Delaying the oocyte maturation trigger by one day leads to a higher metaphase II oocyte yield in IVF/ICSI: a randomised controlled trial

An artificial intelligence-based approach for selecting the optimal day for triggering in antagonist protocol cycles

RESEARCH QUESTION

Can a machine-learning model suggest an optimal trigger day (or days), analysing three consecutive days, to maximize the number of total and mature (metaphase II [MII]) oocytes retrieved during an antagonist protocol cycle?

DESIGN

This retrospective cohort study included 9622 antagonist cycles between 2018 and 2022. The dataset was divided into training, validation and test sets. An XGBoost machine-learning algorithm, based on the cycles' data, suggested optimal trigger days for maximizing the number of MII oocytes retrieved by considering the MII predictions, prediction errors and outlier detection results. Evaluation of the algorithm was conducted using a test dataset including three quality groups: 'Freeze-all oocytes', 'Fertilize-all' and 'ICSI-only' cycles. The model suggested 1, 2 or 3 days as trigger options, depending on the difference in potential outcomes. The suggested days were compared with the actual trigger day chosen by the physician and were labelled 'concordant' or 'discordant' in terms of agreement.

RESULTS

In the 'freeze-all' test-set, the concordant group showed an average increase of 4.8 oocytes and 3.4 MII oocytes. In the 'ICSI-only' test set there was an average increase of 3.8 MII oocytes and 1.1 embryos, and in the 'fertilize-all' test set an average increase of 3.6 oocytes and 0.9 embryos was observed (P < 0.001 for all parameters in all groups).

CONCLUSIONS

Utilizing a machine-learning model for determining the optimal trigger days may improve antagonist protocol cycle outcomes across all age groups in freeze-all or fresh transfer cycles. Implementation of these models may more accurately predict the number of oocytes retrieved, thus optimizing physicians' decisions, balancing workloads and creating more standardized, yet patient-specific, protocols.

Maternal MicroRNA Profile Changes When LH Is Added to the Ovarian Stimulation Protocol: A Pilot Study

While the use of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF) is an established practice, the use of luteinizing hormone (LH) remains debatable. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, endogenous, non-coding transcripts that control a variety of cellular functions, such as gonadotrophin production and follicular development. The goal of this pilot study was to investigate whether the employment of recombinant LH (rLH) in ovarian stimulation protocols results in changes in the miRNA profiles in human oocytes. Patients were divided into two groups: seven received recombinant FSH (rFSH, 225 IU), and six received rFSH (150 IU) plus rLH (75 IU). MiRNA predesigned panels and real-time PCR technology were used to analyze the oocytes retrieved from the follicular ovarian retrieval. Among the miRNAs evaluated, a series of them evidenced upregulation or downregulation in their expression in the FSH plus LH group compared to the FSH group. Considering the results obtained from the functional and network analysis, the different maternal miRNA profiles in the two groups revealed a differential modulation of pathways involved in numerous biological functions. Overall, based on the pathways associated with most of these maternal miRNAs, the presence of LH may result in a different modulation of pathways regulating survival under the control of a Tp53-related mechanism. Interestingly, among the miRNAs differentially expressed in oocytes of the two groups, we have found miRNAs already investigated at ovarian, follicular, oocyte, and embryonic levels: hsa-miR-484, hsa-miR-222, hsa-miR-520d-5p, hsa-miRNA-17, hsa-miR-548, and hsa-miR-140. Thus, investigation into the role of these miRNAs in oocyte molecular pathways may help determine how LH affects oocyte competence and eventually leads to the clinical improvement of IVF.

Prediction of oocyte maturation rate in the GnRH antagonist flexible IVF protocol using a novel machine learning algorithm - A retrospective study

Oocyte maturation is affected by various patient and cycle parameters and has a key effect on treatment outcome. A prediction model for oocyte maturation rate formulated by using machine learning and neural network algorithms has not yet been described. A retrospective cohort study that included all women aged ≤ 38 years who underwent their first IVF treatment using a flexible GnRH antagonist protocol in a single tertiary hospital between 2010 and 2015. 462 patients met the inclusion criteria. Median maturation rate was approximately 80%. Baseline characteristics and treatment parameters of cycles with high oocyte maturation rate (≥80%, n = 236) were compared to cycles with low oocyte maturation rate (<80%, n = 226). We used an XGBoost algorithm that fits the training data using decision trees and rates factors according to their influence on the prediction. For the machine training phase, 80% of the cohort was randomly selected, while rest of the samples were used to evaluate our model's accuracy. We demonstrated an accuracy rate of 75% in predicting high oocyte maturation rate in GnRH antagonist cycles. Our model showed an operating characteristic curve with AUC of 0.78 (95% CI 0.73-0.82). The most predictive parameters were peak estradiol level on trigger day, estradiol level on antagonist initiation day, average dose of gonadotropins per day and progesterone level on trigger day. A state-of-the-art machine learning algorithm presented promising ability to predict oocyte maturation rate in the first GnRH antagonist flexible protocol using simple parameters before final trigger for ovulation. A prospective study to evaluate this model is needed.

Oocyte phenotype, genetic diagnosis, and clinical outcome in case of patients with oocyte maturation arrest

BACKGROUND

oocyte maturation arrest (OMA) is currently one of the major causes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure, and several gene mutations were found to be associated with OMA. The purpose of this study was to identify the oocyte phenotype, genetic diagnosis, and clinical outcomes of patients with OMA and explore their possible interrelationships, thus providing a more individualized and efficient treatment strategy guidance accordingly.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted, involving 28 infertile women with OMA in the Reproductive Medicine Center of Tongji Hospital from 2018 to 2021. Whole-exome sequencing was performed for the detection of gene mutations. Patients were classified into three groups based on their oocyte phenotype, and for each group, the immature oocytes were cultured in vitro and mature oocytes were fertilized to evaluate both the maturation capacity and developmental potential. The clinical outcomes of OMA patients with different gene mutations or from different groups were further analyzed and compared.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight women with OMA were evaluated in this study. According to the stage of OMA, 14 (50.0%) women were classified as OMA Type-1 (GV arrest), 5 (17.9%) were OMA Type-2 (MI arrest), and 9 (32.1%) were OMA Type-3 (with both GV and MI arrest). Immature oocytes from OMA patients exhibited significantly lower maturation rates even after IVM, compared to those in general patients. Seven patients (25.0%) were detected to have deleterious variations in two genes (PATL2 and TUBB8), known to be associated with the OMA phenotype. Patients with identified mutations were found to have little opportunity to obtain offspring with their own oocytes. Among the patients without mutations identified, those classified as OMA Type-1 or Type-3 still had a chance to obtain offspring through IVF or natural pregnancy, while all patients in the Type-2 group failed to obtain live birth.

CONCLUSIONS

Three different phenotypes were observed in patients with OMA. The clinical outcomes of patients were associated with the presence of gene mutations and the classification of oocyte phenotype, thus a reasonable triage system was proposed to optimize the allocation of health care resources and maximize patient benefit.

Prediction of ovarian response in IVF/ICSI cycles

Objective:

Our study aims to evaluate the various correlations between demographic, biochemical, ultrasound, and ovarian stimulation parameters with the percentage of mature oocytes in conventional stimulation for IVF/ICSI cycles in order to develop a predictive model to improve our understanding of the oocyte maturation process.

Methods:

This is a retrospective cohort study; patients underwent conventional antagonist ovarian stimulation protocols for fresh IVF/ICSI cycles. A total of 256 IVF/ICSI cycles were included. Age, antral follicle count (AFC), baseline serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, baseline serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, baseline serum estradiol (E2) levels, peak estradiol, P4 on hCG day, the body mass index (BMI), and stimulation length were measured. The variables were tested for correlations with the number of retrieved oocytes (#RO) and the number of mature oocytes (#MO). A backward stepwise regression was performed to identify the variables that correlated more strongly with percentage of mature oocytes (%MO).

Results:

A predictive equation was obtained with the variables that were not excluded in the model. % MO = 72.700 - 0.910 (Age) + 0.979 (BMI) + 1.209 (Baseline serum LH) - 0.647 (Progesterone on human Chorionic Gonadotropin day).

Conclusions:

We concluded that age, the BMI, baseline serum LH, and progesterone level on hCG day may predict %MO. Prospective studies are required to validate this predictive equation.

Novel Mutations in CDC20 Are Associated with Female Infertility Due to Oocyte Maturation Abnormality and Early Embryonic Arrest

The cell division cycle 20 (CDC20) protein is a co-activator of anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), required for mitotic exit and also meiotic exit, containing seven WD40 repeats in the C-terminus responsible for protein-protein interactions. Recently, a previous study has shown that biallelic mutations in CDC20 are causative for female infertility with abnormalities in oocyte maturation and embryonic development. This study is to further identify new mutations of CDC20 and the prevalence of variants in our cohort. A cohort of 50 primary infertile females with oocyte maturation abnormality and early embryonic arrest were recruited. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood samples. Mutation screening of all the coding regions of CDC20 was performed by Sanger sequencing. The pathogenicity of the identified variants on the CDC20 protein was accessed in silico. Two CDC20 variants, a nonsense mutation p.R262* and a missense mutation p.A211T, identified in one female of 50 unrelated affected individuals, accounting for a relative small proportion of this cohort (2%). In silico analysis revealed that the p.R262* would cause no production of protein or a truncated protein lacking five WD40 repeats in the C-terminus; and that p.A211T may interfere with the formation of a deep hydrophobic pocket and thus disturb the binding of CDC20 protein to the substrates of APC/C. This study identified two novel mutations in CDC20, further expanding the mutation spectrum of this gene. Our findings further confirm that biallelic mutations in CDC20 occur in a proportion of infertile females with oocyte maturation abnormality and early embryonic arrest.

Role of the proportion of dominant follicles in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer

Background:

There is no absolute consensus for the best time for triggering. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different proportion of dominant follicles (PDF) on the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) day for the clinical outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) of different ovarian stimulation protocols.

Methods:

A total of 371 cycles of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist long protocol and 347 cycles of GnRH antagonist protocol from January 2014 to December 2016 were included in this retrospective study. Based on the PDF on the day of the HCG administration, the included patients were divided into three groups: Group A (low PDF), PDF <20%; Group B (medium PDF), 20%≤ PDF ≤40%; Group C (high PDF), PDF >40%. The measurements regarding ovarian stimulation characteristics, fertilization rate, top quality embryo rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and ovarian hyperstimualtion syndrome (OHSS) rate were compared in different PDF groups with different protocols.

Results:

In both the GnRH antagonist protocol and GnRH agonist long protocol, the characteristics such as mean age, anti-Mullerian hormone, antral follicle count (AFC), and body mass index were comparable between groups. The number of oocytes retrieved decreased statistically significantly as the PDF and rate of matured oocytes increased. In the GnRH agonist long protocol, the rate of normally fertilized oocytes was highest in Group A (59.74 ± 31.21 vs. 49.70 ± 37.95, 49.67 ± 36.62; F = 3.743, P = 0.025). There were no significant differences in the rate of top-quality embryos and the clinical pregnancy rate between the groups. The clinical pregnancy rate was similar in the three groups (63.6%, 62.5%, 67.5%, respectively, χ² = 0.989, P = 0.911). The moderate and severe OHSS rate increased statistically significantly when the PDF increased, which was highest in group C (1.4%, 3.1%, 6.7%, respectively, χ² = 12.014, P = 0.017). In the GnRH antagonist protocol, there were no significant differences in the rate of top-quality embryos, the rate of normally fertilized oocytes, the clinical pregnancy rate, and the moderate and severe OHSS rate between the groups. The clinical pregnancy rate in Group C was higher than that in Group A (57.9% vs. 46.6%, χ² = 10.850, P = 0.093).

Conclusions:

In the GnRH antagonist protocol, PDF on the HCG day of less than 20% may be unfavorable to the clinical pregnancy rate in PCOS. In the GnRH agonist long protocol, delaying the HCG trigger timing has no good effect on clinical pregnancy and the risk of OHSS might increase in patients with PCOS.

Novel Concepts for Inducing Final Oocyte Maturation in In Vitro Fertilization Treatment

Infertility affects one in six of the population and increasingly couples require treatment with assisted reproductive techniques. In vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment is most commonly conducted using exogenous FSH to induce follicular growth and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to induce final oocyte maturation. However, hCG may cause the potentially life-threatening iatrogenic complication "ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome" (OHSS), which can cause considerable morbidity and, rarely, even mortality in otherwise healthy women. The use of GnRH agonists (GnRHas) has been pioneered during the last two decades to provide a safer option to induce final oocyte maturation. More recently, the neuropeptide kisspeptin, a hypothalamic regulator of GnRH release, has been investigated as a novel inductor of oocyte maturation. The hormonal stimulus used to induce oocyte maturation has a major impact on the success (retrieval of oocytes and chance of implantation) and safety (risk of OHSS) of IVF treatment. This review aims to appraise experimental and clinical data of hormonal approaches used to induce final oocyte maturation by hCG, GnRHa, both GnRHa and hCG administered in combination, recombinant LH, or kisspeptin. We also examine evidence for the timing of administration of the inductor of final oocyte maturation in relationship to parameters of follicular growth and the subsequent interval to oocyte retrieval. In summary, we review data on the efficacy and safety of the major hormonal approaches used to induce final oocyte maturation in clinical practice, as well as some novel approaches that may offer fresh alternatives in future.

Follicle Size on Day of Trigger Most Likely to Yield a Mature Oocyte

OBJECTIVE

To identify follicle sizes on the day of trigger most likely to yield a mature oocyte following hCG, GnRH agonist (GnRHa), or kisspeptin during IVF treatment.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis to determine the size of follicles on day of trigger contributing most to the number of mature oocytes retrieved using generalized linear regression and random forest models applied to data from IVF cycles (2014-2017) in which either hCG, GnRHa, or kisspeptin trigger was used.

SETTING

HCG and GnRHa data were collected at My Duc Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and kisspeptin data were collected at Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.

PATIENTS

Four hundred and forty nine women aged 18-38 years with antral follicle counts 4-87 were triggered with hCG (n = 161), GnRHa (n = 165), or kisspeptin (n = 173).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Follicle sizes on the day of trigger most likely to yield a mature oocyte.

RESULTS

Follicles 12-19 mm on the day of trigger contributed the most to the number of oocytes and mature oocytes retrieved. Comparing the tertile of patients with the highest proportion of follicles on the day of trigger 12-19 mm, with the tertile of patients with the lowest proportion within this size range, revealed increases of 4.7 mature oocytes for hCG (P < 0.0001) and 4.9 mature oocytes for GnRHa triggering (P < 0.01). Using simulated follicle size profiles of patients with 20 follicles on the day of trigger, our model predicts that the number of oocytes retrieved would increase from a mean 9.8 (95% prediction limit 9.3-10.3) to 14.8 (95% prediction limit 13.3-16.3) oocytes due to the difference in follicle size profile alone.

CONCLUSION

Follicles 12-19 mm on the morning of trigger administration were most likely to yield a mature oocyte following hCG, GnRHa, or kisspeptin.

The effect of 24 hours delay in oocyte maturation triggering in IVF/ICSI cycles with antagonist protocol and not-elevated progesterone: A randomized control trial

BACKGROUND

The best time of final oocyte maturation triggering in assisted reproduction technology protocols is unknown. This time always estimated by combined follicular size and blood progesterone level.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was evaluation of the effect of delaying oocyte maturation triggering by 24 hr on the number of mature oocytes (MII) and other in vitro fertilization cycle characteristics in antagonist protocols with not-elevated progesterone (p ≤1 ng/ml).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients' candidate for assisted reproduction technology underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation by antagonist protocol. When at least 3 follicles with ≥18 mm diameters were seen by vaginal ultrasonography; blood progesterone level was measured. The patients who had progesterone level ≤1 ng/dl entered the study. The participants' randomizations were done and patients were divided into two groups. In the first group, final oocyte maturation was done by human chorionic gonadotropin at the same day, but in the second group, this was performed 24 hr later. Oocytes retrieval was done 36 hr after human chorionic gonadotropin trigger by transvaginal ultrasound guide.

RESULTS

Number of retrieved oocytes, mature oocytes (MII), fertilized oocytes (2PN), embryos formation, number of transferred embryos and embryos quality has not significant differences between two groups. Also, fertilization and implantation rate, chemical and clinical pregnancy did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSION

Delaying of triggering oocyte maturation by 24 hr in antagonist protocol with not-elevated progesterone (progesterone ≤1 ng/ml) have not beneficial nor harmful effect on the number of mature oocytes (MII) and other in vitro fertilization cycle characteristics.

A fresh look at the freeze-all protocol: a SWOT analysis

The 'freeze-all' strategy with the segmentation of IVF treatment, namely with the use of a GnRH antagonist protocol, GnRH agonist triggering, the elective cryopreservation of all embryos by vitrification and a frozen-thawed embryo transfer in a subsequent cycle, has become more popular. However, the approach still encounters drawbacks. In this opinion paper, a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis sheds light on the different aspects of this strategy.