Active clinical trials for "Infertility, Female"

The present study aims to examine the effect of the psychosexual caring program on the sexual well-being of infertile women.

The study will describe the effectiveness of ovarian stimulation in correlation with female infertility causes in a Lebanese population: a comparative study using 5 protocols of ovulation induction (treatment with "A" gonadotropins alone, "B" short GnRH agonist, "C" multiple-dose GnRH antagonist, "D" long GnRH agonist and "E" combined protocol of GnRH antagonist and agonist) and the outcomes of ICSI. This comparative study will help clinicians to select the relevant protocol of ovarian stimulation related to the female infertility disorders.

The aim is to be able to predict the hormonal response according to gonadotropin receptor genotype and hormone type used for treatment of women undergoing in vitro fertilization or egg donation. Outcome will be measured as pregnancy success, live born babies and unwanted side effects.

Objective: To examine the effect of vitamin D supplements on the pregnancy and clinical pregnancy rate in embryo transfer cycles. Design: Experimental study with a pre- and post-test. Setting: In Vitro Fertilization Center Patients: Its sample consisted of 118 women, 58 in the experimental group and 60 in the control group. Intervention(s): At the beginning of the infertility treatment, the experimental group took vitamin D supplements, and the control group did not. Vitamin D supplementation for infertile women includes regulation of a diet rich in vitamin D, educational and motivational interviews about insolation, and taking vitamin D orally. Main Outcome Measure(s): 25(OH)D and beta HCG levels

BACKGROUND: Obesity increases the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), characterized by anovulatory cycles, but it is also associated with reduced fertility even in ovulatory women. Moreover, obesity increases the costs of assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatments and reduces their efficacy. In addition to fertility disorders, obesity increases significantly the risks of many complications of pregnancy, delivery and neonatal health. However, a modest loss of 5-10% of total body weight can restore ovulation and improve pregnancy rates. OBJECTIVES: 1) To design and implement a multidisciplinary program for lifestyle management of obese women, or overweight women with PCOS, who seek fertility treatment in a secondary AHR center. 2) To evaluate lifestyle benefits of this program and assess its impact on fertility, pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, as compared to a randomly assigned control group and to similar women seen in tertiary AHR centers. 3) To assess cost per live birth, and other measures of cost-effectiveness, of this program compared to the control group and tertiary AHR centers. 4) To effectively transfer knowledge obtained through these activities to relevant stakeholders in the health care and public health sectors. METHODS AND APPROACH: In order to design the program for lifestyle management of obesity in infertile women, we will gather a Committee composed of members of our interdisciplinary research team and relevant collaborators. Objectives 2 and 3 - In order to achieve these objectives, 128 obese women (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²), or overweight women with PCOS (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m²), consulting at the CHUS fertility clinic will be randomized to our lifestyle program, and will suspend fertility treatments for six months, or to standard fertility treatments, which are directly initiated. The results obtained will also be compared to those of women with the same criteria who will consult in 3 tertiary AHR clinics not offering a similar lifestyle management program. IMPACT: This project is very important as it will generate new knowledge about the implementation, impacts and costs of a new lifestyle management program in obese infertile women. Our project will obtain valuable data on implementability of such a program; on benefits with regard to lifestyle, fertility and maternal and foetal complications during pregnancy; as well as on reduction in cost per live birth and other cost-effectiveness ratio.

Multiple pregnancies are considered an ART complication. The only effective way to reduce its incidence is to transfer a single embryo. Nonetheless, there is some reluctance among the patients to accept this strategy. In IVF/ICSI programs, it has been demonstrated that, after receiving the information about the similar cumulative live birth rate after single embryo transfer (SET) and double embryo transfer (DET) and the obstetric and perinatal risks of multiple pregnancy, a significant number of patients opt for SET. Up to date, no comparable studies have been published in oocyte recipients. The aim of this study is to evaluate if the information given to the patients influence their preference on the number of embryos to be transferred. It also seeks to identify factors which determine the initial preference and factors which can explain a hypothetic change in this preference.

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the impact of repeated antioxidant supplementation on blastocyst utilization and expansion rates in embryos under different oxygen concentrations. The study aims to answer the following main questions: Does adding antioxidants every 12 hours to embryo culture media improve usable and expanded blastocyst utilization rates on days 5 and 6? How are the O2 concentrations related to the effect of different methods of antioxidants supplementation on blastocysts utilization and expansion rates? Participants in this study are infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Zygotes will be incubated at either 5% or 20% oxygen tension until the blastocyst stage. Sibling zygotes will be divided into four groups: Group 1A and 1B: Antioxidants every 12 hours at either 5% or 20% O2 tension, respectively. Group 2A and 2B: Antioxidants only once at the beginning of embryo culture at either 5% or 20% O2 tension, respectively. Researchers will compare the four groups to determine if the repeated antioxidant supplementation of the culture media leads to improved blastocyst utilization and expansion rates compared to the baseline group.

Since preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is being more frequently requested from patients as women pursue infertility treatments at an advanced age with a poorer prognosis, sometimes physicians are compelled to perform several stimulation cycles to obtain more eggs and, consequently, a greater number of biopsied embryos. Hence, the idea of carrying out this study arises as an attempt to optimize each menstrual cycle to the maximum. It is believed that the double stimulation (DuoStim) protocol could be an alternative for this group of patients, allowing to obtain a larger number of oocytes in a shorter period, thus, increasing the number of biopsied embryos and possibly decreasing the interval to achieve a successful pregnancy. The investigators aim to evaluate the potential usefulness of the DuoStim protocol for patients desiring to obtain oocytes as soon as possible. Using PGT, the investigators will compare the rate of euploid embryos per cycle in patients undergoing DuoStim protocol versus patients undergoing two conventional controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in consecutive cycles. Patients will include women with advanced age and poor response. This is a unicentric, prospective, randomized, non-blind, parallel-group controlled phase IV clinical study. The investigators hypothesize that the rate of euploid embryos per cycle is similar in the DuoStim group compared to the group undergoing two conventional controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in consecutive cycles. Furthermore the investigators will evaluate if there are differences regarding the number of total oocytes obtained, the number of mature oocytes, the number of biopsied blastocysts and the MitoScore index of the available euploid embryos.

Infertility affects many people in Ontario and carries a significant amount of emotional, physical and financial burden to those who experience it. Knowing when a woman ovulates is important for improving a couple's chance to become pregnant naturally and for learning about fertility problems, such as infertility, irregular menses, and hormonal disorders. Currently, there are two reliable methods to confirm ovulation: a trans-vaginal ultrasound or a blood test for progesterone, which is a hormone that only rises sharply after ovulation. However, both are time consuming and expensive. Recently, an inexpensive, home-based urine test strip has been developed to confirm ovulation. The test strip works by measuring urine for a marker of Progesterone, called pregnanediol-3a-glucuronide (PDG). The purpose of this feasibility study is to follow the use of this home-based PDG urinary test strip over the course of one menstrual cycle in 25 female participants. The results of the urine test strip will then be compared to a Progesterone blood test. Participants will be recruited from the general Ottawa, Ontario area The ultimate aim of this study is to provide information for the design of a larger study to determine the accuracy of the PDG urinary test strip. If shown to be as effective in confirming ovulation, this test would provide substantial cost saving to the Ontario health care system and a much more convenient way for women and clinicians to confirm ovulation and determine if women are fertile.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a continuous administration of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or other androgenic agents on ovarian reserve markers in women with diminished ovarian reserve (ROD), such as antral follicle count (AFC) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations.