Establishment of Cut-off Values for Uterine and Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cells During the Peri-implantation Period in Fertile Controls and Women with Unexplained Recurrent Implantation Failure.

Background: The purpose of the study was to determine the cut-off values for peripheral and uterine natural killer (pNK, uNK) cells in fertile controls and in women with recurrent implantation failure (RIF). Methods: In this study, 50 women with RIF and 50 fertile controls were enrolled. Midluteal endometrial biopsy samples from both cases and controls were obtained for CD 56+ cell immunohistochemistry labeling to identify uNK cells. Peripheral venous blood was also taken during the biopsy to detect pNK cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using flow cytometry. Cut-off values were obtained from fertile controls. Using a non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test, the medians of the data sets were compared. Results: The median values for uNK and pNK cell levels in the control group were 7% and 11.6%, respectively. The median value for uNK cells in RIF patients was 9%, which was higher than the one in controls but not statistically significant (p-value of 0.689). The median pNK levels (11.6% vs. 12.4%) were comparable between the RIF group and the controls. Moreover, it was found that 68% of individuals had uNK cell counts below the reference value, while 32% had excessive levels exceeding 7%. Additionally, only 51.4% of the RIF group had increased pNK cells. Conclusion: The pNK cell cut-off values need to be used with caution because there was no difference between fertile controls and RIF women. If immunotherapy is recommended for RIF women, uNK cell testing should be used as the preferred approach.

Autologous platelet-rich plasma optimizes endometrial thickness and pregnancy outcomes in women with refractory thin endometrium of varied aetiology during fresh and frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) optimizes endometrial thickness (EMT) and improves live birth rates (LBR) in women with refractory thin endometrium due to varied aetiology during fresh in vitro fertilization (IVF) and frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET). METHODS: A prospective interventional study was conducted at the ART Centre of a tertiary care academic hospital. Twenty-two infertile women with refractory thin endometrium (<7mm) despite standard hormone replacement therapy were assessed. Twenty patients underwent 26 PRP cycles from December 2018 - June 2020 during fresh IVF-ET and FET. Primary endpoint was expansion of EMT and secondary outcomes were implantation rate (IR), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and LBR in fresh and FET cycles and aetiology wise. RESULTS: Mean EMT increased significantly following PRP administration (p<0.001) with average increase of 1.07mm and 0.83mm after first PRP (p<0.001) during fresh IVF and FET, respectively. CPR, IR and LBR showed no significant difference when compared during fresh vs. FET cycles (p>0.05). PRP led to significant increase in EMT in tuberculosis (TB), diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in CPR, IR and LBR among three aetiological factors (p>0.05). Overall, clinical pregnancy and LBR reached up to 20% and 25%, respectively. No adverse reactions were reported. CONCLUSIONS: PRP enhances EMT significantly during fresh and FET cycles in thin endometrium associated with TB, PCOS and DOR, thus improving the CPR and LBR in these low prognosis patients.

Do basal Luteinizing Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone/Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Ratio Have Significance in Prognosticating the Outcome of In vitro Fertilization Cycles in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

CONTEXT: Tonic hypersecretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) appears to impact both fertility and pregnancy outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). AIM: Whether high basal day 2/3 serum LH levels and day 2/3 LH/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) ratio affect in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle outcomes in PCOS patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Assisted Reproductive Technique Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at a tertiary care institute, on PCOS patients undergoing IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using GnRH antagonist protocol with human chorionic gonadotropin trigger between January 2014 to December 2019. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Data related to patient's age, body mass index, day 2/3 serum FSH, serum LH, day 2/3 LH/FSH ratio, and infertility treatment-related variables were collected from the patient record files. IVF cycle characteristics, number of oocytes retrieved, number of embryos transferred were also recorded. The clinical pregnancy rate per embryo transfer was calculated. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Statistical software SPSS IBM version 24.0 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation , and range values were calculated. To compare the difference between the groups, the paired t-test was applied for continuous variables and the Chi-square test for categorical variables. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: High basal day 2/3 LH level and day 2/3 LH/FSH ratio have no statistically significant effect on embryos formed, embryo transferred, and clinical pregnancy rate. However, fertilization rates were significantly less in these groups. CONCLUSION: The elevated basal day 2/3 LH and LH/FSH ratio do not impair the outcome of GnRH antagonist protocol treated IVF/ICSI cycles in PCOS women.

Severe early-onset ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome with liver dysfunction in an IVF segmentation cycle.

Severe early-onset ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) with deranged liver function tests is an entity that cannot be eliminated wholly even after gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist trigger without any luteal human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) rescue in a GnRH antagonist protocol with the freeze-all approach. We describe a case of young polycystic ovary syndrome patient with prior history of severe early-onset OHSS in her last in vitro fertilisation cycle in which she received antagonist protocol followed by blastocyst transfer. Given her history, she was planned for agonist trigger and freeze all approach during the present cycle. Despite segmentation of the cycle without any luteal rescue hCG, she developed early-onset severe OHSS with markedly deranged liver function tests for which she underwent ascitic tapping and remained hospitalised for 8 days. Her symptoms improved with conservative management, and she was discharged satisfactorily. She underwent letrozole based frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle after 4 months. One good quality blastocyst was transferred, and she conceived in the same cycle.

Induction of labor with oxytocin in pregnancy with low-risk heart disease: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare maternal and perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with underlying heart disease who underwent induction of labor with those who had spontaneous labor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 pregnant women with heart disease who were registered in cardio-obstetric clinic were recruited consecutively between 38-41 weeks' gestation. Patients with favorable Bishop scores at 38 weeks were randomized into two groups. Induction of labor with oxytocin was performed in one group, and the second group underwent spontaneous onset of labor. Descriptive analysis in terms of mean, standard deviation, and percentage was performed. Unpaired t-test was applied for comparison of two groups using SPPS statistical software. RESULTS: No significant difference in the rate of maternal complications was observed between the two groups. No cardiac complications were reported in pregnant females who underwent induction of labor. Fifty-two percent of patients delivered during workday hours when labor was induced, whereas only 24% of pregnant women delivered during working hours who underwent spontaneous delivery. No maternal or neonatal deaths were reported. CONCLUSION: Induction of labor with oxytocin is a relatively safe procedure in women with heart disease, it does not result in any cardiac complications. More patients delivered during daytime when electively induced, which minimized the maternal and fetal risks because obstetric, anesthesiologist, cardiologist, and perinatologist specialists are readily available during the daytime.