• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2018

Objective: This study conducted a preliminary examination of the effects of three-area laser-assisted zona thinning (LAZT) during the cleavage stage of embryo development on the hatching process in human in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) with subjects of advanced female age or frozen-thawed (FT) embryos. Methods: Eight-cell stage embryos were treated with LAZT in three areas of the zona pellucida at $120^{\circ}$ intervals. The control group was embryos without LAZT. Of the 72 consecutive fresh cycles and the 28 FT embryo transfer cycles, the patients in 55 fresh cycles and 17 FT cycles declined LAZT, and those cycles were defined as the control group. Results: In the fresh cycles, the pregnancy rates were similar in the LAZT and control groups. However, in the FT cycles, the pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the LAZT group than in the control group (45.5% in the LAZT group vs. 23.5% in the control group, p< 0.05). Conclusion: These results show that multi-area LAZT resulted in significantly improved pregnancy outcomes in human 8-cell embryos compared to controls.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.53-60
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• 2011

Objective: This study was carried out to compare the clinical outcome of elective single cleavage-embryo transfer (eSCET) to that of elective single blastocyst-embryo transfer (eSBET) in human IVF-ET. Methods: This study was a retrospective study which analyzed for 614 women who visited the Daegu Maria Clinic from August 2008 to December 2009. All were under 37 years old and had more than 8 mm of endometrial thickness on the day of hCG administration and at least one good quality embryo on day 3. The eSCETs were performed on day 3 (n=450) and the eSBETs were conducted on day 5 (n=164). Results: The numbers of retrieved oocytes, fertilized oocytes, and day 3 good quality embryos were significantly lower in the eSCET group (12.1${\pm}$6.0, 8.2${\pm}$4.6, and 4.2${\pm}$3.1, respectively) compared to the eSBET group (16.7${\pm}$7.2, 12.1${\pm}$5.0, and 8.5${\pm}$4.5, respectively; p<0.001). However, the clinical pregnancy, implantation, on-going pregnancy, and live birth rates of the eSCET group (46.7, 46.9, 40.0, and 36.7%, respectively) were not statistically different from those of the eSBET group (51.2, 51.8, 45.1, and 43.9%, respectively; p=0.318, 0.278, 0.254, and 0.103, respectively). Conclusion: These results suggested that elective single embryo transfer should be performed regardless of the developmental stage to women less than 37 years old who had more than 8 mm of endometrial thickness on the hCG administration day and at least one good quality embryo on day 3 in order to reduce the twin pregnancy rate without reducing the whole pregnancy rate.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.135-145
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• 2023

Antibiotics are frequently administered during pregnancy. Although necessary to address acute infections, their use facilitates antibiotic resistance. Other associations have also been found with the use of antibiotics, such as perturbations of gut bacteria, delays in microbial maturation, and increased risks of allergic and inflammatory diseases. Little is known about how the prenatal and perinatal administration of antibiotics to mothers affects the clinical outcomes of their offspring. A literature search was conducted of the Cochrane, Embase, and PubMed engines. The retrieved articles were reviewed by two authors and verified for relevance. The primary outcome was the effect of pre- and perinatal maternal antibiotic use on clinical outcomes. Thirty-one relevant studies were included in the meta-analysis. Various aspects are discussed, including infections, allergies, obesity, and psychosocial factors. In animal studies, antibiotic intake during pregnancy has been suggested to cause long-term alterations in immune regulation. In humans, associations have been found between antibiotic intake during pregnancy and different types of infections and an increased risk of pediatric infection-related hospitalization. A dose-dependent positive association between pre- and perinatal antibiotic use and asthma severity has been reported in animal and human studies, while positive associations with atopic dermatitis and eczema were reported by human studies. Multiple associations were identified between antibiotic intake and psychological problems in animal studies; however, relevant data from human studies are limited. However, one study reported a positive association with autism spectrum disorders. Multiple animal and human studies reported a positive association between pre- and perinatal antibiotic use by mothers and diseases in their offspring. Our findings have potentially significant clinical relevance, particularly considering the implications for health during infancy and later in life as well as the related economic burden.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.131-143
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• 1974

Antenatal care is zoomed toward3 assisting the Individual to achieve safe and wholesome state of health during pregnancy. Nature of fear is assumed to be rooted to complex interaction between past experiences, human relationship and present state of health, however. specific relationship between fear and the variables have not yet been ascertained. This study is designed to investigate the nature of fear of pregnancy, and the correlation between fear and the personal and environmental variables such as personal characteristics past experiences. and psycho-social factors. During the period from October 23 to November 5, 215 pregnant and 104 non-pregnant women of similar chronological are group residing in Seoul were interviewed according to check-list by random General anxiety test, general personality test and test for fear of pregnancy, family according to specific variables such as past experiences of Pregnancy and childbirth, structure of family, family relationship and month of pregnancy was done to the group of pregnant women. To non-pregnant group, general anxiety test was performed to compare with pregnant group. Results of the study are as follows; 1. Hypothesis 1; Degree of general anxiety will be higher e pregnant women compared to that of non-pregnant women. There is no significant difference between the general anxiety of pregnant women and that of non-pregnant women. Therefore, hypothesis I is rejected. 2. Hypothesis 2: Fear of pregnancy and general anxiety will be correlated with personality factors. Through test for fear of pregnancy and general anxiety, a meager contra-correlation between fear and only two personal factors (R and E factor) is revealed but there is no significant correlation between fear and other personal factors (A.S. and T factor). Degree of fear of pregnancy tends to b: higher in the group with low personality factors; responsibility and emotional stability expect the correlation between ascendancy, sociability, and confidence-inferiority. non-significant. Through general anxiety test, level of general anxiety tends to be higher in the group. with low personality factors; responsibility. emotional stability, and confidence except ascendency and sociability, non-significant. Hypothesis 2 is partially supported. 3. Hypothesis 3; General anxiety and fear of pregnancy will be correlated with the past experience-ol pregnancy, and child-birth experience. Though general anxiety test and test for fear of pregnancy, non-significant difference is revealed by P〉.05 level Hypothesis 3 is rejected. 4. Hypothesis 4: General anxiety and fear of pregnancy will be correlated with the month at pregnancy will be correlated with the month of pregnancy. Through tests of general anxiety and fear, significant correlation is revealed degree of fear by-P〈.05 level (CR=1.98) and level of general anxiety by P〈.005 level (CR=3. 11) is higher in the earlier stage of pregnancy. Hypothesis 4 is supported. 5. Hypothesis 5, 6, 7; General anxiety and fear of pregnancy will be correlated with socio-economic status, family structure, and family relationship. Through general anxiety test and tear of pregnancy test, non-significant is revealed by P〉.05 level. Hypothesis 3.6.7 are rejected. Conclusion and recommendation Level of general: anxiety and degree of fear of pregnancy is shown not to be correlated with variables of past experiencers of pregnancy and child-birth. and family factors except the month of - pregnancy. Personal characteristics are shown to be partially contra-correlated meagerly with genera anxiety and fear of pregnancy. This study revealed contrasted results, in regard to presence of correlation between general anxiety and fear of pregnancy to other thesis. In this context. further studies under controlled environment is recommended.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.299-304
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• 1998

Despite the rapid development of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in recent years, implantation rates after replacement of embryos into the uterine cavity remains low. Several techniques such as culture conditions based on formulations of human tubal fluid and various ART techniques as GIFT, ZIFT, TET have been adopted in recent years to improve embryo viability in vitro and implantation rates. Also, coculture of human IVF-derived embryos have been used in an effort to increase the number of viable embryos following IVF and to improve synchrony between the developing embryo and the uterine environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the use of co culture with autologous cumulus cells has a significant beneficial effect on the development of embryos in vitro and its relation to the pregnancy rates in 120 patients with previous failed IVF-ET from September, 1995 to January 1998. We obtained the results from which significant improvement in the quality of viable embryos were observed using a coculture system with autologous cumulus cells, but pregnancy rates in this group of patients did not differ from the rate in the standard IVF group during the same period. Our study shows that a simplified short-term coculture system with autologous cumulus cells may help rescue moderate quality embryos to cleave regularly.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2001

Objective: This study is to investigate the clinical efficacy of low-dose FSH regimen, comparing with clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotropin (CC/hMG) regimen. Methods: Retrospective study of the ovulatory factor infertility 39 patients who had been treated by intrauterine insemination (IUI). The 31 cycles of 21 patients were stimulated by CC/hMG regimen, the 22 cycles of 18 patients were stimulated by low-dose FSH regimen. We compared the rate of clinical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) of both group. Results: The rate of clinical pregnancy of the CC/hMG group was 25.7% per cycle, and that of the low-dose FSH group was 54.5% per cycle. The low-dose FSH group showed a higher rate of clinical pregnancy per cycle than CC/hMG group (p=0.028). However, no differences was found statistically in the rate of multiple pregnancy and OHSS between CC/hMG group (22.2%, 5.7%) and low-dose FSH group (33.3%, 13.6%). Conclusion: This study showed that the low-dose FSH regimen is superior to CC/hMG regimen in getting clinical pregnancy, but dose not reduce the ovulation induction complications.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2011

This study was carried out to confirm the effects of luteotrophin, human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), and an anti-luteolytic agent, flunixin meglumin (FM), on pregnancy rates in Hanwoo with in vitro produced (IVP) embryo transfers (ET), and to research the effects on the estrus cycle. Treatments included hCG and FM administration 3~10 minutes prior to ET. Also, pregnancy rates were compared with lidocane treatment and FM treatment prior to ET. The results are shown below. 30-day pregnancy rate was 76.7% in the hCG-treated group and 75.7% in the FM-treated group. Both rates were higher than the 70% rate for the control group. 42-day pregnancy rate was 76.7% in the FM-treated group. This was higher than 66.7% recorded for both the hCG-treated and control groups. The pregnancy rate of the hCG-treated group was high at Day 30 (76.7%) but low at Day 40 (66.7%), and there were no differences from the FM-treated and control groups. The recurrent estrus rate of infertile individuals at 2 weeks after ET was 36.4% in the hCG-treated group, under 71.4% in the FM-treated group and 80.0% in the control group. The non-pregnancy rate of individuals without recurrent estrus was 18.2% in the hCG-treated group, which was higher than the 0% rate in both the FM-treated and control groups. The pregnancy rates were higher in the FM-treated group than the Lidocane-treated group with 72.3% versus 67.5% in the heifers and 48.9% versus 43.6% in the cows. From the above results, the FM treatment proved more effective than the hCG treatment and no treatment whatsoever in increasing pregnancy rates after ET. In addition, hCG treatment was shown to be undesirable due to the deviations it caused in the reproductive physiology of the hCG-treated recipients. Therefore, in our study, the FM treatment resulted in a higher pregnancy rate than either lidocaine treatment or no-treatment in the trials of ET.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.91-91
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• 2001

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.287-293
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• 2001

Objective : To investigate the efficacy of high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen on pregnancy in human embryo after freezing and thawing. Materials and Methods: 150 infertile patients underwent 162 consecutive thawing-ET cycles. In the high infusion frequency group (Group A), 47 patients (50 cycles) underwent cryopreservation with high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen. In the low infusion frequency group (Group B), 103 patients (112 cycles) underwent cryopreservation with low infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, fertilization rates, development of embryo, good quality embryo ratio, implantation rates, and pregnancy rates between these two groups. Results: There was no difference between the groups with regard to clinical characteristics (mean age, infertility duration, infertility factors, hormone profile), mean number of oocyte retrieval, fertilization rates, and mean embryo number of transfers. The survival rates in group A was 64.9% (228 of 350 embryos), and among the 228 embryos 190 embryos (83.3%) which progressed to the two- to eight-cell stage. After thawing, the embryo numbers were 65 (34.2%), 29 (15.3%), 35 (18.4%), and 37 (19.5%) of grades 1, 2, 3, and above 4, respectively. The survival rates in group B was 63.8% (482 of 755 embryos), and among the 482 embryos 465 embryos (96.5%) which progressed to the two- to eight-cell stage. After thawing, the embryo numbers were 106 (22.8%), 94 (20.2%), 89 (19.1%), and 112 (24.1%) of grades 1, 2, 3, and above 4, respectively. There was no difference in embryo quality change after the freezing-thawing procedure between the groups. Implantation rates (31.1% vs. 34.3%) were not significant. However hCG positive rates in group A (40%) were higher than group B, but not statistically significant. Clinical pregnancy rate (26% vs. 25.9%), on going pregnancy rates (>20 weeks) were not significant (26% vs. 25%). Conclusion: We compared embryo quality change, survival rates, and pregnancy rates between high infusion frequency group and low infusion frequency group and the results were similar between the two groups. Therefore, high infusion frequency of liquid nitrogen for cryopreservation is a worthy method to preserve in human embryos.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate the development rates of human embryos co-cultured with cumulus cells to each blastocyst stage. Human zygotes were co-cultured on cumulus cell monolayer in YS medium supplemented with 20% hFF. On day 2, if patient had four or more "good" embryos (regular blastomeres without fragmentation), embryos were further cultured for 72hrs. Blastocysts on day 5 were classified into early blastocyst (ErB), early expanding blastocyst (EEB), middle expanding Blastocyst (MEB), and expanded blastocyst (EdB) on the basis of their morphological aspects of trophectoderm cells and blastocoele. Subsequently, maximum 3 of best blastocysts were transferred in 486 cycles. The results in this study were as follows: Patients who had four or more "good" embryos on day 2 were 498 persons, but patients whose embryos could not be transferred due to failure in development to the blastocyst stage on day 5 were 12 persons (2.4%). The development rate of embryos to the blastocyst stage was 58.2% (2,885/4,957) on day 5, and the rates that developed to the ErB, EEB, MEB, and EdB stage were 15.0% (743/4,957), 14.9% (739/4,957), 14.4% (714/ 4,957), and 13.9% (689/4,957), respectively. Total 1366 blastocysts were transferred in 486 cycles (mean number=2.81). The implantation rate and the ongoing implantation rate obtained by observing the number of G-sac and FHB were 29.9% (409/1,366) and 22.5% (308/1,366), respectively. The clinical pregnancy rate was 51.2% (249/486), and the ongoing pregnancy rate' was 39.1% (190/486). Among women showing ongoing pregnancy, women with singleton were 50% (95/190), women with twin were 37.9% (72/190), and women with triplet were 12.1% (23/190). Although triplet pregnancy rate in this study was high such as 12.1%, because many blastocysts with high viability were produced in our co-culture system using cumulus cells on day 5, we really believe that a multiple pregnancy except twin should not occur by selecting good embryos for maximum two blastocyst transfer. These results demonstrate that autologous cumulus cells may be used for the production of blastocysts with high developmental competence, and the use of autologous cumulus cells to be collected easily, and to be treated conveniently at OPU must be an effective means for obtaining high implantation and pregnancy rate.