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Most in vitro fertilization (IVF) experts and infertility patients agree that the most ideal assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcome is to have a healthy, full-term singleton born. To this end, the most reliable policy is the single-embryo transfer (SET). However, unsatisfactory results in IVF may result from plenty of factors, in which aneuploidy associated with advanced maternal age is a major hurdle. Throughout the past few years, we have got a big leap in advancement of the genetic screening of embryos on aneuploidy, translocation, or mutations. This facilitates a higher success rate in IVF accompanied by the policy of elective SET (eSET).As the cost is loweringwhile the scale of genome characterization continues to be up over the recent years, the contemporary technologies on trophectoderm biopsy and freezing-thaw, comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) with eSET appear to be getting more and more popular for modern IVF centers. Furthermore, evidence has showen that, by these avant-garde techniques (trophectoderm biopsy, vitrification, and CCS), older infertile women with the help of eSET may have an opportunity to increase the success of their live birth rates approaching those reported in younger infertility patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Uterine expression of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is absolutely essential for mouse, and critical for human, embryo implantation. However LIF is not required for post‐implantation development of mouse embryo. The objective of this study was to examine the role of LIF system in post‐implantation stage of human pregnancy. METHODS: Tissues from 25 patients with anembryonic pregnancy (AP; blighted ovum) and 25 matched patients with normal pregnancy (NP) were collected. LIF and its receptor β (LIF‐Rβ) expression in the decidua and chorionic villi were analyzed by semi‐quantitative reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR), real‐time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical study. RESULTS: LIF mRNA levels were not different either between different tissues (decidua vs chorionic villi) or between different patients (NP vs AP). LIF‐Rβ mRNA levels were significantly higher in chorionic villi than in decidua but were not different between NP and AP. Immunohistochemical staining supported these findings and showed a predominate expression of LIF‐Rβ in the trophoblast cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study concluded that at early human post‐implantation stage, LIF is produced from both decidua and chorionic villi and may exert its major action on trophoblasts. A baseline expression of LIF and LIF‐Rβ is probably needed for early pregnancy, but AP cannot be accounted for by the defective expression of either LIF or LIF‐Rβ in most circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that peritoneal macrophages from women with endometriosis produce excess nitric oxide (NO). This study was designed to quantify the amount of NO and determine the expression of endothelial (eNOS) and inducible NO synthases (iNOS) in women with and without endometriosis. METHODS: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed on endometrial tissues obtained from controls (myoma, n = 30) and on eutopic/ectopic endometrial tissues from endometriosis patients (n = 34) to evaluate eNOS and iNOS protein concentrations in these endometrial tissues. A rapid-response chemiluminescence analyser was used to measure NO directly in fresh endometrial tissues. RESULTS: Mean (± SEM) levels of NO were significantly increased in the endometrial tissues of women with endometriosis (13.2 ± 7.8 versus 19.8 ± 12.6 nmol/g tissue; P = 0.016). Apparently higher levels of NO were found in ectopic compared with eutopic endometrium (P = 0.057). Endometrial tissues of women with endometriosis appeared to contain more iNOS than those of controls (3.6 ± 2.2 versus 8.6 ± 12.2 pg/µg protein; P = 0.06), but no significant difference was found in eNOS levels. CONCLUSIONS: Greater amounts of NO and NOS are present in the endometrial tissues of women with endometriosis, implying a possible role for NO in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]