The parent trap: desire for multifetal gestation among patients treated for infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate predictors for patient preference regarding multifetal or singleton gestation among women presenting for infertility care. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Academic university hospital-based infertility clinic. PATIENT(S): Five hundred thirty-nine female patients with infertility who presented for their initial visit. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Demographic characteristics, infertility history, insurance coverage, desired treatment outcome, acceptability of multifetal reduction, and knowledge of the risks of multifetal pregnancies were assessed using a previously published 41-question survey. Univariate analysis was performed to assess patient factors associated with the desire for multiple births. Independent factors associated with this desire were subsequently assessed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULT(S): Nearly a third of women preferred multiples over a singleton gestation. Nulliparity, lower annual household income, older maternal age, marital status, larger ideal family size, openness to multifetal reduction, and lack of knowledge of the maternal/fetal risks of twin pregnancies were associated with pregnancy desire. Older age (OR (95% CI) 1.66 (1.20-2.29)), nulliparity (OR (95% CI) 0.34 (0.20-0.58)), larger ideal family size (OR (95% CI) 2.34 (1.73-3.14)), and lesser knowledge of multifetal pregnancy risk (OR (95% CI) 0.67 (0.55-0.83)) were independently associated with desire. CONCLUSION(S): A large number of patients undergoing fertility treatment desire multifetal gestation. Although a lack of understanding of the risks associated with higher order pregnancies contributes to this desire, additional individual specific variables also contribute to this trend. Efforts to reduce the incidence of multiples should focus not only on patient education on comparative risks of multiples vs singleton pregnancies but also account for individual specific reservations.

Disposition preferences in oocyte preservation patients.

PURPOSE: To characterize the frozen oocyte disposition preferences of patients undergoing medical and planned fertility preservation. METHODS: All oocyte cryopreservation (OC) patients were identified between 2015 and 2018. Demographic information and fertility preservation (FP) indication (medical or planned) were identified for each patient. Oocyte disposition options included disposal, donation to research, or donation to a specified third party, which was decided at the time of initial consent and made available in the electronic medical record. The primary outcome was the disposition selection. Secondary outcomes included differences in demographic variables and disposition selections between medical and planned FP patients using chi-squared analysis. RESULTS: A total of 336 OC patients with a documented oocyte disposition preference were identified in the study timeframe. Patients were on average 34.5 years old (SD = 5.1) and were predominantly White (70.2%), nulliparous (83.0%), with a BMI of 24.7 (SD = 5.4). A total of 101 patients underwent OC for medical FP and 235 for planned FP. In both groups, the most commonly selected disposition option was donation to research (50% planned, 52% medical), followed by donation to a specified third party (30% planned, 30% medical), and finally disposal of oocytes (20% planned, 18% medical). There were no significant differences in disposition selection between each group. When comparing patient variables between groups, medical FP patients were more likely to be under the age of 35 and were less likely to be nulliparous (p < .001). CONCLUSION: This study shows that oocyte disposition choices are similar in patients undergoing OC for medical and planned indications. As donation to research was the most commonly selected option in both groups, it is time to start thinking of streamlining ways to utilize this potential research material in the future.

Retained pregnancy tissue after miscarriage is associated with high rate of chronic endometritis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate prevalence of chronic endometritis in a cohort of patients with retained pregnancy tissue (RPT) following miscarriage, with and without a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). In a cohort of our single academic fertility centre, we evaluated women with unexplained RPL (two or more losses) without evidence of RPT and women undergoing hysteroscopic resection of RPT following miscarriage. Endometrial samples underwent staining with H and E and CD138. A pathologist blinded to patient history recorded the number of plasma cells per 10 high power fields (HPF) and the presence or absence of endometrial stromal changes. Our main outcome measure was to measure the prevalence of chronic endometritis. Endometrial samples from 50 women with RPT following miscarriage and 50 women with unexplained RPL without evidence of RPT were reviewed. The prevalence of chronic endometritis was significantly higher in the RPT cohort (62% versus 30%). A multivariable regression demonstrated significantly higher odds of chronic endometritis in the RPT cohort, aOR 7.3 (95% CI 2.1, 25.5). We conclude that women with RPT following pregnancy loss have a high rate of chronic endometritis, suggesting that RPT is a risk factor for this disorder. Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? Known risk factors for chronic endometritis include a history of pelvic inflammatory disease, intrauterine polyps and fibroids. The aetiology for increased chronic endometritis among women with RPL is unknown.What do the results of this study add? The prevalence of chronic endometritis is significantly higher among women with retained pregnancy tissue (RPT) following miscarriage compared to women with RPL. These data presented suggest that RPT is associated with chronic endometritis among women with a history of miscarriage.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? We suggest a pathologic evaluation for chronic endometritis be performed on all patients who undergo hysteroscopic resection of RPT following miscarriage. Our findings also suggest that a uterine cavity evaluation with hysteroscopy to evaluate for RPT may be reasonable in women with a history of miscarriage who are found to have chronic endometritis on endometrial biopsy. Further research is needed to determine if resection of retained tissue is sufficient to treat RPOC associated chronic endometritis, or if additional antibiotic treatment is necessary.

Motor Skill Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Clinically Focused Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review synthesizes recent, clinically relevant findings on the scope, significance, and centrality of motor skill differences in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). RECENT FINDINGS: Motor challenges in ASD are pervasive, clinically meaningful, and highly underrecognized, with up to 87% of the autistic population affected but only a small percentage receiving motor-focused clinical care. Across development, motor differences are associated with both core autism symptoms and broader functioning, though the precise nature of those associations and the specificity of motor profiles to ASD remain unestablished. Findings suggest that motor difficulties in ASD are quantifiable and treatable, and that detection and intervention efforts targeting motor function may also positively influence social communication. Recent evidence supports a need for explicit recognition of motor impairment within the diagnostic framework of ASD as a clinical specifier. Motor differences in ASD warrant greater clinical attention and routine incorporation into screening, evaluation, and treatment planning.

Body mass index, not race, may be associated with an alteration in early embryo morphokinetics during in vitro fertilization.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between maternal body mass index (BMI) and embryo morphokinetics on time-lapse microscopy (TLM). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: All IVF cycles between June 2015 and April 2017 were reviewed. Female BMI prior to egg retrieval was collected through chart review. BMI (kg/m2) classification included underweight (< 18.5), normal weight (18.5-25), overweight (25-30), and obese (≥ 30). Embryos' morphokinetic parameters were assessed with TLM and included time to syngamy, 2-cell, 3-cell, 4-cell, and 8-cell. A generalized linear mixed model was used to control for potential confounders and multiple embryos resulting from a single IVF cycle. RESULTS: A total of 2150 embryos from 589 IVF cycles were reviewed and included in the analysis. Classification based on BMI was as follows: underweight (N = 56), normal weight (N = 1252), overweight (N = 502), and obese (N = 340). After adjusting for race and use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection, the mean time to the 8-cell stage in the underweight group was 4.3 (95% CI: - 8.31, - 0.21) h less than in the normal weight group (P = 0.025) and 4.6 (95% CI: - 8.8, - 0.21) h less than in the obese group (p = 0.022). No significant difference was noted between race and TLM after controlling for possible confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Embryos from underweight women were demonstrated to have a faster time to the 8-cell stage than normal weight or obese women. No significant difference was noted for race. This study demonstrates that weight can be a factor contributing to embryo development as observed with TLM.

Risk factors and human chorionic gonadotropin trends in patients with ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies despite methotrexate treatment.

This retrospective cohort study investigates the risk factors and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-hCG) trends in patients with ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancies (EPs) despite methotrexate (MTX) treatment. All patients receiving MTX for sonographically confirmed tubal EPs at our fertility center between 2004 and 2014 were included. Baseline demographics and ß-hCG trends of patients with EP rupture after MTX were compared to patients with resolved EPs after MTX. One-hundred-thirty-seven patients with EPs were treated with MTX during the study duration; 27 experienced EP rupture and 110 EP resolution. There was no difference in the baseline demographics or ß-hCG levels on the day of MTX between the groups. Patients with ruptured EPs after MTX had higher ß-hCG levels on day-4 (1223.9 ± 243.5 vs. 1111.2 ± 179.7 mIU/mL; p < .001) and day-7 (1156.9 ± 206.2 vs. 872.4 ± 690.2 mIU/mL; p < .001). The odds of EP rupture compared to EP resolution was 6.2 (95% CI 2.1-19.1), 13.7 (95% CI 4.8-38.9), and 3.0 (95% CI 1.2-7.2) times higher when the change in ß-hCG levels was <5% between day-7 vs. day of MTX, day-7 vs. day-4, and day-4 vs. day of MTX, respectively. Our results demonstrate that ruptured tubal EPs despite MTX have <5% change in ß-hCG levels between the day of MTX and day-4 or day-7 after MTX.

Impact of FMR1 Pre-Mutation Status on Blastocyst Development in Patients Undergoing Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The study aimed to investigate the impact of fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) pre-mutation status on blastocyst development in patients undergoing pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). METHODS: Case-control study of patients <40 years undergoing PGD at blastocyst stage for FMR1 pre-mutation status. Age-matched patients undergoing PGD for other single gene disorders were considered controls. Blastocyst development, calculated per metaphase II (MII) oocyte retrieved and per 2 pronuclear (2PN) embryos, was compared between the 2 groups. Pregnancy outcomes after embryo transfer were also compared. RESULTS: Eighty-one and 791 patients were included in the FMR1 and control groups, respectively. FMR1 pre-mutation carriers had lower indicators of ovarian reserve, required higher gonadotropin doses, and had fewer MII oocytes retrieved. Mean blastocyst development per MII oocyte (12.6 vs. 29.4%; p < 0.001) and per 2PN embryos (21.5 vs. 41.7%; p < 0.001) was lower in the FMR1 group. An inverse correlation between the number of FMR1 CGG repeats and blastocyst development per MII oocyte (ρ = -0.63; p < 0.001) was observed. There was no difference in the rates of clinical pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, or live birth among the groups. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests lower rates of blastocyst development in patients with FMR1 pre-mutation status and an inverse correlation between the number of FMR1 CGG repeats and blastocyst development.

5-millimeter Trocar-site Hernias After Laparoscopy Requiring Surgical Repair.

Trocar-site hernias are rare complications of laparoscopic surgery. Although trocar-site hernias occur more often at >10-mm sites, hernias can still develop at 5-mm sites after laparoscopy and can lead to serious complications. The primary objective of this review is to summarize the current medical literature pertaining to the clinical presentation and predisposing risk factors of trocar-site hernias at 5-mm sites after laparoscopy. A total of 295 publications were identified, 17 (5.76%) of which met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-seven patients with trocar-site hernias were identified after laparoscopic cases. The median age (interquartile range) for all adult patients with trocar-site hernias was 63 years (interquartile range, 39.5-66.5 years). Eight of the 18 patients (44.4%) undergoing gynecologic laparoscopy were parous although details of parity were not reported in most publications. Simple manual reduction or laparoscopic reduction with fascial closure (21 patients [84%]) was used more often compared with exploratory laparotomy (4 patients [16%], p < .001) to manage trocar-site hernias. There was no statistical difference in the location of trocar-site hernias (i.e., umbilical [14 patients, 56%] vs nonumbilical/lateral [11 patients, 44%], p = .12). Findings of this review suggest that increased operative times and excessive manipulation can extend 5-mm fascial incisions, thereby increasing the risk of trocar-site hernias. Parous women older than 60 years may have unrecognized fascial defects, which confer a higher risk of trocar-site hernias after laparoscopic surgery, even in the absence of incision manipulation or prolonged surgical duration. Such patients may benefit from closure of 5-mm fascial incisions although prospective data are required to validate the overall generalizability of this management strategy.

Is ABO blood type associated with ovarian stimulation response in patients with diminished ovarian reserve?

PURPOSE: Recent studies have explored the relationship between ABO blood type and serum markers of ovarian reserve, specifically follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH). The primary objective of this study is to investigate whether there is an association between ABO blood type and ovarian stimulation response in patients with serum markers of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). METHODS: This is a retrospective study of all patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for in vitro fertilization (IVF) between May 2010 and July 2013. Patients were sub-grouped, a priori, based on serum AMH levels: ≤1 ng/mL, ≤0.5 ng/mL and ≤0.16 ng/mL. Within each sub-group, demographic, baseline IVF characteristics and COS response parameters based on ABO blood types were compared. The number of mature oocytes retrieved was considered the primary outcome. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-square tests were used to compare means and percentages between ABO blood types within groups. RESULTS: Complete data was available for 2575 patients. The mean (± SD) age and BMI of the study cohort was 38.9 (±3.97) years, 23.4 (±5.91) kg/m(2), respectively. The distribution of ABO blood types in the cohort was as follows: 36.8 % (A), 6.56 % (AB), 17.3 % (B), and 39.3 % (O). The demographics and baseline IVF characteristics were comparable among patients with blood types A, AB, B, and O within each AMH group. Within each AMH sub-group, no difference was found in the total days of COS, total gonadotropins administered, peak estradiol level, or number of mature oocytes retrieved based on blood type. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest no association between ABO blood type and ovarian stimulation response in patients with DOR. The predictive value of ABO blood type in determining ovarian stimulation response in such patients is currently limited.

Iris nevus growth into melanoma: analysis of 1611 consecutive eyes: the ABCDEF guide.

PURPOSE: To determine clinical features predictive of growth of iris nevus into melanoma. DESIGN: Retrospective, comparative case series. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1611 consecutive patients referred to an ocular oncology center with iris nevus. INTERVENTION: Observation and photographic documentation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Growth into melanoma. RESULTS: The mean age at referral for iris nevus was 51 years (median, 54; range, <1-94 years). At presentation, the mean tumor basal diameter was 3 mm (median, 3 mm; range, <1-12 mm) and mean tumor thickness was 0.8 mm (median, 0.5 mm; range, 0-5 mm). All patients were initially diagnosed with benign iris nevus. Growth of iris nevus to melanoma was confirmed in 2% of eyes (n = 27) over a mean follow-up of 68 months (median, 46 months; range, 3-465 months). By Kaplan-Meier estimates, iris nevus growth to melanoma occurred in <1%, 3%, 4%, 8%, and 11% at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years, respectively. Factors predictive of iris nevus growth to melanoma by multivariable analysis included age ≤ 40 years at presentation (hazard ratio [HR], 3), episode of hyphema (HR, 9), 4:00 to 9:00 clock hour location of tumor (HR, 9), diffuse tumor (involving entire iris surface) (HR, 14), ectropion uveae (HR, 4), and feathery tumor margins (HR, 3). Additional important factors by univariable analysis included tumor seeding on the iris or in the anterior chamber angle, feeder vessels, and nodule formation. These factors can be remembered using the mnemonic ABCDEF, representing A = age young, B = blood, C = clock hour inferior, D = diffuse, E = ectropion, and F = feathery margin. CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis of 1611 cases of iris nevus referred for evaluation at an ocular oncology center, growth into melanoma occurred in 8% by 15 years. Risk factors for growth, identified by ABCDEF included Age young, Blood (hyphema), Clock hour inferior, Diffuse configuration, Ectropion uveae, and Feathery tumor margin.

NOTCH2 mutations in Alagille syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Alagille syndrome (ALGS) is a dominant, multisystem disorder caused by mutations in the Jagged1 (JAG1) ligand in 94% of patients, and in the NOTCH2 receptor in <1%. There are only two NOTCH2 families reported to date. This study hypothesised that additional NOTCH2 mutations would be present in patients with clinical features of ALGS without a JAG1 mutation. METHODS: The study screened a cohort of JAG1-negative individuals with clinical features suggestive or diagnostic of ALGS for NOTCH2 mutations. RESULTS: Eight individuals with novel NOTCH2 mutations (six missense, one splicing, and one non-sense mutation) were identified. Three of these patients met classic criteria for ALGS and five patients only had a subset of features. The mutations were distributed across the extracellular (N=5) and intracellular domains (N=3) of the protein. Functional analysis of four missense, one nonsense, and one splicing mutation demonstrated decreased Notch signalling of these proteins. Subjects with NOTCH2 mutations demonstrated highly variable expressivity of the affected systems, as with JAG1 individuals. Liver involvement was universal in NOTCH2 probands and they had a similar prevalence of ophthalmologic and renal anomalies to JAG1 patients. There was a trend towards less cardiac involvement in the NOTCH2 group (60% vs 100% in JAG1). NOTCH2 (+) probands exhibited a significantly decreased penetrance of vertebral abnormalities (10%) and facial features (20%) when compared to the JAG1 (+) cohort. CONCLUSIONS: This work confirms the importance of NOTCH2 as a second disease gene in ALGS and expands the repertoire of the NOTCH2 related disease phenotype.

Alagille syndrome in a Vietnamese cohort: mutation analysis and assessment of facial features.

Alagille syndrome (ALGS, OMIM #118450) is an autosomal dominant disorder that affects multiple organ systems including the liver, heart, eyes, vertebrae, and face. ALGS is caused by mutations in one of two genes in the Notch Signaling Pathway, Jagged1 (JAG1) or NOTCH2. In this study, analysis of 21 Vietnamese ALGS individuals led to the identification of 19 different mutations (18 JAG1 and 1 NOTCH2), 17 of which are novel, including the third reported NOTCH2 mutation in Alagille Syndrome. The spectrum of JAG1 mutations in the Vietnamese patients is similar to that previously reported, including nine frameshift, three missense, two splice site, one nonsense, two whole gene, and one partial gene deletion. The missense mutations are all likely to be disease causing, as two are loss of cysteines (C22R and C78G) and the third creates a cryptic splice site in exon 9 (G386R). No correlation between genotype and phenotype was observed. Assessment of clinical phenotype revealed that skeletal manifestations occur with a higher frequency than in previously reported Alagille cohorts. Facial features were difficult to assess and a Vietnamese pediatric gastroenterologist was only able to identify the facial phenotype in 61% of the cohort. To assess the agreement among North American dysmorphologists at detecting the presence of ALGS facial features in the Vietnamese patients, 37 clinical dysmorphologists evaluated a photographic panel of 20 Vietnamese children with and without ALGS. The dysmorphologists were unable to identify the individuals with ALGS in the majority of cases, suggesting that evaluation of facial features should not be used in the diagnosis of ALGS in this population. This is the first report of mutations and phenotypic spectrum of ALGS in a Vietnamese population.

Renal anomalies in Alagille syndrome: a disease-defining feature.

Alagille syndrome (ALGS) is an autosomal dominant condition, primarily caused by mutations in JAGGED1. ALGS is defined by cholestatic liver disease, cardiac disease and involvement of the face, skeleton, and eyes with variable expression of these features. Renal involvement has been reported though not formally described. The objective of this study was to systematically characterize the renal involvement in ALGS. We performed a retrospective review of 466 JAGGED1 mutation-positive ALGS patients. Charts were reviewed for serum biochemistries, renal ultrasounds or other imaging, urinalysis, and clinical reports from pediatric nephrologists. The clinical data were reviewed by two pediatric hepatologists and a pediatric nephrologist. Of 466 charts reviewed we found 187 yielded evaluable renal information. Of these, 73/187 were shown to have renal involvement, representing 39% of the study cohort. Renal dysplasia was the most common anomaly seen. Genotype analysis of the JAGGED1 mutations in the patients with and without renal involvement did not reveal an association with mutation type. From the study we concluded that renal involvement has a prevalence of 39% in ALGS in our evaluable patients. Renal dysplasia is the most common renal anomaly. This finding correlates with the known role of the Notch pathway in glomerular development. Since renal disease of the type seen in ALGS can impair growth and impact liver transplantation, there is a clear need for a prospective study of renal involvement in ALGS and the development of guidelines for evaluation and management. These data also suggest that renal involvement be considered the sixth defining criterion for ALGS.

Molecular analysis of ring chromosome 20 syndrome reveals two distinct groups of patients.

BACKGROUND: The ring chromosome 20 syndrome (R20) is a rare genetic disorder associated with a refractory electroclinical epilepsy syndrome and variably expressed comorbidities of intellectual disability and dysmorphism. METHODS: To understand the structure and composition of the ring chromosome 20 (r(20)) in this patient cohort, blood specimens from 28 affected individuals were analysed by cytogenetic, fluorescence in situ hybridisation, and/or high resolution whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism array analysis. RESULTS: These studies revealed two distinct groups of patients. Group 1 (N=21) was mosaic for the r(20) and a normal cell line with no detectable deletions or duplications of chromosome 20 in either cell line. The mosaic nature of these rings suggests a postzygotic origin with formation of the ring by fusion of the telomeric regions with no apparent loss of subtelomeric or telomeric DNA. Group 2 (N=7) had non-mosaic ring chromosomes with a deletion at one or both ends of the chromosome, near the ring fusion point. The non-mosaic nature of these rings is consistent with a meiotic origin. The age of onset of seizures was significantly lower in the non-mosaic patients (group 2, median age of onset 2.1 years) than in the mosaic patients (group 1, median age of onset 6.0 years). Patients from group 2 had more extensive comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: These studies demonstrate that r(20) is molecularly heterogeneous and formed by two distinct mechanisms, which, in turn, produce different phenotypic spectrums.

Tryptophan 2,3-Dioxygenase-2 in Uterine Leiomyoma: Dysregulation by MED12 Mutation Status.

Uterine leiomyomas (fibroids) are common benign tumors in women. The tryptophan metabolism through the kynurenine pathway plays important roles in tumorigenesis in general. Leiomyomas expressing mutated mediator complex subunit 12 (mut-MED12) were reported to contain significantly decreased tryptophan levels; the underlying mechanism and the role of the tryptophan metabolism-kynurenine pathway in leiomyoma tumorigenesis, however, remain unknown. We here assessed the expression and regulation of the key enzymes that metabolize tryptophan. Among these, the tissue mRNA levels of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2), the rate limiting enzyme of tryptophan metabolism through the kynurenine pathway, was 36-fold higher in mut-MED12 compared to adjacent myometrium (P < 0.0001), and 14-fold higher compared to wild type (wt)-MED12 leiomyoma (P < 0.05). The mRNA levels of other tryptophan metabolizing enzymes, IDO1 and IDO2, were low and not significantly different, suggesting that TDO2 is the key enzyme responsible for reduced tryptophan levels in mut-MED12 leiomyoma. R5020 and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), two progesterone agonists, regulated TDO2 gene expression in primary myometrial and leiomyoma cells expressing wt-MED12; however, this effect was absent or blunted in leiomyoma cells expressing G44D mut-MED12. These data suggest that MED12 mutation may alter progesterone-mediated TDO2 expression in leiomyoma, leading to lower levels of tryptophan in mut-MED12 leiomyoma. This highlights that fibroids can vary widely in their response to progesterone as a result of mutation status and provides some insight for understanding the effect of tryptophan-kynurenine pathway on leiomyoma tumorigenesis and identifying targeted interventions for fibroids based on their distinct molecular signatures.

Knowledge of Fertility and Perspectives About Family Planning Among Female Physicians.

Importance: Pervasive gender disparities exist in medicine regarding promotion, achievement of academic rank, and appointment to leadership positions. Fertility and childbearing concerns may contribute to these disparities. Objective: To assess fertility knowledge and concerns and evaluate barriers to family building and impact on academic attrition reported by female physicians. Design, Setting, and Participants: This qualitative study used mixed methods; first, structured 1:1 interviews exploring fertility knowledge and family-building concerns were conducted among 16 female physicians between November 2019 and May 2020. Transcripts were coded in Dedoose and used to develop a survey instrument with subsequent pilot testing conducted among 24 female physicians between April 2020 and September 2020. Data analysis was performed from January 2021 to March 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures: Fertility knowledge, perceptions of peer and institutional support surrounding childbearing, factors contributing to delayed childbearing, and impact of family planning on career decisions. Results: Among 16 women who completed qualitative interviews, 4 (25%) were Asian, 1 (6%) was Black, 1 (6%) was multiracial, and 10 (63%) were White; mean (SD) age was 34.9 (4.0) years. Evaluation of fertility knowledge revealed 3 notable themes: (1) inadequate formal fertility education, (2) informal learning through infertility experiences of patients, peers, or personal struggles, and (3) desire to improve medical education through early introduction and transparent discussions about infertility. Exploration of childbearing concerns similarly revealed several salient themes: (1) high incidence of delayed childbearing, (2) perceived lack of peer and administrative support, and (3) impact of family building on career trajectory. These themes were borne out in pilot testing of the survey instrument: of 24 female physicians (7 Asian women [27%], 1 Black woman [4%], 1 Hispanic or Latinx woman [4%], 1 multiracial woman [4%], 15 White women [58%]; mean [SD] age, 36.1 [6.7] years), 17 (71%) had delayed childbearing and 16 (67%) had altered their career for family-building reasons. Conclusions and Relevance: Qualitative interviews identified fertility and family building concerns among female physicians and were used to develop a tailored survey for women in medicine. These findings suggest that female physicians may delay childbearing and make substantial accommodations in their careers to support family building. A large-scale national survey is needed to better characterize the unique fertility, childbearing, and parenting needs of women in academic medicine to better understand how these concerns may contribute to academic attrition.

A SART data cost-effectiveness analysis of planned oocyte cryopreservation versus in vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy considering ideal family size.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cost-effectiveness of planned oocyte cryopreservation (OC) as a strategy for delayed childbearing to achieve 1 or 2 live births (LB) compared with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) at advanced reproductive age. DESIGN: Decision tree model with sensitivity analyses using data from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinical Outcome Reporting System and other clinical sources. SETTING: Not applicable. PATIENT(S): A data-driven simulated cohort of patients desiring delayed childbearing with an ideal family size of 1 or 2 LB. INTERVENTION(S): Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Probability of achieving ≥1 or 2 LB, average and maximum cost per patient, cost per percentage point increase in chance of LB, and population-level cost/LB. RESULT(S): For those desiring 1 LB, planned OC at age 33 with warming at age 43 decreased the average total cost per patient from $62,308 to $30,333 and increased the likelihood of LB from 50% to 73% when compared with no OC with up to 3 cycles of IVF/PGT-A at age 43. For those desiring 2 LB, 2 cycles of OC at age 33 and warming at age 40 yielded the lowest cost per patient and highest likelihood of achieving 2 LB ($51,250 and 77%, respectively) when compared withpursuing only 1 cycle of OC ($75,373 and 61%, respectively), no OC and IVF/PGT-A with embryo banking ($79,728 and 48%, respectively), or no OC and IVF/PGT-A without embryo banking ($79,057 and 19%, respectively). Sensitivity analyses showed that OC remained cost-effective across a wide range of ages at cryopreservation. For 1 LB, OC achieved the highest likelihood of success when pursued before age 32 and remained more effective than IVF/PGT-A when pursued before age 39, and for 2 LB, 2 cycles of OC achieved the highest likelihood of success when pursued before age 31 and remained more effective than IVF/PGT-A when pursued before age 39. CONCLUSION(S): Among patients planning to postpone childbearing, OC is cost-effective and increases the odds of achieving 1 or 2 LB when compared with IVF/PGT-A at a more advanced reproductive age.

Genes in the terminal regions of orthopoxvirus genomes experience adaptive molecular evolution.

BACKGROUND: Orthopoxviruses are dsDNA viruses with large genomes, some encoding over 200 genes. Genes essential for viral replication are located in the center of the linear genome and genes encoding host response modifiers and other host interacting proteins are located in the terminal regions. The central portion of the genome is highly conserved, both in gene content and sequence, while the terminal regions are more diverse. In this study, we investigated the role of adaptive molecular evolution in poxvirus genes and the selective pressures that act on the different regions of the genome. The relative fixation rates of synonymous and non-synonymous mutations (the d(N)/d(S) ratio) are an indicator of the mechanism of evolution of sequences, and can be used to identify purifying, neutral, or diversifying selection acting on a gene. Like highly conserved residues, amino acids under diversifying selection may be functionally important. Many genes experiencing diversifying selection are involved in host-pathogen interactions, such as antigen-antibody interactions, or the "host-pathogen arms race." RESULTS: We analyzed 175 gene families from orthopoxviruses for evidence of diversifying selection. 79 genes were identified as experiencing diversifying selection, 25 with high confidence. Many of these genes are located in the terminal regions of the genome and function to modify the host response to infection or are virion-associated, indicating a greater role for diversifying selection in host-interacting genes. Of the 79 genes, 20 are of unknown function, and implicating diversifying selection as an important mechanism in their evolution may help characterize their function or identify important functional residues. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that diversifying selection is an important mechanism of orthopoxvirus evolution. Diversifying selection in poxviruses may be the result of interaction with host defense mechanisms.

Redefining chronic endometritis: the importance of endometrial stromal changes.

OBJECTIVE: To develop diagnostic criteria for chronic endometritis and compare the prevalence of chronic endometritis between women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and controls. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Single academic fertility center. PATIENTS: Women with unexplained RPL (two or more pregnancy losses) and prospectively recruited controls without a history of RPL or infertility. INTERVENTIONS: Endometrial samples were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and CD138. A pathologist blinded to patient history recorded the number of plasma cells per 10 high-power fields (HPFs). In addition, the presence or absence of endometrial stromal changes was documented. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Prevalence of chronic endometritis. RESULTS: Endometrial samples from 50 women with unexplained RPL and 26 controls were evaluated. When chronic endometritis was defined as the presence of one or more plasma cells per 10 HPFs, 31% of controls and 56% of women with RPL met the criterion. When both endometrial stromal changes and plasma cells were required for a diagnosis of chronic endometritis, no controls and 30% of women with RPL met the criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Although rare plasma cells were found in biopsy samples from controls, the presence of both plasma cells and endometrial stromal changes was limited to the RPL cohort. We propose that chronic endometritis be defined as the presence of one or more plasma cells per 10 HPFs in the setting of endometrial stromal changes. With the use of these strict diagnostic criteria, women with RPL have a significantly higher rate of chronic endometritis, supporting an association between chronic endometritis and RPL.

Computational Measurement of Motor Imitation and Imitative Learning Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Computational Motor Imitation Measurement in ASD.

Motor imitation is a critical developmental skill area that has been strongly and specifically linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, methodological variability across studies has precluded a clear understanding of the extent and impact of imitation differences in ASD, underscoring a need for more automated, granular measurement approaches that offer greater precision and consistency. In this paper, we investigate the utility of a novel motor imitation measurement approach for accurately differentiating between youth with ASD and typically developing (TD) youth. Findings indicate that youth with ASD imitate body movements significantly differently from TD youth upon repeated administration of a brief, simple task, and that a classifier based on body coordination features derived from this task can differentiate between autistic and TD youth with 82% accuracy. Our method illustrates that group differences are driven not only by interpersonal coordination with the imitated video stimulus, but also by intrapersonal coordination. Comparison of 2D and 3D tracking shows that both approaches achieve the same classification accuracy of 82%, which is highly promising with regard to scalability for larger samples and a range of non-laboratory settings. This work adds to a rapidly growing literature highlighting the promise of computational behavior analysis for detecting and characterizing motor differences in ASD and identifying potential motor biomarkers.