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Reproduction Treatment (reproduction + treatment)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences60%

Selected Abstracts

Appraisal Detection Bias and Well-Being in Close Relationships: Couples Experiencing Assisted Reproduction Treatment

APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, Issue 2 2009
Rolf Kienle
Communication between partners about each other's individual stress appraisals is considered to be pivotal for dyadic coping. So far, very little effort has been made to investigate the effects of accurate or biased detection of the partner's stress appraisals. On the basis of a dyadic stress model we predicted low appraisal detection bias among partners to be associated with better emotional well-being. Furthermore, we predicted appraisal detection bias to moderate the relationship between received support and well-being. Indicators of affect and depressive symptoms, spousal emotional support, and self- and partner-rated stress appraisals from 80 couples were assessed at two points in time during early phases of assisted reproduction treatment (in-vitro fertilisation and intracytoplasmatic sperm injection). Results indicated a protective effect of low appraisal detection bias on partners' affect. Contrary to our prediction, little or no appraisal detection bias in support-providing partners and higher emotional support were associated with an increase of depressive symptoms in support-receiving partners. These findings are discussed in light of research on stress-increasing effects of received social support. [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]

Improving in vitro Maturation of Oocytes in the Human Taking Lessons from Experiences in Animal Species

REPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 1 2001
J Smitz
One to three per cent of infertile women develop severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome after superovulation for assisted reproduction treatment (ART). This severe complication can be avoided when oocytes are obtained at an immature stage (germinal vesicle stage) out of small or medium-sized follicles. This hypothesis has been tested in several infertile women, but clinical pregnancies are disappointlingly low. This new approach in ART is still at an experimental phase and this treatment has still to be improved before routine clinical application. Experimental work in animals and humans suggest a beneficial effect in providing a short preliminary pretreatment with follicle-stimulating hormone to select for a developing cohort of follicles. The aspiration of oocyte cumulus complexes is carried out with a short needle applying reduced aspiration pressure. A crucial point is to provide the appropriate culture environment for the immature oocytes. An optimal cumulus-enclosed human oocyte culture system needs to be defined. The composition of the culture medium could be suggested by in vitro work carried out in animal models. As developmental competence is established during the latest phases of oocyte growth and is dependent on the storage of RNA, a prolonged in vitro maturation period (before inducing nuclear maturation) could provide the necessary transcriptional and translational changes. The conditions to achieve this improved cytoplasmic maturation by prolonging the in vitro culture remain to be defined. More objective noninvasive parameters for oocyte maturity are also needed to pursue research in this field. [source]

Appraisal Detection Bias and Well-Being in Close Relationships: Couples Experiencing Assisted Reproduction Treatment

APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, Issue 2 2009
Rolf Kienle
Communication between partners about each other's individual stress appraisals is considered to be pivotal for dyadic coping. So far, very little effort has been made to investigate the effects of accurate or biased detection of the partner's stress appraisals. On the basis of a dyadic stress model we predicted low appraisal detection bias among partners to be associated with better emotional well-being. Furthermore, we predicted appraisal detection bias to moderate the relationship between received support and well-being. Indicators of affect and depressive symptoms, spousal emotional support, and self- and partner-rated stress appraisals from 80 couples were assessed at two points in time during early phases of assisted reproduction treatment (in-vitro fertilisation and intracytoplasmatic sperm injection). Results indicated a protective effect of low appraisal detection bias on partners' affect. Contrary to our prediction, little or no appraisal detection bias in support-providing partners and higher emotional support were associated with an increase of depressive symptoms in support-receiving partners. These findings are discussed in light of research on stress-increasing effects of received social support. [source]

Twin Pregnancies: Eating for Three?

NUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 9 2005
Maternal Nutrition Update
The incidence of multifetal pregnancies has increased, mainly because of assisted reproduction treatments. This trend is reflected in increased maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. While the optimum maternal nutrition and weight gain patterns for singleton pregnancies is well documented, there is a paucity of information for twin pregnancies. Although it is assumed that optimum nutritional requirements and weight gains would be greater for twin than for singleton gestations, research is needed to establish the optima. This article is a collation of available recommendations for maternal nutrition and weight gain patterns in twin pregnancies. [source]