IN VITRO FERTILIZATION – INNOVATIVE CLINICAL AND LABORATORY ASPECTS Edited by Shevach Friedler In Vitro Fertilization – Innovative Clinical and Laboratory Aspects Edited by Shevach Friedler Published by InTech Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Copyright © 2012 InTech All chapters are Open Access distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, which allows users to download, copy and build upon published articles even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. After this work has been published by InTech, authors have the right to republish it, in whole or part, in any publication of which they are the author, and to make other personal use of the work. Any republication, referencing or personal use of the work must explicitly identify the original source. As for readers, this license allows users to download, copy and build upon published chapters even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. Notice Statements and opinions expressed in the chapters are these of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in the published chapters. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any damage or injury to persons or property arising out of the use of any materials, instructions, methods or ideas contained in the book. Publishing Process Manager Martina Blecic Technical Editor Teodora Smiljanic Cover Designer InTech Design Team First published April, 2012 Printed in Croatia A free online edition of this book is available at www.intechopen.com Additional hard copies can be obtained from orders@intechopen.com In Vitro Fertilization – Innovative Clinical and Laboratory Aspects, Edited by Shevach Friedler p. cm. ISBN 978-953-51-0503-9 Contents Preface IX Part 1 Innovative Clinical Aspects of IVF 1 Chapter 1 The Role of Low-Dose hCG in the Late Follicular Phase of Controlled Ovarian Hyper Stimulation (COH) Protocols 3 Mahnaz Ashrafi and Kiandokht Kiani Chapter 2 Gene Expression and Premature Progesterone Rise 15 Inge Van Vaerenbergh and Christophe Blockeel Chapter 3 The Role of Ultrasound in the Evaluation of Endometrial Receptivity Following Assisted Reproductive Treatments 31 Mitko Ivanovski Part 2 Innovative Laboratory Aspects of IVF, Present and Future Techniques 69 Chapter 4 Methods for Sperm Selection for In Vitro Fertilization 71 Nicolás M. Ortega and Pablo Bosch Chapter 5 Analysis of Permissive and Repressive Chromatin Markers in In Vitro Fertilized Bovine Embryos Just After Embryonic Genome Activation 87 Clara Slade Oliveira, Naiara Zoccal Saraiva, Letícia Zoccolaro Oliveira and Joaquim Mansano Garcia Chapter 6 Safety in Assisted Reproductive Technologies: Insights from Gene Expression Studies During Preimplantation Development 103 Daniela Bebbere, Luisa Bogliolo, Federica Ariu, Irma Rosati and Sergio Ledda VI Contents Chapter 7 Third Millennium Assisted Reproductive Technologies: The Impact of Oocyte Vitrification 123 P. Boyer, P. Rodrigues, P. Tourame, M. Silva, M. Barata, J. Perez-Alzaa and M. Gervoise-Boyer Chapter 8 Preimplantation Genetic Testing: Current Status and Future Prospects 137 Eduardo C. Lau, Marleen M. Janson, Carl B. Ball, Mark R. Roesler, Peter VanTuinen, David P. Bick and Estil Y. Strawn Preface No doubt that one of the major advancements in the field of medicine in the last millennium, include the introduction of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, to alleviate female and male infertility. Prof. Robert Edwards, the 2010 Nobel laureate in medicine represents this field. Cambridge physiologist Prof Edwards, now 85, and the late Patrick Steptoe, a gynecologic surgeon, developed IVF technology in which oocytes are fertilized outside the body and implanted in the uterine cavity. The groundbreaking work led to the birth of the world's first test tube baby, Louise Brown, in 1978. Today this technology has affected the lives of millions of infertile patients. The pioneering and inspirational work that started in the early '60s led to a breakthrough that has enhanced the lives of millions of people worldwide resulting in the birth of more than 3 million babies. Since then, there was not a dull moment in the advancements and developments in this field. Mentioning just a few, includes embryo cryopreservation, a technology that allows preservation of surplus embryos, to be used after the fresh cycle, reducing the need of the patients to undergo another cycle of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and oocyte retrieval, oocyte cryopreservation enabling to revolutionize the field of egg donation which enables women without fertilizable oocytes to fulfill their wish for conception and delivery. The introduction of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection revolutionized the treatment possibilities of male infertile patients allowing patients suffering from severe OTA and even azoospermia, to father a child. Although the field of ART exists now for more than three decades, in many of its practical aspects there is no consensus and continuing basic and clinical research relevant to the various aspects of this field contribute to its improvement. Presently, the basic routines that IVF-ET treatments are well known to those involved in the field of reproductive medicine. In this book we present a variety of chapters expressing new and exciting data relevant to various aspects of this field, indicating the vast potential of innovations in the variable parts that comprise the puzzle of this treatment's methodology. The first chapter relates to new aspects of the treatment protocols used for COH for IVF, specifically considering the role of low dose hCG in the late follicular phase of COH protocol. In the following chapter light is shed upon the importance of X Preface premature progesterone rise during COH, investigating the endometrial gene expression affected by it that may lead to impairment of uterine receptivity. The improvements in the instrumentation and technical ability of the new ultrasound machinery had a serious impact on the role of ultrasound in the evaluation of uterine receptivity as well as establishing the new standard of guided embryo transfer. This will be presented in our third chapter. In our fourth chapter we present a current update on the variable methods of sperm selection for IVF, including the newest ideas in this expertise. Current data indicate the importance of the preimplantation development of embryos, that may affect not only their implantation potential but also their health during their lifespan. Using in vitro fertilized bovine embryos as a mammalian model, the fifth chapter presents some histone modifications marks observed during embryonic genomic activation and how their monitoring can provide useful information about early embryo development. IVF offers hope to couples and women who might not otherwise achieve pregnancy, but there are risks which are not elucidated yet. The sixth chapter presents insights from gene expression studies during preimpantation development , essential for the evaluation of IVF safety. In our seventh chapter we present an overview on one of the newest advancement in the field of IVF. Namely, the introduction of oocyte cryopreservation by vitrification, is a methodology that may revolutionize the field of oocyte donation and fertility potential preservation. A concise overview regarding current knowledge of Preimplantation genetic testing is presented in our last chapter, presenting the current technique of PGD and PGS as well as and its future prospects using cutting edge genomic technologies allowing to prevent inherited genetic disorders. This book is a result of collaborative work of an international group of professionals dedicated to contribute to the advancement of our knowledge that invested their time and effort in contributing their chapters. We hope that this book, presenting current new aspects pertaining to the variable aspects of the steps leading to a more effective and safer IVF, will have the ability to challenge and satisfy the curiosity of the variable potential readers seeking to enrich their knowledge in the challenging field of IVF. Prof. Shevach Friedler The Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel . IN VITRO FERTILIZATION – INNOVATIVE CLINICAL AND LABORATORY ASPECTS Edited by Shevach Friedler In Vitro Fertilization – Innovative. copies can be obtained from orders@intechopen.com In Vitro Fertilization – Innovative Clinical and Laboratory Aspects, Edited by Shevach Friedler p.