Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is a predictor of biochemical miscarriage following artificial frozen embryo transfer cycles.

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between complete blood count (CBC) inflammatory markers and pregnancy outcome following artificial frozen embryo transfer cycles (AC-FET). This was a retrospective cohort study including 183 patients undergoing an AC-FET. The inflammatory markers including white blood cell count (WCC), neutrophil and lymphocyte count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were compared between cycles with and without clinical pregnancies. Furthermore, these markers were compared between pregnancies with and without biochemical and clinical miscarriages. NLR was significantly higher in cycles with biochemical miscarriages (p = 0.009). Receiver operating curve analysis was performed to assess the role of NLR in predicting biochemical pregnancy. The area under the curve was 0.714 (95% confidence interval; 0.578-0.850, p = 0.009). The optimal cut-off value for NLR that was associated with biochemical miscarriage was 2.48 with 63% sensitivity and 75% specificity. A logistic regression analysis was performed with biochemical miscarriage as the dependent variable. An NLR value below 2.48 was an independent variable to affect biochemical miscarriage (OR: 0.2, 95% CI 0.05-0.92, p = 0.030). NLR emerged as a reliable predictor of biochemical miscarriage in AC-FET.Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? NLR and PLR are novel markers of inflammation. They are related to various gynecological and obstetric conditions including spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia. These markers are also associated with assisted reproductive technology success in fresh cycles.What the results of this study add? This is the first study to investigate the association of these markers with FET cycles. Our results have shown that cycles that ended in biochemical miscarriage had a significantly higher NLR compared with cycles continuing as a clinical pregnancy. An NLR value above 2.48 was predictive of biochemical miscarriage following AC-FET.What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? A high NLR level might have a significant value for the identification of patients at risk of biochemical miscarriage. Future research should assess the impact of anti-inflammatory agents on pregnancy outcomes in patient populations where systemic inflammation is documented by CBC inflammatory markers.

Selective Arterial Embolisation of Uterine Arteriovenous Malformation in an Infertile Patient, subsequent Term Pregnancy and Postpartum Recurrence.

Uterine arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare entity. This report describes selective catheterisation and embolisation of a uterine AVM in an infertile woman, subsequent spontaneous pregnancy and postpartum recurrence of the AVM treated with a second embolisation procedure. A 22-year woman presented with menometrorrhagia and failure to conceive. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging showed a large uterine AVM. Selective catheterisation and embolisation of the AVM was performed. The patient conceived spontaneously two months later and delivered vaginally. A second embolisation was performed due to recurrence of uterine AVM at six months postpartum. This is the first case reporting postpartum recurrence of a pre-conceptionally treated uterine AVM. Selective catheterisation and embolisation is a minimally-invasive, fertility-preserving procedure that successfully treats uterine AVM and should be the treatment of choice when the patient desires pregnancy. Successful pregnancy and vaginal delivery following embolisation is possible; however, an increased awareness of postpartum AVM recurrence is required. Key Words: Fertility, Pregnancy, Therapeutic embolisation, Uterus, Arteriovenous malformation.

Extremely high anti-Mullerian hormone levels detected during infertility workup revealing sex cord tumor with annular tubules and underlying Peutz-Jeghers syndrome: A case report.

We report an infertile, but otherwise asymptomatic woman, whose extremely high anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level detected during infertility investigation led to the diagnosis of sex cord tumor with annular tubules (SCTAT) which is a very rare sex cord-stromal tumor (SCST) and eventually revealed a previously undiagnosed hereditary cancer syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS). A 33-year-old woman attended Kocaeli University ART Clinic for infertility evaluation. Her AMH level was 319.63 ng/ml. Detection of bilateral ovarian cysts required surgical evaluation. The histopathological examination of ovaries revealed SCTAT. The strong association of SCTAT with PJS raised the suspicion of this syndrome. Whole STK11 gene sequencing confirmed PJS diagnosis. AMH has become a widely used tool in the evaluation of infertile women. Clinicians dealing with infertility should be familiar with the utility of AMH measurement besides being a marker of ovarian reserve. Detection of high AMH concentrations should raise the suspicion of an SCST.

Oral dydrogesterone vs. micronized vaginal progesterone gel for luteal phase support in frozen-thawed single blastocyst transfer in good prognosis patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of oral dydrogesterone for luteal phase support (LPS) in modified natural cycle frozen-thawed embryo transfers (mNC-FET) compared to micronized vaginal progesterone (MVP) gel. METHODS: This was a randomized, single-center, parallel controlled trial conducted at an ART and Reproductive Genetics Centre within a private hospital between January and August 2019. A total of 134 women, aged below 38, were assigned randomly to receive oral dydrogesterone (n=67) or MVP (n=67) for LPS in mNC-FET. The primary outcome was ongoing pregnancy rate (OPR) and secondary outcomes were clinical pregnancy and miscarriage rates, patients' satisfaction and tolerability of oral and vaginal progesterone. A questionnaire was developed to compare patient satisfaction and side effect profiles. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in demographic features such as female age, body mass index, AMH levels and fresh cycle characteristics between two groups (p>0.05). When mNC-FET outcomes were compared, OPR was 68.7 % in MVP gel group and 71.6 % in the dydrogesterone group respectively percentage difference, -2.99; 95 % CI: -17.96, 13.10) Biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates and biochemical and clinical miscarriage rates were also similar between two groups. A significantly higher patient tolerability score was present in the dydrogesterone arm (4.09 ± 0.96 vs 3.36 ± 1.23, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that oral dydrogesterone provides similar ongoing pregnancy rates compared to MVP gel as a LPS in mNC FET. Since dydrogesterone is an effective and easy-to-use option with fewer intolerable side effects including vaginal irritation, vaginal discharge, and preventing sexual intercourse, it can be used as LPS in mNC FET.

Differential expression of leukemia inhibitory factor and insulin like growth factor-1 between normal pregnancies, partial hydatidiform moles and complete hydatidiform moles.

INTRODUCTION: Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are two of the most important growth factors mediating trophoblast actions. We hypothesized that the localization and expression patterns of LIF and IGF-1 in partial and complete hydatidiform moles (HM) compared with normal first trimester placentas may provide an understanding of the proliferative processes in HMs. METHODS: The study population included curettage material of women diagnosed as complete or partial HM as a result of histopathological and immunohistochemical examination (complete HM group, n = 8; partial HM group, n = 8) and women undergoing dilatation&curettage for unwanted pregnancies (control group, n = 8). Expression of LIF and IGF-1 among placental cell groups was evaluated immunohistochemically and given a score depending on immunostaining intensity. RESULTS: In normal chorionic villi strong expression of LIF and IGF-1 was present. Both LIF and IGF-1 expressions were weaker in the chorionic villi of complete HMs. In complete mole decidua there was a significant decrease in glandular and endothelial IGF-1 expression along with a decrease in decidual cell LIF expression compared to normal first trimester decidua. LIF expression in extravillous trophoblasts was stronger in complete molar placentas compared to normal placentas. DISCUSSION: LIF and IGF-1 are important regulators of trophoblast proliferation and invasion. Differential expression of LIF and IGF-1 in molar trophoblasts and chorionic villi might have a role in regulation of trophoblasts in complete moles. Decreased expression of glandular IGF-1 and decidual LIF might be related to the decidual changes during trophoblastic proliferation and invasion of decidua in complete HMs.