[Embryo vitrification: French clinical practice analysis for BLEFCO]. / Vitrification embryonnaire : état des pratiques en France par les BLEFCO.

Frozen thawed embryo transfer is currently an important part of present-day assisted reproductive technology (ART) aiming at increasing the clinical pregnancy rate per oocyte retrieval. Although slow freezing method has been the reference during 2 decades, the recent years witnessed an expansion of ultrarapid cryopreservation method named vitrification. Recently in France, vitrification has been authorized for cryopreserving human embryos. Therefore BLEFCO consortium decides to perform a descriptive study through questionnaires to evaluate the state of vitrification in the French clinical practice. Questionnaires were addressed to the 105 French centres of reproductive biology and 60 were fully completed. Data analysis revealed that embryo survival rate as well as, clinical pregnancy rate were increased after vitrification technology when compared to slow freezing procedure. Overall, these preliminary data suggest that vitrification may improve ART outcomes through an increasing of the cumulative pregnancy rate per oocyte retrieval.

[Preimplantation diagnosis with HLA typing: birth of the first double hope child in France]. / Diagnostic préimplantatoire avec typage HLA : naissance du premier enfant du double espoir en France.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is authorized in France since 1999. After 10 years, technical results are encouraging. With the development of new technologies, our team is able to diagnosis the large majority of chromosome translocations and 75 monogenic diseases. However, PGD remains limited because of the growing augmentation of demands causing an increasing delay for the first procedure of more than 18 months. Since 2006, 19 couples asked for a PGD with HLA typing. In January 2011, 11 couples have already been included in our PGD program. The birth of the first child after PGD with HLA typing offers new perspectives of treatment for these couples.

[Fertility preservation in cancer women: a multidisciplinary approach]. / Préservation de la fertilité féminine en cas de cancer : intérêt d'une prise en charge pluridisciplinaire.

Over the past two decades, major advances in diagnostic modalities and treatment have markedly improved rates of cure for adult cancers. As a consequence, the number of long-term survivors is increasing, and fertility preservation has become a major issue for young patient about to start treatment for cancer. Whether fertility preservation is a promising option, most of the technologies currently used are far from being well established or are even still experimental. Patients should be aware that no method guarantees success. Psychological and ethical impacts of fertility preservation are major concerns and should be included in the multidisciplinary approach of the patients.

[In vitro maturation of oocytes: an option for fertility preservation in women]. / Préservation de la fertilité féminine: place de la maturation ovocytaire in vitro.

Although female cancer incidence may be on rise, antineoplastic regimens have become more successful. As a result, an increasing number of women with cancer survive to endure the long-term consequences of chemotherapy. One of the most important long-term consequences of cancers treatments in young female is premature ovarian failure and infertility. Because of the increasing survival rates, many of these young women are seeking methods to preserve their fertility. Currently, embryo/oocytes cryoporeservation obtained after ovarian stimulation appears to provide the best fertility preservation option. However, patients may not have sufficient time to undergo ovarian stimulation prior to chemotherapy and/or the hormones used in ovarian stimulation are contra-indicated for estrogen-dependant tumors. In vitro maturation of oocytes (IVM) has been suggested to avoid ovarian stimulation and time requirement in patients with cancer, and can be combined with ovarian tissue cryobanking. In this review, we will discuss the position of IVM in the strategy of fertility preservation in young women.

Oocyte in-vitro maturation: BCL2 mRNA content in cumulus cells reflects oocyte competency.

BCL2-associated X protein (BAX) and B-cell leukaemia/lymphoma gene-2 (BCL2), which are, respectively, pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins of the BCL2 gene family, participate in the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway. A correlation between low incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells and oocyte maturation has previously been suggested in ovarian stimulation. However, little is known in unprimed ovaries. These authors have investigated whether BAX and BCL2 expression in cumulus cells affects the competency of in-vitro matured oocytes. We have studied 100 cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COC) recovered from unprimed ovaries of 13 women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and undergoing in-vitro maturation (IVM) with their informed consent. COC were matured for 24 h in a specific maturation medium and the cumulus was stripped from the oocyte. BAX and BCL2 mRNA content was measured in each COC using real-time polymerase chain reaction. We found that BCL2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in cumulus cells associated with mature oocytes than those associated with immature oocytes while BAX mRNA concentrations did not vary in cumulus cells. Regarding fertilization, higher BCL2 mRNA content was found in cumulus cells enclosing fertilized oocytes (0.140 versus 0.075; P = 0.03). These results suggest that BCL2 expression is strongly associated with the ability of oocytes to complete nuclear maturation and to be fertilized.

[Is the stability of results in IVF possible?]. / La stabilité des résultats en fécondation in vitro est-elle possible ?

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate quality control impact, in assisted reproductive medecine, in view of the stability of results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective collection of all IVF cycles at the center of AMP at Antoine-Béclère hospital (Clamart), as well as pregnancy outcomes, from 2002 till 2006. RESULTS: 44.3% in the clinical pregnancy rate and 38.0% in the delivery rate per oocyte retrieval. These rates are stable during the five years studied. The rate of multiple pregnancy is of 30.7%, decreasing, with the decrease in number of transferred embryos. CONCLUSION: Results are stable over five years duration. Quality control seems to be necessary.

Retrospective comparison of two media for invitro maturation of oocytes.

In-vitro maturation of oocytes (IVM) is a new IVF technology developed in order to avoid iatrogenic complications of standard IVF treatments. This technique is particularly useful in patients suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who are concerned with the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. This technique is nowadays routinely practised in many international centres. However, the efficiency of this technique needs to be improved for a better support of maturation conditions to maximize oocyte developmental competence. In order to improve IVM results, the efficiency of two IVM media was retrospectively compared. Ninety-three PCOS candidates undergoing their first IVM cycle were included in this study, and IVM was conducted with TCM-199 or IVM-Medicult medium. This is the first study comparing two maturation media. Both media resulted in the same results concerning total oocyte maturation, fertilization, early embryo development and pregnancy rates.

[In vitro fertilization (IVF): why doing it in unstimulated cycles?]. / En fécondation in vitro (FIV): pourquoi je ne stimule pas?

In vitro fertilization without stimulation, in natural or semi-natural cycles ("FIV-NAT") offers an interesting alternative to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for some patients. This protocol may be proposed to patients suffering from altered ovarian status (AOS) with encouraging results. The second indication might be patients presenting repeated implantation failure (IMF). FIV-NAT allows avoiding possible adverse effects of HOC on the endometrium. Results are respectively 15.4 and 16.6% clinical pregnancy rate per oocyte retrieval for AOS and IMF, and 25.5 and 26.3% over 3 cumulative cycles. This treatment is less expensive and patient friendly.

[Talking about adoption during IVF]. / Parler d'adoption en AMP.

OBJECTIVES: This article deals with the place of adoption for couples involved in a medical help for procreation. The question is: do these couples wait for their gynaecologist's advice before beginning a procedure of adoption or do they launch such a procedure before? PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have questioned 90 couples, on the first day of their treatment in our unity, about the place of adoption in their desire for a child. Are they in favour or against adoption? Have they already begun or not to think, to read, to make a decision about adoption? RESULTS: In this research, 49% of theses couples are not in favour of adoption, especially when they have already had children through medical help. 84.5% thought about adoption as soon as they received the announcement of the infertility. 69% have shown their interest in adoption by reading books, watching TV or by speaking with adoptive parents or adopted children. 29% have begun a procedure of adoption but only 18% really intend to adopt a child. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Most of the infertile couples do not wait for their clinician's advice to be interested in adoption. But they probably have to hear from their clinician that the treatments are definitively finished to become completely involved in the adoption process. Some of them will prefer to stay even so without children or to think about the gamete's donation.

[The follicular flushing duplicate the pregnancy rate on semi natural cycle IVF]. / Le rinçage folliculaire lors des prélèvements ovocytaires double le taux de grossesses en fécondation in vitro en cycle semi-naturel.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the importance of follicular flushing on semi natural cycle IVF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have compared prospectively the reproductive potential of oocytes obtained from follicular fluid (LF, N = 79) to those obtained from follicular flushing (R, N = 47) in 146 oocyte pick ups. RESULTS: The group LF and R were similar with regard to fertilization rate (79.7 versus 88.1%, respectively), percentage of superior grade embryos (28.8 versus 37.8%) and implantation rate (24.1 versus 44.1%). CONCLUSION: The practice of follicular flushing on semi natural IVF cycle improves the pregnancy rate. The oocytes obtained by follicular flushing had the same reproductive potential than those obtained on follicular fluid.

A randomized double-blind controlled study on the efficacy of laser zona pellucida thinning on live birth rates in cases of advanced female age.

BACKGROUND: It is conceivable that defective embryo hatching plays a part in the mechanisms involved in the decrease of embryo implantation rates with advancing age. In an effort to test this hypothesis, we tested the effectiveness of assisted hatching (AH) in women > or =37 years of age. METHODS: We prospectively studied 103 IVF-embryo transfer patients undergoing 103 embryo transfers. All of them were > or =37 years of age and had <3 previous IVF-embryo transfer attempts. Laser-AH of transferred embryos was either performed (AH group, n = 49) or not (control group, n = 54) according to randomized and double-blind methodology. Primary outcome was live birth rate. RESULTS: Population characteristics were comparable in AH and control groups as well as the mean number of embryos transferred (2.7 +/- 0.6 versus 2.7 +/- 0.6) and the prevalence of top quality embryos transferred (65 versus 59%, respectively). We failed to find any statistically significant difference between AH and control groups with regard to implantation (16.1 versus 16.7%, respectively) and live birth rates (22.4 versus 29.6%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that AH does not improve IVF-embryo transfer outcome in women aged > or =37 years.