• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.289-295
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• 2005

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene polymorphism and in vitro fertilization(IVF) embryo development in the pigs. The single strand conformation polymorphism(SSCP) genotypes from HSP70 K1, K3 and K4 PCR products were detected different patterns. In cleavage rate of oocyte fertilized in vitro, HSP70 K1-AA genotype($73.1\%$) and K1-AB genotype($62.3\%$) showed significantly higher oocyte cleavage rate than HSP70 K1-BB genotype($49.3\%$)(p<0.05). And HSP70 K3-AA genotype ($72.4\%$) and K3-AB($62.2\%$) also showed significantly higher oocyte cleavage rate than HSP70 K3-BB genotype($49.1\%$)(p<0.05). The IVF embryo development of 2-cell stage according to HSP70 genotypes of sperm and pig breeds also showed a significant difference. The number of embryos developed to 2-cell stage in Landrace(28.8) and Duroc(29.8) were significantly higher than in Yorkshire(10.9)(p<0.05). And also HSP70 K4-AB genotype group(29.6) higher than HSP70 K4-AA genotype group(10.6)(p<0.05). However, the number of embryos developed to blastocyst stage did not showed significant differences among breeds as well as HSP70 genotypes. These resrults suggest that in vitro development in porcine early embryos may be affected by HSP70 genotypes and breeds.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.239-244
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• 2004

The present study was to investigate the pregnancy rate, gestation length and abortion rate of the recipients which transferred blastocysts produced by in-vivo collection, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and nuclear transfer (NT). In addition, we investigate the birth weight and survival rate of the calves derived from the same methods. The pregnancy rate was 56.3％ in-vivo blastocysts, significantly higher than 19.4％ in NT blastocysts (p<0.05) but not significantly different from 30.0％ in IVF blastocysts. The abortion rate and the gestation length did not differ among the treatment groups (abortion rate: 0, 22.2 and 16.7％ respectively; gestation length: 278.8, 289.4 and 281.4 days respectively). The mean birth weight was significantly higher in NT calves (39.9kg) than in-vivo calves (25.5kg p<0.05). Recipients of in-vivo blastocysts (n=9) had all normal delivery and all of their calves survived on the 60$^{th}$ day from the birth. Recipients of IVF blastocysts (n=7) had all normal delivery but one of their calves died on the 48$^{th}$ day from the birth. Among recipients of NT blastocysts (n=5), three had normal delivery and two had Caesarean section. Among calves born through normal delivery (n=3) two died just after delivery but those born through Caesarean section all survived on the 60th day from the birth.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.213-221
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• 1998

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been widely used to treat couples with infertility due to severely impaired sperm charateristics and for whom conventional in-vitro fertilization (IVF) had failed. The extent to which the morphology of the oocyte at the light microscopy level is related to the results of ICSI vis controversial. In this study, oocytes from 44 patients were reviewed. The ICSI procedure was recorded through CCD camera. The oocytes were divided into five groups according to the presence of cytoplasmic inclusions, the width of perivitelline space (PVS), the presence of cell debris in PVS, the status of first polar body and the flexibility of oolemma. The results showed that the fertilization rate and embryonic development were not associated with the morphological criteria of oocyte. The degeneraton rate of oocytes after ICSI was significantly higher (P<0.001) in the oocytes whose membranes were broken at the moment of insertion (17.7%) than the oocytes whose membranes were broken by aspiration of cytoplasm (1.6%). More oocytes with cytoplasmic inclusions (48.4% vs. 25.1%, p<0.001), wide PVS (35.2% vs. 19.0%, p<0.001), or cell debris in PVS (53.3% vs. 38.4%, p<0.05) were observed in patients with female factor infertility compared to patients with male factor infertility. These results .suggest that the fertilization rate and embryonic development after ICSI are not correlated with oocyte morphology based on the presence of cytoplasmic inclusions, size of PVS, the presence of cell debris in PVS and the status of polar body. And the degeneration rate of oocytes after ICSI was associated with the flexibility of oolemma.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.8-13
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• 2015

Objective: Great advances have been made in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) since the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) baby was born in Korea. This study was designed to report on the current status of ART therapy in South Korea between January 1 and December 31 of 2010. Methods: A revised survey, originally developed by the International Committee Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies, was sent to all available ART centers via email in 2013. Fresh embryo transfer (FET) cases were categorized into standard IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injections. These cases, the thawing embryo transfer (TET) cases, and other related procedures were surveyed. Results: Data from 30,785 ART procedures were provided by 78 clinics. Of the 28,200 cycles in which oocytes were retrieved, 92.2% of these cycles were completely transferred. In addition, 8,075 cycles were confirmed to be clinical pregnancies in the FET cycles, which represent a pregnancy rate of 28.6% per oocyte pick-up and 31.1% per embryo transfer. The most common number of embryos transferred in the FET was three embryos (37.3%) followed by two embryos (36.3%) and one embryo (14.0%). Of the 6,648 TET cycles transferred, 2,356 clinical pregnancies were confirmed by ultrasonography. The most common number of embryos in the TET group was two embryos (43.4%) followed by three embryos (25.4%) and one embryo (18.9%). Conclusion: The clinical pregnancy rate per transfer in the FET cycles was similar in 2009 and 2010. Among the FET cycles where one or two embryos were transferred, the clinical pregnancy rate per transfer slightly increased from 2009 (28.7%) to 2010 (32.9%).

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.175-180
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• 2015

Objective: Embryo loading (EL) is a major step in embryo transfer (ET) and affect on the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF). This study aimed to compare the effect of two different EL techniques on the rates of pregnancy and delivery in IVF/ET cycles. Methods: 207 fresh ET and 194 Frozen-thawed ET (FET) cycles were included in this retrospective study. Two groups (A and B) were defined based on the EL technique used. In group A, the entire catheter was flushed with Ham's F-10 medium. The embryos were then drawn into the catheter using one air bracket. In group B, $70{\mu}L$ of air was aspirated into the syringe and the catheter was flushed using Ham's F10 medium. The medium, air, embryos, air, and finally another layer of medium were then sequentially drawn into the catheter. The main outcome measures were the pregnancy and delivery rates. Results: The groups did not differ with respect to the etiology of infertility, the source of spermatozoa, the quality of the embryos, the type of EL catheter, and the ease of transfer. The pregnancy rate was similar between two groups. In fresh ET cycles, a higher delivery rate was observed in group B than it group A (78.1% vs. 60%, p=0.1). In FET cycles, the rate of delivery was significantly higher in group B than in group A to a nonsignificant extent (88.9% vs. 58.8%, p=0.06). Conclusion: EL techniques did not have a significant impact on the delivery rate in either fresh or FET cycles.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 1998

It was reported that the etiologies of recurrent spontaneous abortion are immunologic factors, endocrinologic problems, anatomical abnormalities, genetic abnormalities, infection, and unexplained factors. Among those etiologic factors, genetic abnormalities occur in about 5% of the couples who experience recurrent spontaneous abortions, and most common parental chromosomal abnormality contributing to recurrent abortion is balanced translocation. The advent of in vitro fertilization (IVF), the development of skills associated with the handling of human embryo, and an explosion of knowledge in molecular biology have opened the possibility of early diagnosis of genetic disease in preimplantation embryos. Therefore preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is indicated for couples, infertile or not, at risk of transmitting a genetic disease. A case of successful pregnancy and term delivery by PGD using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique in patient with recurrent spontaneous abortion due to balanced translocation is presented with brief review of literatures.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.98-102
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• 2011

Objective: To investigate the effects of pioglitazone on controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), IVF outcomes, and follicular fluid (FF) cytokine concentrations in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: Eighty-six infertile patients with PCOS resistant to clomiphene citrate were randomized to receive pioglitazone (30 mg/day) or placebo on the starting day of oral contraceptive (OC) pretreatment, followed by an IVF protocol using a GnRH antagonist. Pioglitazone or placebo was administered once daily from the starting day of OC to the day of hCG injection. Results: Total dose and days of recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone administered, and the numbers of retrieved and mature oocytes, were significantly lower in the pioglitazone group than in the control group. FF tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations at oocyte retrieval were also significantly lower in the pioglitazone group. The clinical pregnancy rate was higher and the incidence of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome was lower in the pioglitazone group, but the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Pioglitazone reduces FF TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-6 levels, and may improve ovarian response to COS in patients with PCOS.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 1986

Follicle monitoring in the normal and clomiphene·stimulated cycles were analyzed in the Seoul IVF and ET (In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer) program. Ovarian follicular diameters were measured by the real·time sector scanner and plasma estradiol levels were assayed by radioimmunoassay methods during periovulatory period. The maximum follicular sizes of the clomiphene-stimulated and normal cycles were 21.1+-3.4mm and 19.2+-0.8mm, respectively. The peak levels of plasma estradiol in the clomiphene-stimulated and normal cycles were 10538+-553.6ng/ml and 298.3+-39.6pg/ml, respectively. Daily growth rate of the follicular diameters of the clomiphene-stimulated and normal cycles were 2.1mm and 1.9mm, respectively. Mean follicular number of the clomiphene-simulated and normal cycles were 2.28+-1.12 and 1.12+-0.21, respectively. There was a good statistical correlation between the mean follicular diameters and the plasma estradiol levels in the normal ovulatory and c1omiphene-stimulated ovulatory menstrual cycles (p<0.05). Our data revealad that the mean follicular diameter and the plasma estradiol level prior to HCG administration in IVF and program should reach at the level of 17.8+-3.0mm and 949.4+-487.1 pg/ml, respectively.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.178-188
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• 2019

Objective: To determine the clinical pregnancy (CP) and live birth (LB) rates arising from frozen embryo transfers (FETs) that had been generated under the influence of in vitro fertilization (IVF) adjuvants given to women categorized as poor-prognosis. Methods: A registered, single-center, retrospective study. A total of 1,119 patients with first FETs cycle include 310 patients with poor prognosis (109 treated with growth hormone [GH], (+)GH group vs. 201 treated with dehydroepiandrosterone, (-)GH group) and 809 patients with good prognosis (as control, (-)Adj (Good) group). Results: The poor-prognosis women were significantly older, with a lower ovarian reserve than the (-)Adj (Good) group, and demonstrated lower chances of CP (p< 0.005) and LB (p< 0.005). After adjusting for confounders, the chances of both CP and LB in the (+)GH group were not significantly different from those in the (-)Adj (Good) group, indicating that the poor-prognosis patients given GH had similar outcomes to those with a good prognosis. Furthermore, the likelihood of LB was significantly higher for poor-prognosis women given GH than for those who did not receive GH (p< 0.028). This was further confirmed in age-matched analyses. Conclusion: The embryos cryopreserved from fresh IVF cycles in which adjuvant GH had been administered to women classified as poor-prognosis showed a significant 2.7-fold higher LB rate in subsequent FET cycles than a matched poor-prognosis group. The women with a poor prognosis who were treated with GH had LB outcomes equivalent to those with a good prognosis. We therefore postulate that GH improves some aspect of oocyte quality that confers improved competency for implantation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.128-128
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• 2003

The aims of this study are 1) to test oocytes and embryos collected from in-vivo and in-vitro to achieving the valuable protocol by culturing, vitrifying and thawing of oocytes/embryos, and 2) to transfer them to recipient, and finally have resulted in pregnancies from recipient females after surgical or nonsurgical transfer. In vitro maturation and fertilization were performed according to the procedures of Funahashi et al. Fertilized oocytes were cultured in glucose-free NCSU 23 supplemented with 5 mM sodium pyruvate, 0.5 mM sodium lactate and 4 mg/ml bovine serum albumin for 2 days at 39$^{\circ}C$, and 10% fetal bovine serum was added to the culture medium thereafter. Embryos were treated with 7.5$\square$g/ml cytochalasin-B for 30 min, centrifuged at 13,000 ${\times}$ g for 13 min and then exposed sequentially to an ethylene glycol (EG) vitrification solution, aspirated into OPSs, and plunged/thawed into/from liquid nitrogen. In vivo embryos were surgically collected from three donors after Al. Forty-six embryos (18, 9 and 19 embryos, respectively) were washed 3 times in mPBS+10%FBS, followed treatments : cultured, centrifuged, vitrified, recovered and transferred to recipients as in vitro prepared embryos. Three recipients received surgically 34(control), 188 and 184 embryos (derived from abattoir), respectively. Another three recipients were received nonsurgically 150, 100 and 150 embryos, respectively. All recipient sows exhibited delayed returns to estrus. To our knowledge, these results suggest that required an improved techniques, more vigorous embryos preparation and cleaner uterous condition(use gilt).