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Objective: Nowadays, patients attempting social/elective egg freezing has spread globally. Ovarian stimulation (OS) with high daily gonatotropin doses, are commonly offered to this group of patients, aiming to achieve the maximal oocytes cohort with minimum IVF cycle attempts. We aim to assess the IVF-ET outcome, and specifically the oocyte yield, of patients undergoing two successive IVF cycle attempts for elective egg freezing (EEF), and whether changing the daily gonadotropin dose in the second IVF cycle attempt, affect the outcome. Patients and methods: All women admitted to our IVF unit for social/EEF, who underwent 2 consecutive IVF cycle attempts, with only those who used in the first attempt a starting daily gonadotropin dose of 300 IU were included. Ovarian stimulation characteristics, duration of OS, number of retrieved oocytes, number of mature oocytes were assessed and compared between the 1st and the 2nd IVF cycle attempts, and between the different daily gonadotropin doses and the oocyte yields in the 2nd cycle attempt (increase, decrease or no change). Main outcome measures: Oocytes and mature oocytes yield in the 2nd as compared to the 1st IVF cycle attempt. Results: A reduced oocyte yield in the 2nd cycle attempt was observed in those who highly responded in the 1st attempt, regardless the daily dose in the 2nd cycle attempt (whether it was increased, no change and decreased). Moreover, the proportion of patients with same or more oocytes in the 2nd IVF cycle attempt was significantly lower in patients with high peak E2 levels, compared to those with peak E2 levels < 9175 pmol/L. Among patients with high peak E2 (> 9175 pmol/L), those who achieved a lower oocytes yield in the 2nd IVF cycle attempt had lower basal Day-3 FSH/LH ratio (1.5 + 0.5 vs 1.8 + 0.8, p < 0.03) and higher oocyte (range: 7–28, median:10; vs range: 2–15, median:7) and mature oocytes yields. With a cut-off of 9 oocytes, 78.8% of those with > 9 oocytes and 61.8% of those with < 9 oocytes will achieve lower/higher oocytes yield in the 2nd IVF cycle attempt, respectively. Conclusions: Ovarian stimulation with high daily gonatotropin doses (300 IU) should be offered to patients attempting social/EEF. Moreover, in their 2nd IVF cycle attempt, those with high peak E2 (> 9175 pmol/L) in the 1st attempt, and basal Day-3 FSH/LH ratio < 1.5 and/or more than 9 oocytes retrieved, should receive same OS protocol with no change in the daily gonadotropin dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this study we compare the impact of cryopreservation with dextran and egg yolk on motility, morphology, and DNA integrity of spermatozoa of dogs of different ages (Chinese Crested breed). We found that the concentration, total number, and motility of fresh spermatozoa decreased, whereas the damage of the DNA increased in dogs older than 7 years. The cryopreservation of spermatozoa using extenders with egg yolk or dextran led to a decrease in these parameters in the oldest age group in an equal manner. However, taking into account the possibility of standardizing the composition of the freezing media and excluding foreign proteins from it, the use of dextran for freezing dog spermatozoa is preferable. The cryopreservation of dog spermatozoa, especially of the Chinese Crested breed, should be carried out in the young and middle aged dogs due to the age-related decrease of the cryotolerance of the cells. Egg yolk is a very common supplement of extenders aimed to protect sperm from cryoinjury, but due to their biological risks and difficulties with media standardization, there is a search for alternative. In addition, sperm cryoresistance can be affected by the initial decrease of their functional characteristics caused by age. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of using dextran (molecular weight 500 kDa) in the extenders instead of egg yolk for the cryopreservation of spermatozoa of dogs (Chinese Crested breed) of different ages. The obtained ejaculates were divided into three groups depending on the animal's age: 1–3, 4–6 and 7–10 years old. Sperm was cryopreserved by using 7% glycerol and 20% egg yolk, or 20% dextran. The cryoresistance of spermatozoa of the oldest age category was dramatically decreased, which was manifested in their morphology, motility, and DNA fragmentation rate. There were no differences between the cryoprotectant effect of the dextran-based extender on spermatozoa and the egg yolk-based extender in all age categories of dogs. However, given the benefits of dextran-containing media, its use for the cryopreservation of canine spermatozoa has potential benefits that need to be confirmed by sperm fertilization outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More and more women are turning to egg freezing as a strategy for managing conflicting timelines related to professional goals and family formation aspirations. Drawing on critical realism, this article argues that vicious aspects of the reproductive marketplace and the workplace along with cultural ideals of motherhood and the nuclear family incentivize agents to freeze their eggs. While individual egg freezers help contribute to the maintenance of structures and cultures that perpetuate inequalities related to class, race, and gender and hinder the flourishing of all women, ethical analysis should critique the structural and cultural forces that make egg freezing an attractive option for women balancing procreation and professional pursuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study was to investigate awareness and attitudes toward female fertility and aging, desire for a child and motherhood, and oocyte freezing for non-medical reasons among women candidates for Social Egg Freezing (SEF).Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on all 216 women who sought oocyte cryopreservation for nonmedical reasons at Royan Institute. A 24-item self-administered questionnaire measured knowledge and attitudes to SEF. Responses were as yes/no or a 4-point Likert scale.Results: Only 40% of participants accurately indicated that having a sexual partner does not help to preserve their fertility. A quarter of women correctly recalled chance of pregnancy with unprotected intercourse during a period of a year, for women 20 to 40 years old. Only one-third of respondents accurately identified the age-related fertility decline at 35-39 years. Only 6.9% correctly mentioned the low chance of pregnancy after egg freezing at 35 years old. Almost a third of women knew that the age range of 31-35 years is the right age to freeze an egg with the highest chance of pregnancy. Aging and health of offspring were most influential in women's decisions on SEF.Conclusion: In conclusion, there was significant gaps in knowledge about age-related fertility decline, and egg cryopreservation conditions and its complications. It is crucial to impart to these women a better knowledge about fertility and a realistic picture about SEF, especially on the number of high-quality retrieved mature oocytes and live birth rates depend on women's age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social egg freezing has become an expanding clinical practice and there is a growing body of empirical literature on women's attitudes and the sociocultural implications of this phenomenon. Yet, its impact remains subject to ethical controversy. This article reports on a qualitative study, drawing on 18 interviews with women who had elected to initiate at least one egg freezing cycle in Belgium. Our findings, facilitated by a 'symbiotic empirical ethics' approach, shed light on the concerns and perceptions that accompany women's decisions while supporting a more context-sensitive reading of the ethical debate. We identified three key themes: feeling overwhelmed with uncertainty and a threatening future, bodily discomfort and distress during the medical process, and the endless pursuit of peace of mind. One of the issues that emerges from these findings is the risk ritual function of social egg freezing, referring to routine actions of risk anticipation that mitigate uncertainty and express a sense of individual responsibility. While more research is needed, this conceptualisation provides a starting point to flesh out the wider context of this moral practice and its symbolic meaning for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was designed to examine the effects of various concentrations of tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane (tris) and egg yolk on the quality of cryopreserved buck sperm. Materials and Methods: The collected semen samples were pooled, washed, and diluted into five different freezing extender groups, viz., extender I (tris 0% + egg yolk 0%), extender II (tris 1.41% + egg yolk 4%), extender III (tris 2.41% + egg yolk 8%), extender IV (tris 3.41% + egg yolk 16%), and extender V (tris 4.41% + egg yolk 24%). The sperm parameter of the five groups of extenders was evaluated after equilibration and cryopreservation. Results: The results showed that extenders II-V provided significantly higher semen progressive motility and total motility percentages than extender I after equilibration (p < 0.05). The higher percentages of semen progressive motility, total motility, viability, and plasma membrane integrity (by both HOST under light microscopy and stain after HOST under light microscopy) were found in the sperm cryopreserved with extender IV than extender I, extender II, and extender III groups after thawing (p < 0.05). In addition, semen progressive motility, total motility, and viability were not further increased, or plasma membrane integrity (by both HOST tests) was decreased by the addition of tris and egg yolk (extender V) after cryopreservation (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, our result indicates that the following washing, the supplementation of tris (3.41% + egg yolk 16%) on the freezing extender are suitable for improving the semen quality of buck after freezing and thawing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report outcome of planned oocyte cryopreservation (POC) in the first 8 years of this treatment in our center. Methods: A retrospective study in a university-affiliated medical center. Results: A total of 446 women underwent POC during 2011–2018. Fifty-seven (13%) women presented to use these oocytes during the study period (until June 2021). POC was performed at a mean age of 37.9 ± 2.0 (range 33–41). Age at thawing was 43.3 ± 2.1 (range 38–49). A total of 34 (60%) women transferred their oocytes for thawing at other units. Oocyte survival after thawing was significantly higher at our center than following shipping to ancillary sites (78 vs. 63%, p = 0.047). Forty-nine women completed their treatment, either depleting their cryopreserved oocytes without conceiving (36) or attaining a live birth (13)—27% live birth rate per woman. Only one of eleven women who cryopreserved oocytes aged 40 and older had a live birth using thawed oocytes. Conclusion: Women should be advised to complete planned oocyte cryopreservation before age 40, given low success rates in women who underwent cryopreservation at advanced reproductive age. In this study, oocyte shipping was associated with lower survival rate. These findings may be relevant for women considering POC and utilization of cryopreserved oocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orius predators are important natural enemies of thrips, whiteflies and mites and are reared as commercial biological agents. Due to the importance of food sources in natural-enemy mass-rearing programs, researchers have been screening efficient food sources for the rearing of such enemies. In this study, we compared the demographic fitness of Orius strigicollis reared on 3 foods (i) frozen 48h-old eggs (FE) of Spodoptera frugiperda, (ii) frozen 24h-old 2nd instar larvae (FL) of S. frugiperda, and (iii) 2nd instar larvae of Frankliniella occidentalis (western flower thrips, WFT) using the age-stage, two-sex life table. According to the life table analysis results, O. strigicollis were successfully maintained on FL for consecutive generations, and the reproductive performance of individuals from the 1st (G1) and 6th (G6) generations was evaluated. Among the 3 tested foods, FE was the lowest suitable food, leading to slower development and lower O. strigicollis fecundity than with other foods. In overall, O. strigicollis showed similar fitness when reared on WFT and on FL (no difference in fecundity), although the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) was lower on FL. The fecundity and longevity of G6 O. strigicollis reared on FL were not significantly different from those of G1. The results indicate that frozen S. frugiperda larvae could be a promising factitious food for the long-term rearing of O. strigicollis and more broadly that frozen larvae of Lepidoptera may be potential new factitious food sources for Orius spp. rearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, egg freezing has evolved from being an experimental medical technology to become a commercial enterprise, accompanied by heated feminist debate. This study examined the views of Danish and Israeli female students regarding the financing of social egg freezing (SEF) (self, state, employer or family), and their correlation with country and feminist identity. A total of 569 female students (283 from Denmark and 286 from Israel) completed a questionnaire composed of closed and opened-ended questions on SEF financing under different circumstances (e.g. career advancement, lack of a partner, lack of money). The majority of female students in both countries supported SEF self-financing. They wanted to keep fertility choices in the private domain, in part by separating the bodies of women from the state and the employer. We conclude that SEF exemplifies a neoliberal and gendered responsibilisation of women's reproductive futurity, yet self-identification as a feminist was found to be correlated with stronger support for state financing. In contrast, we found no correlation between feminist identity and support for company-sponsored egg freezing. Our findings suggest a relationship between holding a feminist worldview and public policy preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The negative effects of fungal infection on the survival and reproduction of cladocerans, a representative prey community in freshwater, are unexplored. In this study, we hypothesized that the winter migration pattern of Daphnia pulicaria, observed in the Anri Reservoir in South Korea, is the host's defense response to fungal infection. Daphnia pulicaria was mainly distributed in the central bottom layer of the reservoir before winter (summer to autumn) but migrated to the littoral area during winter as fungal infections in the communities gradually spread in the bottom region. However, when the spread of infection was low, D. pulicaria did not migrate. The migrated individuals with dormant eggs were mostly infected and are believed to have migrated to the littoral area to freeze their dormant eggs. We found that dormant eggs of D. pulicaria obtained from ice crystals had lower hatching and infection rates than dormant eggs obtained adaptively in Daphnia mothers. Such a strategy is an efficient response of D. pulicaria to avoid the spread of fungal infection in communities and to maintain their continuous population growth. Morphological or behavioral defense mechanisms are important evolutionary strategies for the survival of prey. Studies have focused on predation and competition, but infection has been overlooked, despite being a determining factor of distribution and species diversity of prey. We hypothesized that the winter migration of Daphnia pulicaria is a community defense strategy to avoid fungal infection. To test this hypothesis, environmental variables and the Cladocera community, including D. pulicaria, were monitored in three study sections of the Anri Reservoir in the Republic of Korea during September 2010–August 2015. During three winter seasons, the density of infected D. pulicaria increased in all study sections, and they migrated from the central to the littoral area. Most of the infected individuals had dormant eggs in sexually reproducing mothers. However, when the proportion of non-infected individuals was higher than that of infected individuals, winter migration was not observed. Additional microcosm experiments showed that dormant eggs of D. pulicaria obtained from ice crystals in the littoral area had lower hatching and infection rates than those obtained from mothers moving from other zones. Therefore, the migration of D. pulicaria during winter is an active response to avoid intergenerational fungal infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commercialization of egg freezing for fertility preservation spawned a market in information and education as much as in clinical services. Even before there was a technically viable mode to freeze eggs, Christy Jones envisioned "educational seminars" as a key "marketing and education" programmatic strategy in her 2004 contest-winning business plan for an egg freezing company at Harvard Business School. A decade and a half after Jones first proposed them, in-person informational events have become an industry trend. Given the transparent objective of recruiting paying clients, these events must inevitably combine persuasion with education. Through participant observation at three such information sessions held by different clinics in a large city in the eastern US, I present an analysis of their content and form. The article examines the extent to which these events adhered to guidelines on securing informed consent and how the form of these events produce a complex blend of affect and sociality that likely affect how information is received. I argue that egg freezing informational events employ subtle techniques of persuasion that cultivate anxiety and link egg freezing to desirable traits or lifestyles through social enactment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Furthermore, it is sometimes unclear how van de Wiel conceptualizes the relationship between the wider impact of egg freezing and the way egg freezing is specifically marketed toward and pursued by white high-income heterosexual cisgender women in high-income countries. New York: NYU Press, 2020 I Freezing Fertility: Oocyte Cryopreservation and the Gender Politics of Aging i is the fourth path-breaking monography in the flourishing literature on egg freezing in just a few years. [Extracted from the article]

The cryopreservation of teleost eggs and embryos remains challenging, and there are no previous reports that demonstrate successful cryopreservation in medaka (Oryzias latipes). We have reported egg and sperm production, followed by the generation of donor-derived offspring by transplanting vitrified whole testes-derived testicular cells into surrogate fish. The vitrification solutions contained ethylene glycol, sucrose, and ficoll. In this study, we replaced sucrose with trehalose in the vitrification solution and medaka whole testes were vitrified with the solution. The post-vitrification survival (72.8 ± 3.5 %) was markedly improved compared with that achieved using the sucrose-containing solution (44.7 ± 4.2 %). Moreover, we demonstrated the production of eggs, sperm, and donor-derived offspring from testicular cells transplanted into surrogate recipients. The phenotype of donor-derived offspring was identical to that of transplanted testicular cells. These findings suggest that trehalose is effective for the vitrification of medaka whole testis and can be considered an effective and reliable method for the long-term preservation of their genetic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do the various forms of hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptives have any association with ovarian stimulation outcomes, such as oocyte yield and maturation, in patients undergoing planned oocyte cryopreservation (POC)? This retrospective cohort study included all patients who underwent POC cycles between 2011 and 2023. The use of types of contraception before a POC cycle was recorded. The study evaluated the median number of cumulus–oocyte complexes obtained after vaginal oocyte retrieval and the proportion of metaphase II oocytes that underwent vitrification among all the cohorts. A total of 4059 oocyte freezing cycles were included in the analysis. Eight types of contraceptive method were recognized in patients undergoing ovarian stimulation: intrauterine device (IUD), copper (n = 84); IUD, levonorgestrel low dose (<52 mg) (n = 37); IUD, levonorgestrel (n = 192); subdermal etonogestrel implant (n = 14); injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate (n = 11); etonogestrel vaginal ring (n = 142); combined oral contraceptive pills (n = 2349); and norelgestromin transdermal patch (n = 10). The control group included patients not using contraceptives or using barrier or calendar methods (n = 1220). Among all the cohorts the median number of cumulus–oocyte complexes retrieved during oocyte retrieval was comparable (P = 0.054), and a significant difference in oocyte maturity rate with median number of vitrified oocytes was found (P = 0.03, P < 0.001, respectively). After adjusting for confounders a multivariate analysis found no association between the type of contraceptive and proportion of metaphase II oocytes available for cryopreservation. Among the various forms of contraception, none was shown to have an adverse association with oocyte yield or maturation rate in patients undergoing POC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of women who turn to assisted reproduction clinics to have their eggs frozen is increasing in countries where this procedure is available. For various reasons these women are seeking to preserve their chances of becoming pregnant in the future. In the societal context where lasting relationships are formed at an older age than before, there are more single people than ever. With egg freezing, these women can afford to be more relaxed and will not need to discuss the desire for pregnancy at the first appointment because their biological clock is ticking. Even if only a minority of women will eventually use their cryopreserved oocytes, several studies have indicated that most of them are satisfied with having gone through the procedure which seems to have given them some peace of mind. Nevertheless, it would be wise to identify in advance those women who may not find support in this technique. This mini-review seeks to describe the issues and benefits of non-medical oocyte self-preservation, always bearing in mind that this procedure does not guarantee a pregnancy later on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elective female fertility preservation is authorized in France since 2021, August. Oocyte cryopreservation to prevent age fertility declined can be performed from 29 to 37 years old and is reimbursed by social security. Mostly, women are single and wait for their career or for a partner to build their family. Its success rate depends on age and number of cryopreserved oocytes. Due to limited number of authorized centres, accessibility for women is poor in 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With social egg freezing being permitted in Singapore, there is expected to be an accumulated surplus of unused frozen eggs (vitrified oocytes) available for donation in coming years. A comprehensive update of current healthcare regulations pertaining to frozen egg donation is needed to resolve various pertinent ethical issues. In particular, the issue of egg donor anonymity should be addressed, together with the lack of sharing of medical and family information about the donor to prospective recipient patients and donor-conceived offspring. Rigorous and comprehensive genetic testing of prospective egg donors must be mandated to protect the welfare of recipient patients. Older women above 35 years of age should be required to have at least one child, before being allowed to donate their unused frozen eggs, to prevent any future regret and psychological problems of remaining childless, while being unsure of whether they have an unknown genetic offspring out there. New regulations drafted to address these ethical issues must also prevent potential conflicts of interests. For example, fertility doctors soliciting and encouraging former patients to donate their unused frozen eggs face an obvious conflict of interest, because additional medical fees will be earned by performing the egg donation procedure on other patients. A centralized donor registry should be established by the Singapore government to oversee the distribution and allocation of donated unused frozen eggs to infertile IVF patients. Such a registry could also facilitate sharing of vital health information about the donor to recipient patients and donor-conceived offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social egg freezing is when healthy and fertile women freeze their eggs in order to preserve fertility and delay childbearing for non‐medical reasons. Many countries have restrictions on social egg freezing, but not on medical egg freezing. Moreover, only some of those countries have similar restrictions on social sperm freezing. Across these cases, I argue that restrictions on social egg freezing are discriminatory against women compared to men and against healthy women compared to those with medical conditions threatening their fertility. Introducing restrictions that apply to the freezing of both male and female gametes is, however, merely indirectly discriminatory. Moreover, I provide arguments to the effect that the discrimination at issue is of a wrongful kind. Drawing on an influential theory of wrongful discrimination originally introduced by Benjamin Eidelson, I show how restrictions on social egg freezing manifest disrespect for women (with no medical conditions jeopardizing their fertility). Specifically, I defend the view that introducing such policies involves unjustified differential concern for people's interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Few options are available for preserving female fertility to postpone childbirth. Although egg freezing with successful thawing is now possible, women' attitudes towards its use or the circumstances under which this technique may be considered remain unclear. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional online survey. From November 2020 to January 2021, 848 questionnaires were collected through the Questionnaire Star Network platform, and a total of 750 valid answers were obtained. Results: For more than 40% of the interviewees, the level of knowledge about egg freezing was only 0–25%; 36.9% of the interviewees supported elective egg freezing, and the main factor affecting their approval was major; approximately 60% of interviewees believed that being married should not be a condition for freezing eggs; and 56.7% of the interviewees supported the establishment of an egg bank in China, and the main factor affecting their acceptance was the place of residence. Conclusion: College students generally have a high level of recognition regarding elective egg freezing and the establishment of an egg bank, but their level of knowledge about egg freezing is low. Relevant knowledge must be strengthened to help college students achieve a correct understanding of elective egg freezing and egg bank establishment and then guide college students in developing a scientific dialectical attitude towards this technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hen eggs are rich in proteins and are an important source of protein for humans. Pasteurized frozen whole hen eggs are widely used in cooking and confectionery and can be stored for long periods. However, processed eggs differ from raw eggs in properties such as viscosity, foaming ability, and thermal aggregation. To develop pasteurized frozen whole egg products with properties similar to those of unpasteurized whole eggs, it is necessary to establish a method that can differentiate between the two egg types with respect to the structures of their proteins. In this study, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and SEC coupled with small-angle X-ray scattering (SEC-SAXS) were successfully used to differentiate between the proteins in unpasteurized and pasteurized frozen whole eggs. We found that proteins in the plasma fraction of egg yolk, especially apovitellenins I and II, formed large aggregates in the pasteurized eggs, indicating that their structures are sensitive to temperature changes during pasteurization, freezing, and thawing. The results suggest that SEC and SEC-SAXS can be used to differentiate between unpasteurized and pasteurized frozen whole eggs. Additionally, they may be useful in determining molecular sizes and shapes of multiple components in various complex biological systems such as whole eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oocyte vitrification, also known as egg freezing, is increasingly being used by women as a precautionary measure against the anticipated decline in fertility. In countries where this procedure is allowed, elective oocyte vitrification has become an integral part of the treatment portfolio of fertility clinics. The widespread tendency towards the postponement of motherhood and the advances in laboratory technologies are encouraging women to consider oocyte vitrification and, by doing so, increase their reproductive autonomy. However, elective oocyte vitrification, or elective egg freezing (EEF), still elicits controversy, not only when EEF is appraised from a cost-efficiency point of view, but also in terms of medical and ethical concerns. In general, although the laboratory tool of vitrification has revolutionized the treatment of infertility, the pros and cons need to be clarified when considering EEF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasive, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a severe economic insect pest native to East Asia. A strong effort has been made to identify natural egg parasitoids of H. halys in invaded regions, but parasitism rates reported from these studies have been inconsequentially low. To determine the species composition, phenology, and efficiency of egg parasitoids in the native region of H. halys, we deployed fresh and frozen sentinel H. halys egg masses from March through December in Kyoto, Japan. Our findings provide valuable insights on the abundance and parasitism rates of native H. halys parasitoids in Japan. A total of seven parasitoid species emerged from the sentinel egg masses, but Trissolcus japonicus had the highest parasitism rate of all parasitoids recovered (84% on fresh egg masses) and maintained the largest portion of the total parasitoid species composition (60% on fresh egg masses). The early season parasitoid community in Kyoto, Japan, is dominated by T. japonicus, with the first parasitism activity occurring in March. Throughout the course of the field study, T. japonicus also sustained a significantly higher parasitism rate on fresh H. halys eggs than frozen. The results from this research help expand the understanding of parasitoids in the native region of H. halys and hold importance for the future development of biological control programs against this invasive pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elective egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) for fertility preservation - commonly referred to as social egg freezing or non-medical egg freezing, will be permitted in Singapore from 2023. There is a need for clear religious directives on social egg freezing for the minority Muslim population in Singapore, due to conflicting Fatwas on this medical procedure that were issued in different Islamic countries, in particular Egypt and Malaysia. Although social egg freezing would be beneficial for the fertility preservation of many single Muslim women who are unable to start a family due to various personal circumstances, there are also various potential risks and harms of this medical procedure at the individual and societal level. Hence, based on Maqasid Al-Shariah, by which preventing harm takes precedence over securing benefit in medical treatment (Tadawi), it is posited that social egg freezing should be classified as Makruh, which is permissible but discouraged in Islam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, major U.S. employers in industries notorious for work-family conflict are beginning to offer egg freezing as an employee benefit. Proponents celebrate the inclusion of this technology into company-sponsored health plans as empowering professional women to "have it all" by postponing motherhood in favor of their professional pursuits, while critics voice concerns regarding its implications for reproductive autonomy and gender equality. Through 40 interviews with child-free women of reproductive age who work in industries that sponsor egg freezing, I investigate how work and career concerns shape professional women's engagement with elective egg freezing. The dominant narrative established in earlier research on women's motivations for undertaking the procedure downplays the significance of career pressures. However, this article finds that egg freezing manifests as an attempt to manage risks inherent to women's intentions to form families in a professional landscape that is resistant to motherhood and family. Egg freezing suggests a potential reconciliation of future motherhood and professional work by adjusting women's reproductive timelines to "perfect" the timing of reproduction to synchronize with career trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand for oocyte freezing in absence of a medical indication is growing as women delay childbirth and seek to extend the window of opportunity for parenthood. The optimum age for oocyte freezing is below 35 years, whereas currently the mean age of women undergoing oocyte freezing in the UK is 38 years. Nearly half of women undergoing oocyte freezing are not in a relationship. The treatment is not publicly funded and the average price for a complete oocyte freezing and thawing cycle, including annual storage fees, could reach over £7000. The live birth rate per oocyte thaw cycle is 18% and is influenced by age at the time of oocyte freezing. Women considering social oocyte freezing should be thoroughly counselled about the efficacy, limitations, cost implications and alternatives to oocyte freezing and provided with the appropriate support to enable a truly informed reproductive choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the last decade, the possibility for women to cryopreserve oocytes in anticipation of age-related fertility loss, also referred to as social egg freezing, has become an established practice at fertility clinics around the globe. In Europe, there is extensive variation in the costs for this procedure, with the common denominator that there are almost no funding arrangements or reimbursement policies. This is the first qualitative study that specifically explores viewpoints on the (lack of) reimbursement for women who had considered to uptake at least one social egg freezing cycle in Belgium.Methods: To understand the moral considerations of these women, drawing from twenty-one interviews, this paper integrates elements of a symbiotic empirical ethics approach and thematic analysis.Results: We identify four themes: (1) being confronted with unclear information; (2) financial costs as ongoing concern; (3) necessity of coverage; (4) extent of reimbursement. In the first theme, we found that some women were concerned about the lack of clear information about the cost of social egg freezing. In the second theme, we report moral sentiments of injustice and discrimination which some women attributed to their struggles and needs not being recognised. The third theme illustrates diverse views on reimbursement, ranging from viewing social egg freezing as an elective treatment not appropriate for reimbursement to preferences for greater public responsibility and wider access. Finally, we describe the participants' varying proposals for partial reimbursement and the idea that it should not be made available for free.Conclusions: This research adds important empirical insights to the bioethics debate on social egg freezing, in particular by presenting (potential) users' views on the lack of reimbursement. While there is much more to say about the ethical and political complexities of the reimbursement of this procedure, our study highlighted the voices of (potential) users and showed that at least some of them would welcome the coverage of SEF through the public healthcare insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cryopreservation technology of sperm has promoted the popularization of artificial insemination in the reproductive process of donkeys to a certain extent, but the freezing-thawing process would bring damage to the sperm, and the vitality of the sperm would be greatly reduced after freezing. Sperm metabolites play an important role in the process of sperm freezing, and also have an important impact on the vitality and fertilization rate of sperm after freezing-thawing. In this study, the LC-MS/MS analysis method was used to compare the metabolic profiles of high freezability (HF) and low freezability (LF) male donkey sperm after freezing-thawing. We identified 1323 metabolites in total, of which 17 metabolites are significantly different between the two groups. Most of these metabolites belong to fatty acids and phospholipids, including phosphatidylcholine, stearic acid and so on. These different metabolites are mostly related to the plasma membrane fatty acids of sperm and oxidative stress. Our results illustrate several metabolites related to sperm freezability and provide corresponding biomarkers. • Metabolome of donkey sperm are analyzed related to freezability. • Identify candidate metabolites that could be used to explore the molecular mechanism related to donkey sperm cryotolerance • Provide biomarkers for the early identification and selection of donkeys with optimal semen freezability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethical considerations are central to all medicine though, likely, nowhere more essential than in the practice of reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Through in vitro fertilization (IVF), this is the only field in medicine involved in creating human life. IVF has, indeed, so far led to close to 10 million births worldwide. Yet, relating to substantial changes in clinical practice of IVF, the medical literature has remained surprisingly quiet over the last two decades. Major changes especially since 2010, however, call for an updated commentary. Three key changes deserve special notice: Starting out as a strictly medical service, IVF in recent years, in efforts to expand female reproductive lifespans in a process given the term "planned" oocyte cryopreservation, increasingly became more socially motivated. The IVF field also increasingly underwent industrialization and commoditization by outside financial interests. Finally, at least partially driven by industrialization and commoditization, so-called add-ons, the term describing mostly unvalidated tests and procedures added to IVF since 2010, have been held responsible for worldwide declines in fresh, non-donor live birthrates after IVF, to levels not seen since the mid-1990s. We here, therefore, do not offer a review of bioethical considerations regarding IVF as a fertility treatment, but attempt to point out ethical issues that arose because of major recent changes in clinical IVF practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As a further step to elucidate the actual diverse spectrum of oncofertility practices for breast cancer around the globe, we present and discuss the comparisons of oncofertility practices for breast cancer in limited versus optimum resource settings based on data collected in the Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I & II. Methods: We surveyed 39 oncofertility centers including 14 in limited resource settings from Africa, Asia & Latin America (Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I), and 25 in optimum resource settings from the United States, Europe, Australia and Japan (Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part II). Survey questions covered the availability of fertility preservation and restoration options offered to young female patients with breast cancer as well as the degree of utilization. Results: In the Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I & II, responses for breast cancer and calculated oncofertility scores showed the following characteristics: (1) higher oncofertility scores in optimum resource settings than in limited resource settings especially for established options, (2) frequent utilization of egg freezing, embryo freezing, ovarian tissue freezing, GnRH analogs, and fractionation of chemo- and radiotherapy, (3) promising utilization of oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM), (4) rare utilization of neoadjuvant cytoprotective pharmacotherapy, artificial ovary, and stem cells reproductive technology as they are still in preclinical or early clinical research settings, (5) recognition that technical and ethical concerns should be considered when offering advanced and innovative oncofertility options. Conclusions: We presented a plausible oncofertility best practice model to guide oncofertility teams in optimizing care for breast cancer patients in various resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-procedure counseling is recommended for disposal, export, and donation of unused frozen eggs (vitrified oocyte) for research or teaching/training Keywords: Cryopreservation; Egg; Freezing; Social; Singapore; Vitrification EN Cryopreservation Egg Freezing Social Singapore Vitrification 2681 2683 3 12/07/22 20221101 NES 221101 Dear Editor, We read with great interest the study of Hutchinson et al. [[1]], which reported on the disposition preferences of oocyte cryopreservation patients. In most developed countries, it is often recognized that professional counseling of patients undergoing fertility treatment fall outside the job scope of physicians, who themselves might face conflicting interests in the counseling process. [Extracted from the article]

We examine representations regarding the relationship between time and the good life in reproductive medicine. We analyzed key guidelines and statements from Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain and the USA, in particular regarding egg donation, egg cryopreservation and genetic diagnostics. The analysis shows that normative notions of good life and appropriate temporality appear both implicitly and explicitly in the regulation and ethical evaluation of many reproductive technologies. These, however, are hardly ever reflected upon or even justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The newest innovation in assisted reproduction is oocyte cryopreservation, more commonly known as egg freezing, which has been developed as a method of fertility preservation. Studies emerging from around the world show that highly educated professional women are turning to egg freezing in their late thirties to early forties, because they are still searching for a male partner with whom to have children. For these women, egg freezing may be a new "hope technology" for future romance; but it may also be a "technology of despair," as women navigate the ends of a failing relationship. Based on the largest ethnographic study to date, undertaken with 150 women who froze their eggs for nonmedical reasons in the United States and Israel, we examine egg freezing at the end of romance. Relationship dissolution—involving divorce, separation, broken engagements, and relationship breakups from men who are unfaithful, controlling, rejecting, uncommitted, or unready for fatherhood—is one of the major pathways to egg freezing. When such relationship dissolution ruptures a woman's reproductive life course, egg freezing may become a "technology of repair," allowing women to find new strengths and opportunities as well as new visions for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Since 2014, many companies have followed the lead of Apple and Facebook and now offer financial support to female employees to access egg freezing. Australian companies may soon make similar offers. Employer-sponsored egg freezing (ESEF) has raised concerns and there is academic debate about whether ESEF promotes reproductive autonomy or reinforces the 'career vs. family' dichotomy. Despite the growing availability of ESEF and significant academic debate, little is known about how ESEF is perceived by the public. The aim of this study was to explore women's attitudes toward ESEF. Methods Women aged 18-60 years who resided in Victoria, Australia were invited to complete an online, cross-sectional survey investigating views toward egg freezing. Associations between participant demographics and their views about ESEF were assessed using multinominal logistic regression, adjusted for age and free text comments were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The survey was completed by 656 women, median age 28 years (range: 18-60 years). Opinions on the appropriateness of employers offering ESEF were divided (Appropriate: 278, 42%; Inappropriate: 177, 27%; Unsure: 201, 31%). There was significantly less support for ESEF among older participants and those employed part-time (p < 0.05). While some participants saw the potential for ESEF to increase women's reproductive and career options, others were concerned that ESEF could pressure women to delay childbearing and exacerbate existing inequities in access to ARTs. Conclusions Our analysis revealed that while some women identified risks with ESEF, for many women ESEF is not viewed as theoretically wrong, but rather it may be acceptable under certain conditions; such as with protections around reproductive freedoms and assurances that ESEF is offered alongside other benefits that promote career building and family. We suggest that there may be a role for the State in ensuring that these conditions are met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses fertility issues involving transgender youth in the U.S., particularly the lack of access to fertility preservation (FP) services. Other topics include the FP methods like sperm cryopreservation and oocyte cryopreservation, the various causes of infertility like environmental health factors, and how parental consent laws prevent said youths to access the care they need.