Since the first birth with the aid of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in July 1978, the use of assisted reproduction technologies (ART) has steadily increased with the birth of more than 10 million babies. However, despite the advances in technology and the continuous research efforts, the success rates have not improved much in the last decade, with a live birth rate of approximately 30%/cycle. Fertilization and implantation are two key moments of ART cycles and yet a considerable number of still opened questions remained on how they work at a molecular level and on how to optimize them in clinical practice.
Fertilization and implantation are two pivotal points of every ART cycle as well as two of the major KPIs used for evaluating a center’s performance. While we are able to completely reproduce fertilization in a laboratory setting, we still do not know the entirety of the biological processes involved in oocytes-sperm interaction. Moreover, in a clinical setting data are needed on possible strategies of gametes’ quality optimization (including sperm quality, since the critical role of the male partner is too frequently overlooked) and on the effect of chronic diseases/therapies on gametes and their fertilization potential. After fertilization, a finely tuned synchrony between an appropriately developing embryo and the receptive endometrium is the foundation of a successful pregnancies. While much was published on the topic of failed implantation and few methods for checking endometrial receptivity were proposed, still lot of controversies remains on the topic, starting from the existence and the correct definition of repeated failed implantation (RIF). Aim of this special issue is to shed light to these controversies, through collaboration among basic and translational researchers and clinical embryologists and clinicians, to advance our knowledges with the ultimate aim to improve clinical practice.
The special issue will welcome original articles (basic, translational or clinical research) as well as systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses on the following topics:
• Oocytes-sperm interaction
• Optimization of fertilization rates through the optimization of gametes’ quality
• Influence of chronic diseases and/or therapies on fertilization rates
• The role of traditional IVF versus ICSI in ART cycles
• Endometrial receptivity and how to test it
• Implantation failure
• Miscarriages
Since the first birth with the aid of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in July 1978, the use of assisted reproduction technologies (ART) has steadily increased with the birth of more than 10 million babies. However, despite the advances in technology and the continuous research efforts, the success rates have not improved much in the last decade, with a live birth rate of approximately 30%/cycle. Fertilization and implantation are two key moments of ART cycles and yet a considerable number of still opened questions remained on how they work at a molecular level and on how to optimize them in clinical practice.
Fertilization and implantation are two pivotal points of every ART cycle as well as two of the major KPIs used for evaluating a center’s performance. While we are able to completely reproduce fertilization in a laboratory setting, we still do not know the entirety of the biological processes involved in oocytes-sperm interaction. Moreover, in a clinical setting data are needed on possible strategies of gametes’ quality optimization (including sperm quality, since the critical role of the male partner is too frequently overlooked) and on the effect of chronic diseases/therapies on gametes and their fertilization potential. After fertilization, a finely tuned synchrony between an appropriately developing embryo and the receptive endometrium is the foundation of a successful pregnancies. While much was published on the topic of failed implantation and few methods for checking endometrial receptivity were proposed, still lot of controversies remains on the topic, starting from the existence and the correct definition of repeated failed implantation (RIF). Aim of this special issue is to shed light to these controversies, through collaboration among basic and translational researchers and clinical embryologists and clinicians, to advance our knowledges with the ultimate aim to improve clinical practice.
The special issue will welcome original articles (basic, translational or clinical research) as well as systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses on the following topics:
• Oocytes-sperm interaction
• Optimization of fertilization rates through the optimization of gametes’ quality
• Influence of chronic diseases and/or therapies on fertilization rates
• The role of traditional IVF versus ICSI in ART cycles
• Endometrial receptivity and how to test it
• Implantation failure
• Miscarriages