Since the introduction of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in medical practice, various studies have documented that implementing PRP can enhance healing and the anti-aging process, employing angiogenesis regeneration due to the multiple growth factors and cytokines involved. Numerous reports have shown promising results with the use of PRP in ovarian treatment, regarding ovarian regeneration and reactivation of folliculogenesis. This case series reports on two women with premature ovarian failure (POF) aged 40 and 27 years, respectively, and one menopausal woman aged 46 years. All patients presented with lack of menstrual cycle for over a year. The women reported previous failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts, and, after rejecting the option of oocyte donation, they opted for the approach of autologous ovarian PRP treatment. Following PRP treatment, the three patients were invited to conceive naturally. The primary outcome was the restoration of menstruation following autologous ovarian PRP treatment, as well as an improvement in hormonal profile, a decrease in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, and a concurrent increase in anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels. Further to that, our patients achieved pregnancy through natural conception within 2–6 months following PRP treatment, resulting in currently ongoing complication-free clinical pregnancies – a first report in the literature for menopausal and POF patients. Implementation of PRP should be further investigated through randomized controlled trials (RCTs), as it may hold the key to successful treatment for a certain cohort of patients exploring reproductive treatment options following menopause.

Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is a multifactorial condition affecting 10–15% of in vitro fertilization (IVF) couples. Data suggest that functional dysregulation of the endometrial immune system constitutes one of the main pathophysiological mechanisms leading to RIF. The aim of this article is to provide a thorough presentation and evaluation of the role of interleukins (ILs) in the pathogenesis of RIF. A comprehensive literature screening was performed summarizing current evidence. During implantation, several classes of ILs are secreted by epithelial and stromal endometrial cells, including IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18, and the leukemia inhibitory factor. These ILs create a perplexing network that orchestrates both proliferation and maturation of uterine natural killer cells, controls the function of regulatory T and B cells inhibiting the secretion of antifetal antibodies, and supports trophoblast invasion and decidua formation. The existing data indicate associations between ILs and RIF. The extensive analysis performed herein concludes that the dysregulation of the ILs network indeed jeopardizes implantation leading to RIF. This review further proposes a mapping of future research on how to move forward from mere associations to robust molecular data that will allow an accurate profiling of ILs in turn enabling evidence-based consultancy and decision making when addressing RIF patients.

Endometriosis-related infertility describes a case of deteriorated fecundity when endometriosis is diagnosed. Numerous mechanisms have been proposed in an effort to delineate the multifaceted pathophysiology that induces impairment of reproductive dynamics in patients with endometriosis. In this critical analysis, authors present the plethora of molecular events that are entailed and elaborate on how they potentially impair the oocyte’s and embryo’s competence in patients with endometriosis. Reactive oxygen species, dysregulation of the immune system and cellular architectural disruption constitute the crucial mechanisms that detrimentally affect oocyte and embryo developmental potential. The molecular level impairment of the reproductive tissue is discussed, since differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis constitute focal regulatory cellular functions that appear severely compromised in cases of endometriosis. Mapping the precise molecular mechanisms entailed in endometriosis-related infertility may help delineate the complex nature of the disorder and bring us a step closer to a more personalized approach in understanding, diagnosing and managing endometriosis-related infertility.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been gaining support in the field of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Despite the promising existing data, AI cannot yet claim gold-standard status, which serves as the rationale for this study. This systematic review and data synthesis aims to evaluate and report on the predictive capabilities of AI-based prediction models regarding IVF outcome. The study has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021242097). Following a systematic search of the literature in Pubmed/Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central Library, 18 studies were identified as eligible for inclusion. Regarding live-birth, the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Summary Receiver Operating Characteristics (SROC) was 0.905, while the partial AUC (pAUC) was 0.755. The Observed: Expected ratio was 1.12 (95%CI: 0.26–2.37; 95%PI: 0.02–6.54). Regarding clinical pregnancy with fetal heartbeat, the AUC of the SROC was 0.722, while the pAUC was 0.774. The O:E ratio was 0.77 (95%CI: 0.54–1.05; 95%PI: 0.21–1.62). According to this data synthesis, the majority of the AI-based prediction models are successful in accurately predicting the IVF outcome regarding live birth, clinical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy with fetal heartbeat, and ploidy status. This review attempted to compare between AI and human prediction capabilities, and although studies do not allow for a meta-analysis, this systematic review indicates that the AI-based prediction models perform rather similarly to the embryologists’ evaluations. While AI models appear marginally more effective, they still have some way to go before they can claim to significantly surpass the clinical embryologists’ predictive competence.

Despite the advances in the field of reproductive medicine, implantation failure represents a challenging condition affecting 10–30% of patients subjected to in vitro fertilization (IVF). Research has focused on the identification of molecules playing crucial roles in endometrial receptivity, with the aim of designing predictive tools for efficient detection of the implantation window. To that end, novel molecular genomic and transcriptomic approaches have been introduced as promising tools to enable personalized approaches with the aim of optimizing embryo transfer dating. However, the clinical value of these approaches remains unclear. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic review and critical analysis of the existing evidence regarding the employment of commercially available novel approaches to evaluate endometrial receptivity. An Embase and PubMed/Medline search was performed on 1 February 2022. From the 475 articles yielded, only 27 were included and analyzed. The considerable heterogeneity of the included articles indicates the uniqueness of the implantation window, showcasing that the optimal time for embryo transfer varies significantly between women. Moreover, this study provides information regarding the technical aspects of these advanced molecular tools, as well as an analysis of novel possible biomarkers for endometrial receptivity, providing a basis for future research in the field.

The present study aims to explore the effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery on women presenting with infertility, of unidentified aetiology according to the standard infertility investigation, and recurrent failed In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) attempts. Identifying and correcting possible underlying pathologies by laparoscopy may subsequently enable natural conception in an effort to address infertility and avoid IVF overuse. One-hundred and seven (107) women with unidentified aetiology of infertility and recurrent failed IVF attempts met the inclusion criteria. Laparoscopic surgery was performed as the endpoint of the patients’ diagnostic journey, aiming to identify a possible underlying factor as the cause of infertility. Sixty-two (62) out of 107 patients (57.94%) that underwent laparoscopy were diagnosed with endometriosis, 25 out of the 107 patients (23.3%) were diagnosed with periadnixal and pelvic adhesions, and 20 cases (18.69%) presented with no pathology and remained unexplained. Following identification and correction of endometriosis and pelvic adhesions, patients were invited to conceive naturally. For the patients that laparoscopic investigation failed to reveal any pathology they were categorized as unexplained infertility and were subjected to a single IVF cycle. Natural conception success rate within the first postoperative year was the primary outcome. Within the first postoperative year, 30 out of 62 patients (48.38%) diagnosed with endometriosis following laparoscopic investigation achieved a natural conception, and 28 out of them (93.4%) reported live-births. Additionally, 11 out of 25 patients (44%) diagnosed with periadnixal and pelvic adhesions achieved natural conception within the first operative year. Regarding the group of unexplained infertility patients, only four out of the 20 patients (20%) achieved clinical pregnancy in the first post-operative IVF cycle. In conclusion, laparoscopy appears to be a promising approach, addressing infertility, providing significant diagnostic findings, while avoiding IVF overuse regarding patients of unidentified infertility presenting with recurrent failed IVF attempts.