Impact of coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic on assisted reproductive technologies: Potentialities of melatonin in management

The world is still grappling with the threat due to the emergence of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by a new variant of coronavirus. The high transmission of the virus among humans has led to a pandemic and there is also emergence of mutant strain of virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses 2 Variant VOC 202012/01) within communities. With the uncertainties in the development, efficacy and reach of an effective vaccine among the masses, it has become a mammoth task for human beings to carry on with the dayto-day task and lifestyle. This has severely impacted the health-care services including the fertility treatments. The assisted reproductive technology (ART) services have accordingly molded itself to cater to patients. There are various guidelines and regulations introduced to provide fertility services on the basis of priority of the patients seeking treatments, keeping in compliance to the safety measures for the healthcare staffs and patients. On the other hand, couples wish to pursue their way to parenthood even in the testing times. Melatonin, a neurohormone, is a multipotent molecule associated with male and female reproduction and is being protectively involved in the various reproductive processes. It maintains the circadian rhythmicity of various hormones and has potentials in treating COVID-19 patients. Its use in IVF procedures can be protective and effective measure to deal with the uncertainties of time. Its immune enhancing role can be utilized in fulfilling the patients’ health and achieving fertility goals contributing to the success of ART.

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Towards Improving Embryo Selection: Simultaneous Next Generation Sequencing Of DNA And RNA From A Single Trophectoderm Biopsy

10.1101/277103 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Noga Fuchs Weizman ◽

Brandon A. Wyse ◽

Ran Antes ◽

Zenon Ibarrientos ◽

Mugundhine Sangaralingam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Embryo Selection ◽

Human Embryos ◽

Acid Oxidation ◽

Time To Pregnancy ◽

Initial Development ◽

Transcriptomic Data ◽

Fertility Treatments

ABSTRACTImproved embryo selection is crucial in optimizing the results from assisted reproduction. Preimplantation genetic screening reduces time to pregnancy and miscarriages. Correlating the transcriptome of an embryo, with fertility treatments and outcomes, holds promise in improving the overall results. We developed a novel method for embryo selection in fertility treatments that integrates embryonic genomic and transcriptomic data and evaluated it in this pilot study.A total of 21 embryos donated for research were included. Three were used for the initial development and optimization of sample processing and sequencing. Thereafter, 18 embryos were used to demonstrate the clinical safety and reproducibility of our method. Two trophectoderm biopsies were taken from each embryo: one was processed as a clinical sample for genomic profiling (control, n=18), while the other biopsy (n=18) was split and utilized for independent, simultaneous genomic and transcriptomic analysis, here termed Preimplantation Genetic and Transcriptomic Testing (PGT2).High quality genomic and transcriptomic data were obtained from all analyzed samples. The concordance between genomic data obtained with PGT2 and control samples was 100% with clinical grade quality metrics. Euploid embryos showed downregulation of genes involved in anaerobic metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty-acid oxidation. This is the first study to provide full genomic and transcriptomic profiles from a single TE biopsy from human embryos in a clinical setting unleashing the potential of improving embryo selection and outcomes in infertility treatments. Clinical trials are needed to correlate transcriptomic data with outcomes.SUMMARYDespite advances in assisted reproductive technologies, the success rate has remained relatively constant. Under the age of 35, there is a 40% chance of delivering a child per embryo transfer, which decreases with increasing maternal age. Prioritizing embryos for transfer is based on morphological assessment and, in some cases, incorporates genetic testing as well. Selection of euploid embryos for transfer shortens the time to pregnancy and reduces the risk for miscarriages. Adding the mRNA analysis to the genomic assessment of an embryo has the potential of improving the outcomes of fertility treatments.

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Legal Responsibility for Abuses and Crimes in the Field of Artificial Human Reproduction

Lex Russica ◽

10.17803/1729-5920.2019.151.6.048-052 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 48-52

Author(s):

N. V. Kruchinina

Keyword(s):

Human Rights ◽

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Human Reproduction ◽

Legal Responsibility ◽

Human Beings ◽

Artificial Reproduction ◽

Forensic Research ◽

Human Reproductive ◽

Common Understanding

The article analyzes different points of view concerning reproductive human rights. Every year the number of cases when assisted reproductive technologies are used is increasing in Russia. The author draws attention to the lack of a common understanding of reproductive human rights, their protection and regulation in different countries of the world, to different perceptions of legal responsibility for abuses in the field of artificial reproduction of human beings, and to the existence of different definitions of crime in the field of human reproduction.The article presents an overview of foreign legislation on criminal law protection of human reproductive functions. The study of criminal and civil cases and examination of scientific developments in this area compels the author to admit the existence of abuses and crimes in the field of artificial reproduction of human beings. The article attempts to determine the list of crimes against reproductive human rights and considers them as an object of forensic research.

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Impact of COVID-19 on assisted reproductive technologies and its multifacet influence on global bioeconomy

10.25259/jrhm_44_2020 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. 92-104

Author(s):

Olugbemi Tope Olaniyan ◽

Charles O. Adetunji ◽

Gloria E. Okotie ◽

Olorunsola Adeyomoye ◽

Osikemekha A. Anani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Health ◽

Global Economy ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Work Load ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Active Constituent ◽

Care Services ◽

Travel Restrictions ◽

Reproductive Services

Several nations of the world have issued instructions such as travel restrictions, border closure, and lockdown, plus other directives proposing that non-essential care must be withdrawn including assisted reproductive services, in an attempt to identify resources to ascertain the dissemination of SARS-CoV-2. This has led to massive shortage in medical supplies, inappropriate service delivery, hike in price, decrease in staff work load, salary cut, decrease in the utilization of qualitative maternal, and reproductive health-care services thereby creating high risk on reproductive health and global bioeconomy. The search for right candidate for the management of coronavirus disease 2019 and several reproductive health challenges begins with the screening of natural products to identify novel active constituent. Moreover, there is need to pay more attention to crucial phytochemical, bioactive fractions, phytoanalysis, and phytopharmacological investigation for effective drug discovery most especially these bioresources from beneficial microorganisms, plants, and ocean deposits that could help in mitigation of SARS-CoV-2 and reproduction health challenges through chemoinformatics, informatics, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, and metabolomics hence boosting the global economy.

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To understand the reproductive tract microbiome associated with infertility through metagenomics analysis

Middle East Fertility Society Journal ◽

10.1186/s43043-021-00078-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Manisha Vajpeyee ◽

Lokendra Bahadur Yadav ◽

Shivam Tiwari ◽

Parikshit Tank

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Tract ◽

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Live Birth Rate ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Female Reproductive Tract ◽

Human Reproduction ◽

Main Body ◽

Fertility Treatments ◽

Vaginal Tract ◽

Human Illness

Abstract Background Knowledge of the microbiome is in its infancy in health and human illness, especially concerning human reproduction. We will be better able to treat dysbiosis of the reproductive tract clinically if it is better explained and understood. It has been shown that altered vaginal microbiota affects parturition, and its function is uncertain in assisted reproductive technologies. However, the effects of recognized microbes such as Mycoplasma tuberculosis, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are well established, resulting in subclinical changes which are considered to be risk factors for infertility and poor reproductive outcomes. Main body Recent studies indicate that the vaginal tract comprises several different organisms of the microbiome. Some microbiota can play an important role not only in the reproductive tract but also in overall health. The microbiome of the female reproductive tract has been identified mainly based on studies that examine vaginal samples across many reproductive technologies, using a metagenomics approach. Conclusion Alteration of reproductive tract microbiota or presence of certain microbiota irrespective of the level of pathogenicity may interfere with fertilization, implantation, and subsequent embryo development. This may lead to failed fertility treatments and reduced live birth rate (LBR).

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Dilemmatic tensions around parenthood: the ambiguous third-party role in Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Surrogacy in France and Portugal

Política y Sociedad ◽

10.5209/poso.60633 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 56 (2) ◽

pp. 381-404 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Catarina Delaunay

Keyword(s):

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Reproductive Potential ◽

The United States ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Third Party ◽

Special Focus ◽

Human Beings ◽

Reproductive Process ◽

Gay Couples ◽

Pregnancy And Childbirth

This article analyzes couples’ attitudes towards the third-party role in Assisted Reproductive Technologies with gamete donation, and problematizes parenthood and kinship. I base my analysis on 66 in-depth interviews with different ART actors (from beneficiaries to professionals) in France and Portugal, conducted as part of a research project already completed. Special focus is given to 19 interviews with heterosexual and homosexual couples who used third-party reproduction in Europe and the United States. I found a physical and moral detachment operation among heterosexual and lesbian couples vis-a-vis the donor of reproductive potential, who is depersonalized and reduced to a functionality. The objective is to preserve the intimacy of the couple and the autonomy of the parental project. This contrasts with innovative and enlarged family dynamics developed by gay couples, who integrate both female figures (surrogate and oocyte donor) in their children’s family history, through bonding efforts in a logic of reciprocity (gift and counter-gift). The purpose is to reject the negative image of a woman’s body being commodified while preserving the natural appearance of procreation. I conclude that a naturalist conception of kinship persists —one based on shared biogenetic substances that bind together one parent and the donor-conceived child— along with the centrality of biological processes such as pregnancy and childbirth. There are different ways of easing tensions inherent to the contractual intervention of third parties in the reproductive process. ART re-elaborates the line of demarcation between commodities and gifts and between living things and human beings, while reconfiguring family concepts.

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Inheritance Rights of a Child Born From a Surrogate Mother According to Indonesian Law

The Journal of Social Sciences Research ◽

10.32861/jssr.52.424.430 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 424-430

Author(s):

Yessenia vHonandar ◽

Shanti Hendrata ◽

Fiona Pelafu

Keyword(s):

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Married Couples ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Health Issues ◽

Human Beings ◽

Surrogate Mother ◽

Illegitimate Child ◽

The Right ◽

Gestational Surrogacy ◽

To Receive

Throughout the lives of human beings, starting from one’s birth to their death, one may see that rights and obligations are always present. The issue of inheritance comes up at the end of a person’s life. The division of one’s inheritance is a complex matter, especially when it comes to the right to inherit for a child that is born from a Surrogate Mother. Surrogacy procedures are a form of Assisted Reproductive Technologies that aids married couples who are unable to have an offspring naturally due to health issues or abnormalities, and therefore must be assisted by these treatments. There are two different types of Surrogacy, namely Traditional Surrogacy and Gestational Surrogacy. Traditional Surrogacy is legally allowed in Indonesia, but there are no laws that specifically regulate Gestational Surrogacy; there are however, laws that imply the prohibition of it being practiced as a method of Assisted Reproductive Technologies. According to Indonesian laws, a child born from Gestational Surrogacy is considered either an illegitimate child or a child born from adultery, thus creating a problem regarding their inheritance, for the child will be unable to receive inheritance from their parents, even though the intent of Gestational Surrogacy is to have a child for the intended parents to raise as their own. This article will discuss the legality of Gestational Surrogacy as well as the issue of inheritance for a child born by the procedure; this includes regulations that tackle the issue and hopeful solutions for the issue at hand.

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A Qualitative Study Examining Transgender People’s Attitudes Toward The Desire to Have Biological Children and Pursue Fertility Treatments in Greece

10.21203/rs.3.rs-40196/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Polychronis Voultsos ◽

Christina-Erato Zymvragou ◽

M. V. Karakasi ◽

P. Pavlidis

Keyword(s):

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Fertility Treatment ◽

Gender Transition ◽

Transgender People ◽

Fertility Treatments ◽

Biological Children ◽

People’S Attitudes ◽

Inductive Analysis

Abstract Background: Biomedical technologies advances permit transgender individuals not only to achieve gender transition but also experience parenthood. Little is known about it in Greece, a traditionally conservative country, which however, is changing at legal level towards greater recognition of transgender people’s rights. This study aimed to investigate transgender people’s attitudes toward the desire to have biological children and pursue fertility treatments in Greece.Methods: This is a prospective study among adult individuals who identified as transgender men or transgender women between April 2019 and March 2020. Individual in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with twelve participants. The interviews were conducted in person and were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. The authors performed an inductive analysis of data.Results: The inductive analysis of the study findings resulted in the following themes that represent key barriers to pursuing FP or ART: lack of fertility counseling, fears of discrimination and bullying, high costs, concerns related to the child’s welfare, less than perfect legal framework, and gender transition. Not all participants expressed strong desire to have offspring. A number of sub-themes were grouped under the base themes. Concerns related to the child’s welfare due to factors related to context or transgender people themselves. Fertility treatment may impact negatively the process of transition or the result of it. The strength of the desire for fertility treatment is crucial. Various reasons behind the transgender people’s desire for parenthood were identified. Transgender individuals (especially those in social transition) showed striking adherence to patterns of the dominant culture when it comes to having children.Conclusion: The results demonstrate the importance of a) contextual factors (stigma, economic instability, law), b) factors related to transgender people themselves (gender dysphoria, desire to become parents, self-trust), as well as c) the preferred type of gender transition (social or medical) in considering or pursuing fertility preservation or assisted reproductive technologies. Transgender people’s attitude towards having children is a complex topic in need for further investigation. We stress the need for training health professionals to establish a safe environment for transgender people who want to undergo fertility treatment, go through pregnancy and give birth.

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Monozygotic twinning associated with assisted reproductive technologies: a review

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/rep-08-0206 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 136 (4) ◽

pp. 377-386 ◽

Cited By ~ 131

Author(s):

K I Aston ◽

C M Peterson ◽

D T Carrell

Keyword(s):

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Monozygotic Twin ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Monochorionic Twins ◽

Fertility Treatments ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Mz Twins ◽

Twin Pregnancies ◽

Natural Incidence

Twin birth rates have increased markedly in developed countries since the 1970s for two primary reasons: increasing maternal age and the advent and increasing use of fertility treatments. In addition, monozygotic (MZ) twin pregnancies have been reported to occur at a significantly higher rate following assisted reproductive technologies (ART) procedures compared with the natural incidence. Twin pregnancies are of concern due to a dramatically increased risk of associated complications. Monozygotic twin pregnancies carry a 10–20% risk of twin–twin transfusion syndrome, and monoamniotic monochorionic twins are additionally at risk for cord entanglement. While the mechanisms and contributory factors for dizygotic twinning are well established, very little is known about the mechanisms involved in MZ twinning or the factors that contribute to its occurrence. In this review, we will discuss a number of potential mechanisms involved in MZ twinning and explore factors that may be contributing to the increased incidence of ART-associated MZ twins. An improved understanding of the factors that contribute to increased MZ twinning associated with ART will help to elucidate the poorly understood mechanisms involved in the process and will further aid in reducing the overall incidence of multiple pregnancies with their associated risks following ART procedures.

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Embryo Mortality and In Vitro Fertilization

Ethics & Medics ◽

10.5840/em20184347 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 3-4

Author(s):

Laura Elm ◽

Keyword(s):

Retrospective Study ◽

In Vitro Fertilization ◽

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Human Beings ◽

Embryo Mortality ◽

Vitro Fertilization ◽

Summary Data ◽

Art Delivery

This essay hopes to convey the problematic framework of outcomes for assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) as they are published today, reframe the logic to focus on human embryo mortality, and quantify a population of human beings generally not accounted for in publicly available in-vitro fertilization data. This analysis, conducted using the CDC’s 2015 National Summary data in conjunction with a retrospective study conducted by one of the nation’s largest ART delivery systems, is one of the first attempts to estimate pre-transfer embryo mortality in IVF. This analysis focuses on fresh non-donor cycles only, that is, rounds of IVF treatment that include immediate transfer of at least one embryo and in which the embryos transferred were engendered using the recipient’s own eggs.

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Poczęcie naturalne, in vitro i „NaPro”

Teologia i Moralność ◽

10.14746/tim.2017.22.2.8 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 12 (2(22)) ◽

pp. 127-139

Author(s):

Janusz Gadzinowski

Keyword(s):

Catholic Church ◽

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Human Existence ◽

Human Beings ◽

Need For Treatment ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Catholic Church

Infertility has been a big problem since the beginning of human existence. Some causes of infertility have always been present, other called ‟civilization causes” appeared recently, causing an increased need for treatment, hence the assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including “in-vitro”, have been introduced. Most children conceived with this method are healthy, but there is no doubt that it is a group of increased risk of various diseases. These methods are not accepted by the Catholic church, mainly because they involve killing or freezing of embryos regarded as human beings, but also for other reasons.

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