• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.97-101
• /
• 2016

Objective: Growth hormone and its mediator, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), have been suggested to exert gonadotropic actions in both humans and animals. The present study was conducted to assess the relationship between serum IGF-1 concentration, seminal plasma concentration, and sperm parameter abnormalities. Methods: A total of 79 men were enrolled in this study from December 2011 to July 2012 and were prospectively analyzed. Patient parameters analyzed included age, body mass index, smoking status, urological history, and fertility history. Patients were divided into four groups based on their semen parameters: normal (A, n=31), abnormal sperm motility (B, n=12), abnormal sperm morphology (C, n=20), and two or more abnormal parameters (D, n=16). Patient seminal plasma and serum IGF-1 concentrations were determined. Results: Patient baseline characteristics were not significantly different between any of the groups. The serum IGF-1 levels in groups B, C, and D were significantly lower than the levels in group A; however, the seminal plasma IGF-1 levels were not significantly different between any of the groups. Conclusion: Men with abnormal sperm parameters had significantly lower levels of serum IGF-1 compared with men with normal sperm parameters. Seminal plasma IGF-1 levels, however, did not differ significantly between the groups investigated here. Further investigations will be required to determine the exact mechanisms by which growth hormone and IGF-1 affect sperm quality.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.209-214
• /
• 2002

Objective : To analyze the clinical characteristics of obese infertile women. Material and Method: Height, weight, body mass index, menstrual pattern, glucose, insulin, glucose/insulin ratio, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), testosterone, free testosterone and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) of 15 obese infertile women were tested. Results: Of 15 obese infertile women, the number of diabetes mellitus, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance was 2 (13%), 2 (13%), 2 (13%), respectively. The incidence of increased DHEA-S, testosterone, and free testosterone was 7 (47%), 1 (7%), 6 (40%), respectively. Notably, all patients showed increased PAI-1. Conclusions: Obesity is associated with infertility as well as many kinds of health problems. Obesity is closely related to insulin resistance and it also causes hyperandrogenism. Increased PAI-1 is one of the important causes of thrombophilia. Consequently, in the workup of obese infertile patient, many aspects of health problems should be considered.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.85-94
• /
• 2011

Purpose: Hominis placenta have used widely for women's disease like climacteric syndrome, dysmenorrhea, infertility, but we don't have enough evidence with it. This study is to investigate efficacy and safety of Hominis Placenta on women by investigating papers. Methods: We searched for papers which had Hominis placenta, placental extract associated with women's disease in the Pubmed and Korean journals. Results: 20 papers were found. 15 papers were associated with menopausal disorder. Hominis placenta could have the efficacy on osteoporosis and climacteric syndrome induced by menopause. And each 2 papers were relevant to postpartum symptoms and menses. 1 papers was relevant to pregnancy. Most of studies have shown that Hominis placenta is useful for female disorders. Conclusions: Hominis placenta could be a good treatment for female disorder like climacteric syndrome, dysmenorrhea, infertility. But evidence is not enough with Hominis placenta, so more research will be needed.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.107-110
• /
• 2000

연구목적: 본 연구는 자궁내막증과 무월경 불임환자들을 대상으로 $LH{\beta}$ exon 2 유전자의 돌연변이를 탐색하고자 시도하였다. 연구재료 및 방법: 그 대상으로 22명의 자궁내막증 환자와 12명의 무월경 환자 그리고, 54명의 건강한 비임신 여성을 대조군으로 사용하였다. 이들을 대상으로 한 돌연변이 탐색은 PCR-RFLP(polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment polymorphism) 방법으로 수행되었다. 결과: 그 결과 자궁내막증과 무월경증 환자에서 그 변이의 비율이 각각 18.2%, 16.7% 그리고, 대조군에서 역시 16.7%의 빈도를 나타냈다. 결론: 따라서, 자궁내막증과 무월경증 환자는 $LH{\beta}$ exon 2 돌연변이와는 서로 관련이 없거나 매우 적음을 알 수 있었다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.173-177
• /
• 2000

연구목적: 한국여성의 다낭성 난포증후군 환자에서 황체형성 호르몬 exon 2 유전자의 변이를 탐색하여 이들 변이와 질환과의 관련성 여부를 밝히고자 하였다. 연구재료 및 방법: 21명의 다낭성 난포증후군 환자를 대상으로 황체형성 호르몬 exon 2(Trp8Arg;TGG to CGG and Ile15Thr; ATC to ACC)의 변이를 탐색하였다. 혈액에서 Genomic DNA를 추출하여 PCR로 증폭한 후 RFLP 방법으로 변이형을 구분하였다. 결과: 황체형성 호르몬 exon 2의 변이형이 다낭성 난포증후군 환자에서 28.6%로 이미 조사된 바 있는 대조군의 16.7% 보다 약간 높게 나타났으나 통계적으로 유의한 차이는 없었다(p>0.05). 결론: 황체형성 호르몬 exon 2의 변이가 한국인의 다낭성 난포증후군 발병과 관련이 있는지를 밝히기 위해 더 많은 개체에 대한 연구가 요구된다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.293-300
• /
• 1997

The aim of present study was to determine the efficacy of immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes for unexplained infertility. It has been apparent that reproductive success may be affected by the presence of abnormal autoantibodies. Unexplained infertility and repeated pregnancy wastage has been reported in the presence of abnormal autoantibodies. These data suffest that abnormal immune function may be an important pathologic entity contributing subfertility in patients with unexplained infertility. Therefore, immunotherapy may be a possible treatment modality for patients with unexplained infertility. Some investigators have reported that a proportion of infertile couples with repeatedly unsuccessful ET showed close histocompatibility similar to those of spontaneous recurrent abortion. Recently, it has been noted that immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes achieves a high efficacy in preventing subsequent abortion in women with primary recurrent abortion of unknown cause, which was mediated by immune reaction including blocking antibody. To substantiate the hypothesis, we applied immunotherapy preceding Peritoneal Oocyte and Sperme transfer (POST) to 43 patients, 47 cycles of 82 patients, 89 cycles with at least three previous IUI failure from April, 1993 to February, 1995. There were no significant differences between treatment and control group in clinical response and hormonal response to controlled hyperstimulation. there was no significant difference between treatment and control group in pregnant rates per cycles (42.6% versus 28.6%), but a significantly lower abortion rate per pregnancy in treatment group, with 10.0% (2/20) compared with 50.03% (6/12) in control group. This study may suggest that immune therapy for patients with unexplained infertility with paternal lymphocytes might be beneficial.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.109-119
• /
• 2024

Objectives: This study is aimed to survey public's experience of medical use for developing Korean medicine clinical practice guideline of female infertility. Methods: The study engaged women who had experienced infertility despite regular conjugal relations, selected from an online survey company's national panel. Participants were surveyed from November 3 to 8, 2021. The questionnaire, developed from prior studies on Korean medicine, was emailed to 29,465 adults; 550 responses were analyzed after exclusions. The study received an IRB exemption from Pusan National University Korean Medicine Hospital and utilized Microsoft Excel for statistical analysis. Results: Among 550 respondents, 32.2% had experienced infertility, predominantly due to unexplained causes (52%). About half had received medical treatment (49.3%), primarily at hospitals and general hospitals (54.2%) and obstetrics and gynecology clinics (49.4%), with Korean medicine facilities also utilized (24.7% for clinics, 14.4% for hospitals). The most common treatments included herbal medicine in Korean medicine and ovulation induction in Western medicine, with most treatments lasting less than six months (71.4%) and costing between 1 to 5 million won (50.5%). Efforts to conceive included lifestyle adjustments such as maintaining a warm lower abdomen, supplement intake, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco. Conclusions: It is necessary that the guidelines be revised to address female infertility and to integrate recommendations for combining Korean medical treatments and Western medical treatments, which will enhance patient care in managing female infertility.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.22-27
• /
• 2012

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of GnRH antagonist multiple dose protocol applied during early and late follicular phase (MDP-EL) in comparison with standard GnRH agonist luteal long protocol (LP) in each non-obese and obese polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women undergoing IVF. Methods: Two hundred eleven infertile women with PCOS were recruited and randomized to undergo either GnRH antagonist MDP-EL (antagonist group) or standard GnRH agonist luteal LP (agonist group). IVF cycle outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: Total dose and days of recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (rhFSH) administered were significantly fewer in the antagonist group than in the agonist group. Incidence of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome was significantly lower in the antagonist group. However, IVF and pregnancy outcomes were similar in the two groups. When all subjects were divided into non-obese and obese subgroups, in non-obese PCOS subgroup, IVF and pregnancy outcomes were comparable in the antagonist and agonist groups but total dose and days of rhFSH were also significantly fewer in the antagonist group. Similar findings were also observed in obese PCOS subgroup. Conclusion: GnRH antagonist MDP-EL is at least as effective as GnRH agonist LP and may be a more patient-friendly alternative in controlled ovarian stimulation for PCOS patients undergoing IVF, independent of body mass index.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 2016

Moxibustion, which has a more than 4,000-year long history of use in East Asia, has been widely used for gynecological diseases. To investigate the effects of perineum (CV1) moxibustion on gynecological function, infertile women of childbearing age applied CV1 moxibustion for 30 days on a fixed schedule. The subjects had on average $2.4{\pm}1.1$ cases of infertility-related disabilities. After CV1 moxibustion treatment, on average, the subjects showed improvements in $1.5{\pm}1.0$ cases of their gynecological problems. In addition, 14.7% of the subjects got pregnant within $29{\pm}1.4$ days after the treatment. This result shows that application of moxibustion on the CV1 and uterus is an effective treatment for gynecological diseases and that it can improve the function of gynecologic organs.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2007.11a
• /
• pp.125-126
• /
• 2007