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R Tureck

Publications and source records attributed to R Tureck.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Can the immunobead assay for detecting sperm antibodies in fresh samples be reproduced in cryopreserved/thawed human spermatozoa?

PROBLEM: To evaluate the reproducibility of the Immunobead Assay (IBA) on sperm samples before and after cryopreservation. METHOD: Sperm samples (fresh and post-thaw) from known antibody negative donors (N = 20) were evaluated for percent immunobead binding by IBA following incubation with known antibody-positive serum. RESULTS: In both fresh and thawed negative samples, the mean sperm head binding was 0.5% +/- 0.5, the mean sperm tail binding was 2.0% +/- 2.0 and the mean sperm head-tail binding was 3.0% +/- 2.0 for IgG, IgA and IgM type antibodies, respectively. The same samples exposed to positive sera showed 40.0% +/- 10.0 mean head binding, 7.0% +/- 8.0 mean tail binding and 47.0% +/- 11.0 mean head-tail binding. CONCLUSIONS: IBA is highly reproducible for detecting sperm antibodies in both fresh and cryopreserved/thawed samples of human spermatozoa.

Autoantibodies↗

Perceptions of infertility and treatment stress in females as compared with males entering in vitro fertilization treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To determine gender similarities and differences in perceptions of infertility and anticipated treatment stress in couples enrolling for in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. DESIGN: Both partners were evaluated at enrollment of IVF treatment. The evaluation was part of the screening procedure. SETTING: The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at a teaching hospital. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred consecutive couples who entered an IVF treatment program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-report questionnaire included items on the duration of infertility, degree of social support, effect of infertility on sexual relationship, expected likelihood of achieving pregnancy, anticipation of stress during treatment, and a self-rating scale of emotional reactions to infertility. RESULTS: The women anticipated more stress in IVF treatment but also rated greater degree of social support than the men. Both partners overestimated their chances of a successful treatment outcome. Factor analysis of the Infertility Scale produced three factors that were similar for both sexes. The first factor represented the desire to have a child as a major focus of life with inadequacy of the male role, social functioning and work efficiency, and pressure to have a child following. CONCLUSIONS: Women reported more stress, but the factors affecting stress of infertility were very similar for both partners. The intense focus on having a child was the predominant factor in anticipated stress of IVF treatment for both males and females.

Adult↗

Comparison of different regimens of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog during ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization.

Three treatment protocols were used in 156 in vitro fertilization cycles. Leuprolide acetate was begun on day 1 of the cycle in one group (n = 20), on day 3 in another (n = 48), and the third control group (n = 88) did not receive the gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog. Human menopausal gonadotropin was initiated on day 3 in all groups. Peak estradiol (E2) levels and the mean numbers of mature oocytes and embryos transferred per cycle were significantly greater in the day 3 group than in either the day 1 or control groups. Patients who received the day 3 protocol had significantly fewer cancelled cycles. A decline in E2 was observed on the third day of analog administration in certain patients, particularly those on the day 1 protocol. Follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels increased two- to fivefold 24 hours after initiation of the analog. Thereafter the gonadotropin levels fell, but nevertheless remained above those of controls for most of the cycle. Hence, it appears that enhanced follicular growth attributed to the early transient rises in gonadotropins can be coupled to a suppression of endogenous LH surges in leuprolide-treated women. These beneficial effects seem to be more likely to occur if leuprolide is initiated on cycle day 3 rather than day 1.

Adult↗

An increased initial follicle-stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone ratio does not affect ovarian responses and the outcomes of in vitro fertilization.

The tenet that a combination of human follicle-stimulating hormone (hFSH)/human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) improves follicular recruitment was assessed by randomly treating ovulatory women either with hFSH/hMG on days 3 and 4 of the cycle followed by two ampules of hMG daily or with a constant daily dose of 2 ampules of hMG. Estradiol (E2) levels on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and the mean number of mature, immature and atretic oocytes per cycle did not differ between the two groups. Likewise, fertilization, cleavage, and pregnancy rates were similar for the two treatments. When daily hormone levels were compared in 11 patients during two successive treatment cycles with both stimulation protocols, the temporal pattern of FSH accumulation was repeated in both cycles, but FSH levels were significantly higher when patients received hFSH/hMG. Nevertheless, during both cycles, E2 reached similar peak levels and the mean number of follicles per cycle on the day of hCG administration was not different. We conclude that routine use of hFSH/hMG does not improve the success of an in vitro fertilization (IVF) program and that higher FSH levels do not change the individuality of ovarian response in the same woman.

Estradiol↗

Incidence of abortion in pregnancies after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

Our purpose was to assess factors that are associated with an increased rate of spontaneous abortion in pregnancies initiated by in vitro fertilization. Pregnancies were diagnosed by measurement of serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) 15 days after embryo transfer. Of the 64 women who conceived, 47 delivered term infants, one patient delivered a stillborn at 22 weeks, 14 aborted in the first trimester, and two had pregnancies that implanted in the tube. Abortion rates were similar for women treated with human menopausal gonadotropin (24%; 12 of 54) and those who received clomiphene citrate (12.5%; one of eight). Two patients conceived after treatment with a combination of clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotropin, neither of whom aborted. In 54 patients treated with human menopausal gonadotropin, there were no significant differences in mean maternal age, number of years of infertility before the pregnancy, history of previous pregnancies, amount of human menopausal gonadotropin used to induce ovulation, serum estradiol levels on the day of hCG administration, mean number of follicles, and the mean number of transferred embryos between the group who delivered and the group who aborted. We conclude that none of these factors are associated with increased tendency for fetal loss in our in vitro fertilization program. Beta-hCG levels on day 15 after embryo transfer were significantly lower in the group who aborted than in the group who delivered, and may be predictive of implantation failure.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

Ovarian response to human menopausal gonadotropin following suppression with oral contraceptives.

The main conclusion of this study is that a profound suppression of the pituitary and ovary can be associated with an inadequate response which may require a longer or different regimen of stimulation to achieve the desired outcome for IVF. We suggest that a pretreatment determination of E2 and gonadotropins can be of value to predict the nature of ovarian response in women with suppressed pituitary-ovarian function.

Contraceptives, Oral↗

Sonographic assessment of the endometrium in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Sonography has an important role in the care of infertile patients undergoing in vitro fertilization. Unlike the ovarian follicle, sonographic changes in the endometrium during induction have not been extensively investigated. To determine whether changes in endometrial thickness or changes in endometrial texture would predict subsequent pregnancy, a randomized, double-blind review of 320 studies was performed. None of the endometrial patterns nor any particular change from one pattern to another during induction was predictive of subsequent pregnancy. Although differences in endometrial thickness between non-pregnant and subsequently pregnant patients were noted, on an individual basis, endometrial thickness was not a useful predictor.

Double-Blind Method↗

Psychological evaluation and support in a program of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

This report describes the psychological evaluation of 200 couples consecutively seen at a pretreatment consultation in an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer program. Attitudinal and emotional characteristics of the sample are also described. Half the women and 15% of the men reported that infertility is the most upsetting experience of their lives. On the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), approximately 20% of the males and females had one or more elevated scale scores, suggesting dysfunctional emotional distress or personality difficulties. Half the sample had high scores on the MMPI Ego Strength scale, which indicated effective functioning and ability to withstand stress. T scores for the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale were in the normal range before treatment. Further longitudinal study is needed to define the emotional impact of procedures and reactions to treatment outcomes.

Adult↗

Human in vitro fertilization.

Human in vitro fertilization has become a widely accepted method of treatment for infertile couples. The list of indications for this technique is rapidly growing and includes oligospermia, endometriosis, and unexplained infertility. The techniques of follicular recruitment, ovum maturation, and follicular aspiration, as well as laboratory culture techniques, are described. The various factors to be taken into consideration when trying to assess possible success of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer are discussed in this paper.

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗

Assessment of the cause of infertility.

The different causes of infertility and evaluation of the infertile couple are reviewed in this paper. Forty to 50 percent of cases are due to male factors, and special emphasis is placed in describing techniques to diagnosis this type of infertility. Five to ten percent of infertile couples have infertility of unknown etiology even after a complete, appropriate evaluation. Special instruction in how to diagnose and treat these types of patients is described. A step by step evaluation of peritoneal factors, ovulation factors, and male and cervical mucus interaction is presented for the clinicians' use.

Cervix Mucus↗