia. In this article, we discuss the need of ROS in normal sperm physiology, the mechanism of production of ROS and its pathophysiology in relation to male reproductive system. The benefits of incorporating antioxidants in clinical and experimental settings have been enumerated. We also highlight the emerging concept of utilizing OS as a method of contraception and the potential problems associated with it. [source]

    Fertility needs and funding in couples with blood-borne viral infection

    HIV MEDICINE, Issue 1 2010
    E Kalu
    Background Couples infected with HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are increasingly seeking assisted conception. These couples avoid unprotected intercourse and use condoms at all times in order to minimize the risk of infecting their partner. As this practice inhibits pregnancy, assisted procreation is generally required for safe conception. For many couples, access to such services is restricted on ethical, geographical and financial grounds. Objective The aim of the study was to assess the fertility needs, geographical origin and state funding of patients with blood-borne viral infection. Methods A retrospective review of the medical records of couples referred for fertility treatment between January 1999 and December 2006, where one or both partners were infected with HIV, HBV and/or HCV, was carried out. Results Of the 205 couples included in the study, 44% lived in London, 51% came from elsewhere in the United Kingdom and 5% travelled from outside the United Kingdom to seek treatment. Genitourinary medicine clinics were the main source of referral. 85.8% of couples had HIV infection, 15.1% were infected with HBV and 13.6% had HCV infection. Fertility screening identified a high incidence of male factor infertility (33.3%) in HIV-infected men and tubal disease (40.8%) in HIV-infected women. Only 23.6% of HIV-infected couples, 20% of HBV-infected couples and 12.5% of HCV-infected couples obtained state funding for assisted conception. Conclusion Fertility screening identified a high incidence of male and tubal factor subfertility among couples living with HIV, HBV and HCV. Limited access to specialist clinics equipped to cater for these couples and restricted funding may impact negatively on couples obtaining risk-reducing assisted reproduction treatment. This may have long-term public health implications as individuals attempt to conceive through unprotected intercourse. [source]

    The Y chromosome and male fertility and infertility,

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 2 2003
    Csilla Krausz
    Summary Since 1995, thanks to a large number of studies, Y chromosome microdeletion screening has become part of the routine diagnostic work-up of severe male factor infertility. Many initial contradictory issues such as variability in deletion frequency, markers to be tested, presence of deletions in ,fertile' men, and genotype,phenotype correlation has been resolved. Past and present unresolved issues are discussed in this review. [source]

    Robust computer-controlled system for intracytoplasmic sperm injection and subsequent cell electro-activation

    THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ROBOTICS AND COMPUTER ASSISTED SURGERY, Issue 1 2009
    K. K. Tan
    Abstract Introduction Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and the subsequent cell electro-activation process is a relatively new enhanced procedure to address male factor infertility. The current method involves the engagement of experienced embryologists for such a purpose. More advanced methodologies, which use high precision instrumentation tools, will speed up the whole procedure. Methods In this paper, the development of a computer-controlled system for ICSI and the subsequent cell electro-activation process is presented. The system is integrated to a microinjection workstation and piezo-actuator to perform the ICSI procedure, with vision capability to automatically position the components precisely. A micro-pump assembly is utilized for automatic medium refreshment and a heater plate assembly provides temperature control during the cell electro-activation process. The overall system is comprehensive, comprising modular functional components integrated within a hardware architecture. Results Experimental results on mice oocytes verified the effectiveness of the developed system over the current method. Conclusions Further improvements on the instrumentation tools will improve the robustness and overall performance of the developed system. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

    ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Serum Anti-endometrial Antibodies in Infertile Women , Potential Risk Factor for Implantation Failure

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 5 2010
    Aili Sarapik
    Citation Sarapik A, Haller-Kikkatalo K, Utt M, Teesalu K, Salumets A, Uibo R. Serum anti-endometrial antibodies in infertile women , potential risk factor for implantation failure. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010 Problem, Female infertility patients with diverse etiologies show increased production of autoantibodies. Method of study, Immunoblot analysis of sera from patients with endometriosis and tubal factor infertility (TFI) and mass spectrometry identification of candidate antigens. Results, The immunoblot results demonstrated the presence of IgA and IgG anti-endometrial antibodies (AEA) to various antigens at molecular weights ranging from 10 to 200 kDa. Differences were detected in certain AEA reactions between the patients' groups and particular AEA were associated with in vitro fertilization (IVF) implantation failure. IgA AEA to a 47-kDa protein were more prevalent in TFI patients and were associated with unsuccessful IVF treatment. This antigen was subsequently identified as ,-enolase. Conclusion, Determination of the presence and spectra of AEA in patients with endometriosis and TFI undergoing IVF may be a useful marker to predict their pregnancy outcome. [source]

    Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), Intracellular Adhesion Molecule (sICAM-1) Level in Serum and Follicular Fluid of Infertile Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Endometriosis and Tubal Damage, and their Effect on ICSI Outcome

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2 2003
    M. E. Hammadeh
    PROBLEM: The objective of this study was to determine the concentration of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and soluble intracellular adhesions molecule (sICAM-1) in serum and follicular fluid (FF) of polycystic ovary (PCO), endometriosis and tubal factor infertility and male factor infertility patients, and to investigate the relationship between these parameters and the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). METHOD OF STUDY: The concentration of FGF and sICAM-1 in serum and FF were determined in patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for ICSI therapy for various etiology of infertility and the results of cytokines concentration and ICSI outcome were compared between the groups. Twenty patients with PCO (G.I), 17 with endometriosis (G.II), 19 with tubal damage (G.III) and 19 with male factor infertility (G.IV) were enrolled in this study. Quantitative determination of levels of FGF and sICAM-1 was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). RESULTS: The FGF level in serum of PCO patients (G.I) were 4.8 ± 2.3 and in FF were 104.0 ± 39.0 pg/mL. The corresponding values in the endometriosis patients group (G.II) were 5.9 ± 3.1 and 125.4 ± 74.9 pg/mL. The concentration of FGF in tubal factor infertility group (G.III) in serum was significantly higher (P = 0.009) than those observed in the PCO group (G.I) 7.4 ± 4.5 pg/mL, whereas the concentration in FF was at the same level like the other groups investigated, 128.7 ± 75.9 pg/mL. Besides, the sICAM-1 (pg/ml) concentration in FF showed a significant difference between the groups investigated (G.I, 175.3 ± 52.8; G.II 194.4 ± 32.2; G.III 233.1 ± 54.3; and G.IV 215.1 ± 54.4 ng/mL; P = 0.003). The sICAM-1 levels in serum were not significantly different between the groups (217.0 ± 42.9; 216.3 ± 73.6; 254.8 ± 79.6; 237.56 ± 78.4 ng/ml; P = 0.267). The fertilization rate was significantly higher in G.III (66.0 ± 23.89%) in comparison to G.II (38.8 ± 33.9%; P = 0.014) or G.IV (38.7 ± 22.7%; P = 0.012). The pregnancy rates were similar in all groups (30, 35.3 and 35.0, 38.6%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Both, FGF and sICAM-1 are present in serum and FF of patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for ICSI therapy. The FGF concentration in serum differs significantly between the groups investigated, whereas, no significant difference could be observed in the FF concentration of FGF. On the other hand, the sICAM in serum showed no significant difference between the groups, whereas, sICAM in FF demonstrated a significant difference between the patient groups investigated. On the whole, the ICSI outcome was not related to serum or FF concentrations of FGF or sICAM-1. Therefore, the mean concentration of FGF and sICAM-1 in serum and in FF could not be used to predict the fertilization rate in an ICSI program. [source]

    Human sperm DNA integrity in normal and abnormal semen samples and its correlation with sperm characteristics

    ANDROLOGIA, Issue 4 2009
    A. C. Varghese
    Summary Reports indicate an increase in the incidence of DNA fragmentation in male factor infertility and its role in the outcome of assisted reproductive techniques (ART). However, reports are conflicting between the relationships of sperm DNA integrity with conventional semen parameters. We examined the relationship between conventional sperm parameters and DNA integrity using acridine orange (AO) test. The study included 373 patients and 28 fertile volunteers. DNA normality was compared with semen parameters between the patient and donor populations. Significant correlations were noted between DNA normality and sperm concentration (r = 0.18, P = 0.000), motility (r = 0.21, P = 0.0001), rapid motility (0.19, P = 0.000), normal morphology by World Health Organization (r = 0.15, P = 0.019) and head defects (r = ,0.15, P = 0.023). A significant difference was noted in AO levels between donors and patients with asthenozoospermia (P = 0.002) and oligoasthenozoospermia (P = 0.001). A significant difference in DNA integrity was noted in samples having <30% and >30% normal morphology. A wide range of % DNA normality was observed in the patient group. Sperm assessment for DNA status using AO is reliable and shows good correlation with sperm count, motility and morphology. Assessment of sperm DNA status with AO staining may be helpful prior to ART. [source]

    Effects of indoor air purification by an air cleaning system (Koala technology) on semen parameters in male factor infertility: results of a pilot study

    ANDROLOGIA, Issue 3 2009
    R. Paradisi
    Summary A number of studies indicated a clear decline in semen quality in the past 30,50 years and there is accumulating evidence that this decline might result from exposure to high levels of air pollution. To examine the impact of environment on male reproductive ability, we undertook for the first time a pilot study on semen quality of infertile men exposed to purification of indoor air. Ten subjects with a history of unexplained male infertility and poor semen quality were exposed for at least 1 year to a cleaning indoor air system (Koala technology). The key feature of this air purifier is the unique innovative multiple filtering system. The treatment of total purification of indoor air showed neither improvements in semen parameters nor variation in reproductive hormones (P = N.S.), but induced an evident increase (P < 0.03 and more) in seminal leucocytic concentrations. Within the limits due to the small sample of subjects recruited, the sole purification of indoor air does not seem enough to improve semen quality, although the increase in leucocytic concentrations could indicate an activation of the role of immunosurveillance in a purified indoor air environment. [source]

    The treatment of adolescents presenting with a varicocele

    BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2007
    Settin Çayan
    In the last 10 years there have been many reports of children and adolescents with varicocele, but virtually none from the UK. There is an increasing incidence with age, to 19% by the age of 19 years. There is some evidence that a varicocele impairs the development of the affected testis; 9.3% of boys of 19 years old have a small testis as a result. Some aspects of testicular function are compromised. Treatment of the varicocele allows compensatory growth and testicular function. The surgical technique must be meticulous to avoid complications, particularly the formation of a hydrocele. Despite much research, the effect on fertility is unknown. The incidence of varicocele is much higher than that of male factor infertility. It is not known whether varicocele in adolescence impairs fertility or whether surgery restores fertility. At present the main indications for surgery are persistent delay in growth of >20%, bilateral varicocele and impaired spermatogenesis persisting beyond 18 years old. [source]

    Chlamydia trachomatis: time for screening?

    CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 9 2005
    A. Spiliopoulou
    Abstract Genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection is the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease in industrialised countries, particularly among young people. The consequences of chlamydial infection may involve urethritis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, tubal factor infertility, epididymitis and prostatitis. In addition, chlamydial infection increases the risk of acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus and has been associated with cervical cancer. Although screening programmes exist in a number of countries, the continuously increasing prevalence of chlamydial infections demonstrates the necessity for health authorities to establish effective screening policies, and the importance of defining a comprehensive European screening policy is emerging. [source]