Human reproduction update
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Human reproduction update · Jan 2018
Review Meta AnalysisIs frozen embryo transfer better for mothers and babies? Can cumulative meta-analysis provide a definitive answer?
Initial observational studies and a systematic review published 5 years ago have suggested that obstetric and perinatal outcomes are better in offspring conceived following frozen rather than fresh embryo transfers, with reduced risks of preterm birth, small for gestational age, low birth weight and pre-eclampsia. More recent primary studies are beginning to challenge some of these findings. We therefore conducted an updated systematic review and cumulative meta-analysis to examine if these results have remained consistent over time. ⋯ The results of this cumulative meta-analysis confirm that the decreased risks of small for gestational age, low birth weight and preterm delivery and increased risks of large for gestational age and high birth weight associated with pregnancies conceived from frozen embryos have been consistent in terms of direction and magnitude of effect over several years, with increasing precision around the point estimates. Replication in a number of different populations has provided external validity for the results, for outcomes of birth weight and preterm delivery. Meanwhile, caution should be exercised about embarking on a policy of electively freezing all embryos in IVF as there are increased risks for large for gestational age babies and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Therefore, elective freezing should ideally be undertaken in specific cases such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, fertility preservation or in the context of randomised trials.
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Human reproduction update · Jul 2017
Review Meta AnalysisPrevalence of 'obesity-associated gonadal dysfunction' in severely obese men and women and its resolution after bariatric surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Sexual dimorphism manifests noticeably in obesity-associated gonadal dysfunction. In women, obesity is associated with androgen excess disorders, mostly the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), whereas androgen deficiency is frequently present in obese men in what has been termed as male obesity-associated secondary hypogonadism (MOSH). Obesity-associated gonadal dysfunction, consisting of PCOS in women and MOSH in men, is a frequent finding in patients with severe obesity and it may be ameliorated or even resolve with marked weight loss, especially after bariatric surgery. ⋯ Obesity-associated gonadal dysfunction is among the most prevalent comorbidities in patients with severe obesity and should be ruled out routinely during their initial diagnostic workup. Considering the excellent response regarding both PCOS and MOSH, bariatric surgery should be offered to severely obese patients presenting with obesity-associated gonadal dysfunction.
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Human reproduction update · May 2017
Review Meta AnalysisSurgical treatment of adhesion-related chronic abdominal and pelvic pain after gynaecological and general surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Chronic pain is a frequent post-operative complication, affecting ~20-40% of patients who have undergone surgery of the female genital or alimentary tract. Chronic pain is an important risk factor for diminished quality of life after surgery. Adhesions are frequently associated with chronic post-operative pain; however, surgical treatment of adhesion-related pain is controversial. ⋯ Laparoscopic adhesiolysis reduces pain from adhesions in ~70% of patients in the initial phase after treatment. However, there is little evidence for long-term efficacy of adhesiolysis for chronic pain. Other drawbacks of laparoscopic adhesiolysis are the high rate of negative laparoscopies and the risk of bowel injury. At present, there is little evidence to support routine use of adhesiolysis in treatment for chronic pain. New research is needed to investigate whether the results of adhesiolysis can be improved with new techniques for diagnosis and prevention of adhesion reformation.
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Human reproduction update · Mar 2017
Review Meta AnalysisOocyte, embryo and blastocyst cryopreservation in ART: systematic review and meta-analysis comparing slow-freezing versus vitrification to produce evidence for the development of global guidance.
Successful cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos is essential not only to maximize the safety and efficacy of ovarian stimulation cycles in an IVF treatment, but also to enable fertility preservation. Two cryopreservation methods are routinely used: slow-freezing or vitrification. Slow-freezing allows for freezing to occur at a sufficiently slow rate to permit adequate cellular dehydration while minimizing intracellular ice formation. Vitrification allows the solidification of the cell(s) and of the extracellular milieu into a glass-like state without the formation of ice. ⋯ Data from available RCTs suggest that vitrification/warming is superior to slow-freezing/thawing with regard to clinical outcomes (low quality of the evidence) and cryosurvival rates (moderate quality of the evidence) for oocytes, cleavage-stage embryos and blastocysts. The results were confirmed by cohort studies. The improvements obtained with the introduction of vitrification have several important clinical implications in ART. Based on this evidence, in particular regarding cryosurvival rates, laboratories that continue to use slow-freezing should consider transitioning to the use of vitrification for cryopreservation.
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Human reproduction update · Jun 2016
Review Meta AnalysisAssociation of alcohol consumption with the onset of natural menopause: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Early onset of menopause is associated with long-term health risks, including cardiovascular disease and premature death. Although alcohol intake has been suggested to affect the age at which natural menopause occurs, results from observational studies are not consistent. ⋯ The findings of this review indicate that alcohol consumption, particularly low and moderate alcohol intake, might be associated with later onset of menopause although the magnitude of the association is low. Further studies are needed to corroborate these findings, clarify the level of alcohol intake at which menopause is delayed and identify the potential mechanisms behind this association.