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Study question Are ROPA outcomes different from IVF with donated semen? – does the absence of genetic links between embryo and uterus impact reproductive outcomes? Summary answer The ROPA method has similar reproductive success rates to conventional IVF with donated semen. What is known already ROPA (reception of oocytes from partner), also known as lesbian shared IVF, is an assisted reproduction technique for female couples in which one woman provides the oocytes and the other receives the embryos, allowing both women to share biological motherhood. This technique may also be a way to assess the reproductive impact of the absence of a genetic link between the pregnant woman and the embryo. Broadly, it is an oocyte donation treatment, with the particularity that the patient’s partner is the donor. In practice, this means that the donor may not be as young, healthy and fertile as usual. Study design, size, duration Retrospective multicentric cohort study performed from January 2011 to December 2020 in 18 fertility clinics in Spain. A total of 99 ROPA (73 couples) and 2929 IVF cycles (2334 couples) were included. Participants/materials, setting, methods ROPA and IVF cycles with donated semen of women younger than 38 years old and no know female fertility disorder were included. Clinical outcomes were compared between both groups, including positive pregnancy test, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, preterm birth and live birth rates and weeks of gestation and newborn weight at birth. Main results and the role of chance No differences were found between groups in clinical outcomes, including positive pregnancy test, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and live birth rates, neither with fresh nor frozen embryo transfers. In addition, there were no differences in gestational age at birth, preterm birth rate or newborn weight. The total clinical pregnancy rates per embryo transfer were 57% and 50.2% (p = 0.15) and the live birth rates were 46.1% and 40.9% (p = 0.14) for the ROPA and IVF groups, respectively. When adjusted to age and BMI of donors and recipients, there were also no differences in live birth rates between both groups. The cumulative live birth rate per ROPA cycle was 73.7% and the cumulative live birth rate per couple was 78.3%. Limitations, reasons for caution The retrospective nature of the study, the small sample size of the ROPA group, differences in age between both groups, the possibility of unknown other previous reproductive treatments, and the no analysis of obstetric and other neonatal complications and outcomes. Wider implications of the findings Clinical outcomes of ROPA and single way IVF were similar, both after fresh and frozen embryo transfers. These findings suggest no impact of the absence of genetic ties between the embryo and the uterus on reproductive treatments’ outcomes. Data regarding the outcomes of the ROPA method are reassuring. Trial registration number 2011-VLC-093-PB

Study question Is there an optimal serum progesterone (P) threshold in frozen embryo transfer (FET) modified natural cycles when luteal phase support (LPS) is given? Summary answer Serum P measured on the day of ET is not related with ongoing pregnancy outcome when doing a modified natural cycle with LPS. What is known already Recent publications showed that there is a minimum threshold of serum P that needs to be reached in artificial cycles to optimize pregnancy rates. When using micronized vaginal P (MVP), about 30% of patients show low levels of serum P ( Study design, size, duration Prospective cohort unicentric study performed in IVI RMA Valencia (Spain), including 244 cycles from February 2020 to January 2021. Participants/materials, setting, methods Infertile patients 6.5mm). MVP was used for LPS (200mg/12h). Ongoing pregnancy rate (OPR) was correlated with serum P levels on the FET day, measured within two hours before transfer. Main results and the role of chance A total of 241 patients were analyzed. Mean age was 38.1 + 3.8 years, with a mean BMI of 23.3 + 3.9. On the rec-hCG day the mean leading follicle size was 17.7±0.1 mm. The endometrium displayed a trilaminar pattern, with a mean thickness of 7.8±3.3 mm, and mean P and estradiol (E2) levels were 0.30±0.03 ng/ml and 249.39±11.03 pg/ml, respectively. A mean of 1.1 blastocysts were transferred (90.9% were single embryo transfers), 27.4% (66) from donated and 72.6 % (175) from own oocytes. On the day of FET, the mean serum P and E2 levels were 26.19 + 8.97ng/mL and 154.12 + 96.08pg/mL, respectively. The overall OPR was 51.5% (124). OPR according to quartiles of serum P (ng/mL) was 56.7% (Q1, P 20.2-24.8), 51.7% (Q3, P > 24.8-31.1), 50.0% (Q4, P > 31.1), p = 0.78). Multivariate logistic regression showed that serum P was not related with OPR after adjusting for age, BMI, E2 and origin of oocytes (aOR:0.98, 95% CI:0.93-1.04, p = 0.47). Only 2 patients had serum P levels below 10 ng/mL, with values of 8.6 and 8.8 ng/mL on the ET day and had a negative pregnancy test. Limitations, reasons for caution As part of our routine clinical practice, MVP (200mg/12h) is given for LPS in patients undergoing a FET in the context of a modified natural cycle. Thus, these results cannot be extrapolated to LPS-free or any other LPS protocol in FET modified natural cycles. Wider implications of the findings The majority of patients undergoing FET in modified natural cycles when using LPS have adequate levels of serum P and thus, do not have an impact on pregnancy outcome. According to our data, there is no need to measure serum P levels on the luteal phase of modified natural cycles. Trial registration number NCT04259996

This journal suppl. entitled: Abstracts of the 26th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, Rome, Italy, 27-30 June 2010

The present work is an audit of post-cesarean section morbidity in HIV-positive women in the tertiary teaching hospital La Fé, Valencia, Spain.Retrospective case-control study.Forty-five HIV-positive pregnant women and 90 appropriately matched controls, delivered by cesarean section in the same hospital and managed using a uniform protocol.The duration of stay in hospital after cesarean section, the need for postoperative antibiotics and the incidence of major and minor puerperal complications. Baseline characteristics of HIV-positive women were also analyzed in relation to the morbidity after surgery.Chi-square analysis for categorical data and parametric and non-parametric tests for numerical data, where appropriate.Most HIV-positive women (86.7%) had a complicated recovery after surgery. A longer duration of stay in hospital (p0.0005) and a greater incidence of major (p0.003) and minor (p0.00001) postoperative complications were observed in the HIV-positive group compared to the control group. HIV-positive women withor =500 CD4 lymphocytes/mm3 had less post-cesarean section morbidityA greater post-cesarean section morbidity was found in HIV-positive women compared to the control women. Immunological status of HIV-positive women may be important in predicting puerperal morbidity after surgery.

One hundred and twenty-eight ASA I-III patients less than 40 yr of age, undergoing orthopaedic or trauma lower limb surgery, were allocated randomly to receive either continuous spinal anaesthesia (CSA) using a 32-gauge polyimide microcatheter with a permanent stylet (Rusch/TFX Medical, Duluth, GA, USA) or single-dose spinal anaesthesia (SDSA) with a 24-gauge x 103-mm Sprotte spinal needle (Pajunk, Germany). Plain bupivacaine (0.5%) was used as the local anaesthetic. The initial doses were 1 ml (5 mg) of CSA and 3 ml (15 mg) of SDSA, while the re-injection doses were 1 ml (5 mg) in the CSA group. SDSA was quicker to perform: mean 4.4 (SD 1.6) min compared with 6.2 (2.6) min for CSA (P0.01). Times to onset and surgical anaesthesia were also significantly greater in the CSA group (P0.01). The quality of the block was better in the SDSA group (P0.05), but was associated with greater haemodynamic instability (P0.05). The segmental level of analgesia was significantly lower in the CSA group (median T10 (range T12-T8)) than in the SDSA group (T9 (T11-T5)) (P0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative complications, with two mild spinal headaches in both groups. We conclude that CSA using a microcatheter in young patients is difficult to perform and affords no advantages over SDSA with a small gauge atraumatic needle.

We report an unusual association of two rare conditions, the Silver-Russell syndrome and the Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, with extra endocrine anomalies. A 15-year old Silver-Russell syndrome girl was referred to our Unit because of primary amenorrhea and hirsutism of adrenal origin. A thorough assessment confirmed previous diagnoses and revealed the presence of diabetes, hyperinsulinism and a complete Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome with an ectopic localization of both ovaries. Although initial medical treatment was not unsatisfactory, future medical, psychological and social implications are expected.

We describe pregnancy and delivery in a woman with myoadenylate deaminase deficiency myopathy.

We present two cases in which an anatomical structure, the calcar avis, and a normal variant, a bifid choroid plexus, mimicked abnormalities on routine prenatal ultrasound examination. To the best of our knowledge these pitfalls have only been described in neonates. A familiarity with these false images is important to avoid erroneous diagnoses.

We report five cases of first-trimester reversed end-diastolic flow in the umbilical artery. Diagnoses were performed between 8 and 12 gestational weeks. All but one case appeared as a transient early finding. Second-trimester fetal demise occurred in two cases. One case delivered at 32 weeks with severe growth restriction but recovered well. The other two cases had a good pregnancy outcome. Our experience suggests that this early Doppler finding is not always an ominous sign.

This prospective, randomized study evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of a new subarachnoid catheter.Sixty ASA I-IV patients aged 40-70 years, scheduled for total knee arthroplasty, were randomly distributed into group 1 (Spinocath; Braun Melsungen, Germany) and group 2 (Intralong; Pajunk, Germany). The study tabulated details of subarachnoid catheter insertion, dural puncture, time to free cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow, anesthesia onset time, surgery anesthesia time, the upper level of sensory block reached, the anesthesiologist-evaluated degree of difficulty with the technique, and the quality of analgesia obtained and complications. At the end of surgery, all the catheters were removed, and their patency was checked.Spinocath insertion required 6.3 +/- 3.2 minutes in group 1 versus 3.9 +/- 1.2 minutes in group 2 (P.01) with similar difficulties with catheter introduction. Perception of dural puncture was better in group 1 (P.05). There were significant intergroup differences in time to free flow of CSF through the catheter. In group 2, correct catheter positioning had to be confirmed by aspiration in 80% of cases (P.05). At the end of surgery, the catheters were removed, and there were no significant differences between groups. The anesthetic blocks were similar with both systems. Patient opinion of the technique did not differ between groups, and regression analysis did not show any differences between groups or correlation to any incident during performance of the technique. Globally, the anesthesiologists participating in the study considered both systems to be easy to use and adequate for continuous spinal anesthesia. With respect to the advantage afforded by a directional needle in orientating the catheter within the spinal canal, the Spinocath system-with a longer technique performance time than the standard approach-involves a success rate and incidence of technical problems similar to that of the conventional technique.

Retrobulbar anesthesia is considered a safe, effective local-regional technique for ocular surgery. However, local complications that can arise from needle trauma during injection, include retrobulbar hemorrhage, perforation of the ocular globe and occlusion of the artery and/or the central vein of the retina. Systemic complications, such as respiratory arrest, convulsions and cardiovascular collapse, have also been reported, and although they only occur in less than 1% of cases, they are potentially life threatening. We report two cases of intracranial diffusion after retrobulbar anesthesia and describe possible mechanisms that may contribute to its development.

Sedation is often needed for obtaining nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) images in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of propofol administered by continuous infusion to non-intubated children for whom our hospital's usual method of sedation (oral chlorohydrate 75 mg/kg at a maximum dose of 2 g plus 4 hours sleep privation the night before) had failed. Deep sedation was induced in 37 ASA I-II children aged 4 and 14 year old, with 2.5 mg/kg propofol followed by 6 mg/kg/h in continuous infusion. An additional dose of 1 mg/kg was administered if the child moved, and the perfusion was reduced to 4 mg/kg if SpO2 fell below 95%. Apnea occurred after induction in 24% (n = 9), 29% (n = 11) required additional doses of propofol, and a tendency to hypercapnia was observed as the imaging procedure progressed. Sedation failed in one child, who required general anesthesia when opisthotonos presented after the induction dose. Awakening was early and satisfactory in all patients, with a score of 2 on the Ramsay scale 15 minutes after NMR. Deep sedation with propofol is a safe and effective method of performing NMR in a child for whom other methods of sedation have failed, provided the child is ASA I-II, monitoring is exhaustive and procedure is carried out by an anesthesiologist.

To compare the efficacy of ondansetron to that of metoclopramide, dehydrobenzperidol and placebo for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a double-blind random study.A total of 100 ASA I, II and III patients undergoing scheduled laparoscopic cholecystectomy were divided into 4 groups according to whether they received one of the following intravenously just prior to anesthetic induction: 1.25 mg dehydrobenzperidol (group D), 10 mg metoclopramide (group M), 4 mg ondansetron (group O) or 2 ml of saline (group P). All received general anesthesia with induction by thiopental, analgesia with fentanyl, muscle relaxation with atracurium and maintenance with oxygen-air and isoflurane. Episodes of nausea and/or vomiting during the first 24 h after surgery were recorded. Treatment was considered effective if no episodes occurred during this period.Nine of the 100 patients were excluded from the study. There were no significant differences in demographic variables among the 4 groups. The incidence of PONV was significantly greater in group P than in any of the other groups. There were no significant differences in PONV among groups D, M and O.Ondansetron provides safe, effective prophylaxis for PONV after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, but it is not superior to the antiemetic drugs usually used. Its use may be justified in patients in whom dehydrobenzperidol or metoclopramide are contraindicated.

Continuous and single dose spinal anaesthesia were compared in a prospective randomized fashion in 108 patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. Continuous spinal anaesthesia was via a 20 gauge polyamide multiperforated catheter introduced through an 18 gauge Tuohy needle. Single-dose spinal anaesthesia was performed with a 24 guage x 103 mm Sprotte spinal needle. The mean local anaesthetic dose for the continuous technique was 38.4 (SD 16.5) mg as hyperbaric lignocaine 5%, and for the single-dose spinal anaesthesia 10.8 (SD 2.2) mg as hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5%. Segmental levels reached with the initial dose did not differ significantly between the two groups. Mean time required to perform continuous spinal anaesthesia was 6.7 (SD 3.9) min, which was longer than for single dose 4.9 (SD 2.8) min (P0.05). The onset time and efficacy of anaesthesia, and the duration of the operation were similar in the two groups. Analgesia was inadequate in six patients who received continuous spinal anaesthesia (11%) and one patient who received single dose (2%) (P = 0.18). Hypotension was more frequent in those receiving single doses (P0.05). Caudal rotation of the outlet needle orifice to advance the catheter correlated with inadequate analgesia (P0.01, r = 0.38). There were no significant differences in the incidence of post-operative complications.

Following arthroscopic surgery of the knee, 60 ASA I-II patients were randomly allocated to three different groups (n = 20 each) in an attempt to establish the best postoperative analgesic protocol: 20 ml of bupivacaine (0.25%; 50 mg) intra-articularly (IA) (Group 1); continuous three-in-one lumbar plexus block using a catheter to administer 0.25 ml/kg of bupivacaine (0.25%; single-shot) plus continuous pump infusion of the same drug (0.03 ml.kg-1 x h-1 of 0.25% bupivacaine for 24 h) (Group 2); or 1 mg of morphine with 20 ml of saline IA (Group 3). The results were appraised in a double-blind manner, and the degree of postoperative pain was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) at constant hourly intervals for the first 24 h, by the incidence of secondary effects, and by the need for complementary analgesia. Group 2 (three-in-one) VAS values were lower 16 and 24 h after surgery and also globally (P0.05), with respect to the other two groups. Five patients in Groups 1 and 3 required complementary analgesia, while three patients in Group 1 suffered nausea. No other secondary effects were observed. We conclude that all three analgesic methods proved efficient, as reflected by the scant requirements for additional analgesics and the degree of expressed patient satisfaction. However, lumbar plexus block (three-in-one) with continuous bupivacaine infusion was most effective, and, although it constitutes an added technique, its scant complications and easy performance make its use advisable.

Following arthroscopic surgery of the knee, 60 ASA I-II patients were randomly allocated to three different groups (n = 20 each) in an attempt to establish the best postoperative analgesic protocol: 20 ml of bupivacaine (0.25%; 50 mg) intra-articularly (IA) (Group 1); continuous three-in-one lumbar plexus block using a catheter to administer 0.25 ml/kg of bupivacaine (0.25%; single-shot) plus continuous pump infusion of the same drug (0.03 ml.kg-1 x h-1 of 0.25% bupivacaine for 24 h) (Group 2); or 1 mg of morphine with 20 ml of saline IA (Group 3). The results were appraised in a double-blind manner, and the degree of postoperative pain was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) at constant hourly intervals for the first 24 h, by the incidence of secondary effects, and by the need for complementary analgesia. Group 2 (three-in-one) VAS values were lower 16 and 24 h after surgery and also globally (P < 0.05), with respect to the other two groups. Five patients in Groups 1 and 3 required complementary analgesia, while three patients in Group 1 suffered nausea. No other secondary effects were observed. We conclude that all three analgesic methods proved efficient, as reflected by the scant requirements for additional analgesics and the degree of expressed patient satisfaction. However, lumbar plexus block (three-in-one) with continuous bupivacaine infusion was most effective, and, although it constitutes an added technique, its scant complications and easy performance make its use advisable.