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Background: Ovarian stimulation and the use of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for triggering oocyte maturation in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) introduces several differences in luteal phase hormone levels compared with natural cycles that may negatively impact on endometrial receptivity and pregnancy rates after fresh embryo transfer. Exogenous luteal phase support is given to overcome these issues. The suitability of a pragmatic approach to luteal phase support is not known due to a lack of data on early phase luteal hormone levels and their association with fertility outcomes during IVF with fresh embryo transfer. This study determined early luteal phase profiles of serum progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and hCG, and associations between hormone levels/hormone level profile after hCG trigger and the live birth rate in women undergoing IVF with fresh embryo transfer. Methods: This prospective single center, cohort study was conducted in Vietnam from January 2021 to December 2022. Women aged 18–38 years with normal ovarian reserve and undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation using a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol were included. Serum hormone levels were determined before trigger, at 12, 24 and 36 h after hCG, and daily from 1 to 6 days after oocyte pick-up. Serum hormone level profiles were classified as lower or upper. The primary outcome was live birth rate based on early luteal phase hormone level profile. Results: Ninety-five women were enrolled. Live birth occurred in 19/69 women (27.5%) with a lower progesterone profile and 13/22 (59.1%) with an upper progesterone profile (risk ratio [RR] 2.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28–3.60), and in 6/31 (19.4%) versus 26/60 (43.3%) with a lower versus upper serum 17-hydroxyprogesterone profile (RR 2.24; 95% CI 1.03–4.86). Nearly 20% of women had peak progesterone concentration on or before day 3 after oocyte pick-up, and this was associated with significantly lower chances of having a life birth. Conclusions: These data show the importance of proper corpus luteum function with sufficient progesterone/17-hydroxyprogesterone production for achievement of pregnancy and to maximize the chance of live birth during IVF. Trial Registration: NCT04693624 (www.clinicaltrials.gov). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) is rare condition that has a negative impact on quality of life because affected women lack a uterus and vagina, and are therefore unable to engage in sexual intercourse and experience natural pregnancy. This study evaluated perceptions of surrogacy in Vietnamese women with MRKH who have started families. Method: Women with MRKH who had undergone successful vaginal reconstruction, were married, and had started families participated in a semi-structured, in-depth, one-on-one online video interview with an experienced female psychologist. Openended questions were used to encourage participants to express their perceptions of surrogacy; prominent themes were discussed, compared, and combined. Results: Twenty women (mean age 31 years) agreed to participate. Key themes identified from interviews were the importance of having genetic offspring, consideration of surrogacy as a preferred solution to infertility, the barriers to surrogacy in Vietnam, lack of reproductive information and counselling, individuals concealing their health condition, the impact of religion on the possibility of surrogacy, the economic cost of surrogacy, and the difficulty in finding a surrogate under the restrictions imposed by Vietnamese law. Discussion: Based on the perceptions of women from MRKH from Vietnam, there is an opportunity to improve how infertility is managed in these people, including information about surrogacy. These data show that individuals with MRKH should be provided with information about the possibility of surrogacy, encouraged to be open and seek support, and be managed by a multidisciplinary team that includes psychological support; the provision of economic support for fertility treatments in women with MRKH should also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We evaluated the impact of the lockdown policy during the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular outpatients of a cardiology clinic in Vietnam from April to June 2020. We estimated the occurrence of different cardiovascular problems in general and the stability of blood pressure., Methodology: During the Covid-19 outbreak in Vietnam, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate its impact on blood pressure stability of hypertensive patients treated as outpatients at the clinic of the University Medical Center (UMC), Ho Chi Minh City., Results: The mean age of the recruited 493 patients was 62.2 ± 10.2 years. The stable blood pressure group consisted of 87% patients, while the unstable blood pressure group consisted of 13% patients. We found that 68% of the study population attended their follow-up appointments as scheduled: 87% with stable blood pressure versus only 13% with unstable blood pressure. Significant differences were noticed in body weight changes and cardiovascular problems between the two groups: body weight increase (22.6% vs. 10.2%), body weight decrease (3.2% vs. 6.7%), worsening of cardiovascular problems (35.5% vs. 17.9%) in the unstable and stable blood pressure groups, respectively. Multivariable regression analysis reflected the impact of the increase in body weight and occurrence of cardiovascular problems on the patients with unstable blood pressure., Conclusions: Our study provided concrete proof of the impact of the lockdown on chronic patients, which should warrant further surveys, and evaluation of the lockdown policy., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2022 Sy Van Hoang, Kha Minh Nguyen, Hoa Thi Anh Le, Au Thanh Tung, Phat Vuong Tien Huynh, Truong Van Le, Khoa Le Anh Huynh, Nicole Vuong, Nacir Dhouibi, Huy Tien Nguyen.)