published_or_final_version / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Master / Master of Philosophy

No description available.

Studies have discovered higher frequencies of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in different mitochondrial genes are associated with subnormozoospermia. However, the frequencies of SNPs in ND1 and ND2 are not unknown. The present research was aimed to determine the frequencies of SNPs in ND1 and ND2 genes of the mitochondrial genome in fertile and subfertile men and whether changes in codon usage was associated with fertility phenotypes. Total genomic DNA from 157 semen samples was extracted using the proteinase K/SDS digestion procedure, followed by phenol/chloroform purification and ethanol precipitation. ND1 and ND2 genes were amplified respectively from 80 and 92 DNA samples from different fertility groups. Each PCR product was sequenced to identify mutations. Codon change resulting from a nucleotide substitution was determined by comparison with a reference mtDNA sequence obtained from the NCBI database. The frequency of codon usage in the reference mtDNA was determined by the computer program MEGA version 2.1. Eleven synonymous nucleotide substitutions and two non-synonymous substitutions were found in this study. Four SNPs were previously characterized; all SNPs were homoplasmic. None of the SNPs were likely to affect the function of the proteins on the basis of the hydrophobicity plots or secondary structure predictions. Sixty two percent of synonymous mutations were found to change from a high to a low relative codon usage values; 37% of synonymous mutations changed from a low to a high relative usage value. Chi-square (χ²) test (χ²= 0.067 with 1 d.f.) showed that there was no significant difference at the 5% level between these changes. Thus, change in codon usage was not related to semen quality in men. Further, there were no statistically significant differences in the observed frequencies of SNPs of fertile and subfertile men. However, the sample size was small and this study was only focused on a single NZ Caucasian population. Further study including larger and more diverse population samples may provide further insight into the functional importance of codon usage and its relevance to fertility

No description available.

No description available.

A nivel mundial se está dando un fenómeno que cada vez es más común, la infertilidad. En la actualidad la edad es considerada un factor determinante en la calidad seminal, existe una relación directa entre la edad y el aumento del daño en el ADN espermático. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las características seminales en jóvenes universitarios mediante espermatogramas utilizando el sistema computarizado de análisis seminal C.A.S.A (Computer Assisted Sperm Analyzer, ISAS v1.2) para la evaluación morfológica. Se calcularon los estadísticos descriptivos, frecuencias y coeficientes de variación para todos los parámetros seminales procedentes de 30 jóvenes universitarios voluntarios de 18 a 30 años de edad. Con el fin de determinar si los hábitos de los jóvenes consideradas en la investigación tuvieron efecto en alguno de los parámetros seminales se realizó la prueba exacta de Fisher, en el caso de variables nominales, y una prueba de T de student o de U de Mann Whitney, previa verificación de la normalidad con la prueba de Shapiro-Wilk, en el caso de las variables cuantitativas. Todos los análisis se realizaron con un nivel de confianza de 95% en el software SPSS v.21. En conclusión no se encontraron asociaciones significativamente estadísticas entre los hábitos y los distintos parámetros seminales y se determinó que solo los criterios de pH, volumen, vitalidad, motilidad, concentración y recuento total, cumplen con los valores establecido por la Organización Mundial de Salud y la Sociedad Europea de Reproducción Humana y Embriología (ESHRE), a diferencia del 76.7% las muestras seminales que no cumple con los criterios de morfología. Se observó que existían alteraciones morfológicas en la cabeza y la pieza intermedia de los espermatozoides, comparándolo con los valores considerados normales por la OMS se obtuvo que las principales áreas afectadas fueron la longitud, el ancho, el área, la elipticidad y la elongación de la cabeza al igual que el ancho de la pieza intermedia, y al compararlo con los valores de la ESHRE se obtuvo que las principales áreas afectadas fueron el ancho, el área y la elipticidad de la cabeza. Worldwide is taking a phenomenon that is becoming more common, infertility. Today's age is considered a important factor in semen quality, there is a direct relationship between age and the increased damagein DNA sperm. The aim of this study wasto evaluate the seminal characteristics in young students by Spermograms and use a computerized semen analysis C.A.S.A (Computer Assisted Sperm Analyzer, ISAS v1.2) for morphological evaluation Descriptive statistics and frequencies for all semen parameters considered in this study were calculated. The coefficient of variation was calculated by dividing the standard deviation to the average and expressed in percentage. In order to determine whether the habits of young people considered in the investigation had any effec on semen parameters Fisher's exact test was performed, in the case of nominal variables, and student T test or Mann Whitney, after verification of normality with the Shapiro-Wilk test, in the case of quantitative variables. All analyzes were performed with 95% confidence in the SPSS v.21 software In conclusion not significantly statistical associations between the habits and different sperm parameters were found and determined that only the criteria of pH, volume, vitality, motility, concentration and total count, meet values set by the World Health Organization and the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, unlike 76.7% of young people who do not meet the requirements criteria of morphology. It was found that there were obvious morphological changes in the anatomical parts of the head and the intermediate piece, comparing the valuesconsidered normal by WHO, was obtained that the main affected areas were the length, width, area, ellipticity and elongation of the head as the width of the intermediate piece, and when compared with the valuesthat were obtained ESHRE relevant affected areas were the wide area and the ellipticity of the head.

Detta examensarbete handlar om hur par upplever att vara infertila och deras längtan efter att bli föräldrar. Infertilitet väcker starka känslor hos paret och är någonting som de själva inte kan styra över. Arbetet baseras på tio vetenskapliga artiklar som funnits via sökningar i databaser som låg till grund för analysen. Av dessa artiklar delades deras resultat in i tre teman med tre underteman vardera. Dessa teman svarar på arbetets syfte i resultatdelen, det vill säga parets upplevelse av infertilitet. Resultatet visade att par upplevde infertiliteten som en omtumlande tid i livet då de kände sig maktlösa i situationen. Par försökte hitta en annan mening i vardagen och det var vanligt att istället satsa på karriär, utbildning, resor eller hobbys. Infertiliteten påverkade individen och paret i och med de känslor som uppkom. Detta medförde tankar på om relationen exempelvis skulle vara hållbar utan barn. Resultatet visade även att par upplevde ett tryck ifrån vänner och familj. De hade svårt att glädjas när vänner och syskon fick barn och kände skuld över att inte kunna erbjuda deras föräldrar barnbarn. Stöd i olika former efterfrågades där andra par i samma situation tycktes vara de enda som förstod vad de genomgick. Hälso- och sjukvården sågs som en viktig källa till information. Det är tydligt att infertilitet påverkar paret med många känslor och påfrestningar men i slutändan har det dock visats stärka paret på ett eller annat sätt. I våra slutsatser framkommer det att sjuksköterskan har en viktig roll i mötet med paret. Genom att sjuksköterskan tillämpar personcentrerad vård ges  örutsättningen att förhindra vårdlidande. / Background: Infertility is more common than many people think and can be due to various factors. The occurrence is equally common in both sexes and various treatment methods are available to take. Infertility rarely go unnoticed and couples affected more or less. Aim: The aim of the study was to highlight the heterosexual couple's experience of infertility. Method: A literature based study was done through a qualitative approach. The database Cinahl was used in the systematic searches. In total, the study is based on ten qualitative articles and the analysis resulted in three themes with three subthemes each. Results: The couples felt that their relationship was put to the test. They isolated themselves from family and friends because they constantly were reminded of their situation. Seeking support from others with infertility problems on Internet was common. Conclusion: The desire to become a parent was for all couples central but with the diagnosis life couldn’t take the way that was intended. The relationship was affected more or less, and support from various sources and of different types were needed. The importance of the nurse responds couple on a person-centered way highlighted. Person- centered care took advantage of the patient's resources and reduced suffering.

It is now more than 35 years since the first world test-tube baby, Louise Brown, was born (1978) in England and it is estimated that since then more than 4 000 000 of children were produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF) worldwide. The initial success of IVF was less than 20% in best clinics, but now it reaches about 40%. This is a consequence of introduction of new methods, standardization and exploitation of new manipulation and culture media, as well as the incorporation of research results. Nevertheless, the most important still remains the skill and experience of IVF clinics and IVF laboratories staff, especially their ability to critically evaluate the quality of biological material and to decide which cure and treatment are the best one. At least, some biological material (immature and low quality oocytes) can be used for training and also for some experiments aiming to explain some questions, which are not yet fully understood (for example aneuploidies in human oocytes and embryos). In addition, this training can facilitate the introduction of new progressive approaches and may also improve indirectly the quality of infertility treatments. The first part of thesis is focused on the quality evaluation of oocytes collected by aspiration from follicles of stimulated patients. For labeling...

Thesis advisor: Stephen Pfohl / Assisted reproductive technologies have transformed the way medicine responds to infertility, as well as the ways those who go through difficulty conceiving understand their bodies and their experiences. In many capacities, however, the biomedical model is insufficient: recognition is contingent upon attempts to conceive, diagnosis is often imprecise or unexplained, and treatments strive for solutions without cures - and are frequently incapable of providing even the former. Interviews with 26 participants with current or recent histories of infertility revealed the ways they negotiate the biomedical model: 1) going beyond medical treatment in making lifestyle changes; 2) pursuing alternative treatments; 3) questioning doctors and playing active roles in determining courses of treatment; 4) using religion, spirituality, or magical thinking to develop other, non-bodily ways of controlling infertility; 5) extracting meaning from the experiences, infusing the objective idea of "disease" with subjective purpose; 6) building personal, alternate models that encompass a wide range of ways of thinking about infertility; and 7) directly challenging the scientific authority of the biomedical model, resisting the terms of treatment, or questioning the ability of medicine to offer them solutions. No participants showed pure compliance - as all included at least one of the negotiations - and none showed full resistance - as all had sought at least some medical treatments. Understanding these negotiations leads to a better concept of patient identity and the "illness" experience; it can inform policy in regards to prevention, education, and insurance mandates; and it better reveals who society permits to pursue parenthood in what ways. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Sociology.