Search

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a ubiquitous xenoestrogen found in plastic products used for food containers, paper products, water pipes, etc. Individuals exposed to BPA are susceptible to detrimental effects; with poor oocyte quality, sperm motility, and impaired embryo implantation observed in mouse models at levels as low as 100 µg/kg/day. To investigate the mechanism through which BPA affects embryo development, oocytes were retrieved from 8-10-week-old mice and fertilized using IVF. The embryos were divided into 4 groups and exposed to increasing BPA concentrations (10 - 200 µM) for 18 hours, then were graded daily based on morphological appearance and development. A subgroup of the treated embryos (n = 10/group) were further evaluated for induction of apoptosis, overproduction of ROS, and zinc depletion. Mouse oocytes were treated with BPA (up to 300 µΜ), then, using RT-PCR, we preformed gene expression studies for AZGP1, an important gene in zinc homeostasis. Cultured day 5 mouse embryos that were exposed to BPA concentrations > 50 µM had fewer progressions to blastocysts, lower blastocyst grades, and more were arrested as compared to controls (p

Objective. To describe a case of successful oocyte retrieval, fertilization and clinical pregnancy despite very low β-hCG level, twelve hours after ovulation trigger. Design. Case report. Setting. Academic medical center. Patient. A 38-year-old patient inadvertently administered 2,000 IU hCG for final oocyte maturation; serum hCG twelve hours later was 16 IU/L. Interventions. Effort to obtain and administer a booster dose of hCG over the next twenty-seven hours failed. Main Outcome. Successful oocyte retrieval. Results. Fourteen oocytes were retrieved of which twelve were in metaphase II and nine fertilized after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Of these, eight embryos survived to day 5 and were subjected to preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Results were available the next day, three of the embryos were euploid and one was transferred on day 6. Pregnancy was confirmed twelve days later and currently the patient has an ongoing singleton intrauterine pregnancy. Conclusion. Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility specialists should be aware that final oocyte maturation could occur following injection of a lower dose of hCG with excellent fertilization rate and embryo development.