Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “INSEMINATION”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 883 records · Page 49Linked to original sources

A randomized prospective study to assess the effect of the use of home urinary luteinizing hormone detection on the efficiency of donor insemination.

A study was carried out to establish whether the use of home urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) detection to predict ovulation could decrease the number of clinic visits required for the management of a donor insemination (DI) cycle, and thus optimize use of clinic resources without adversely affecting pregnancy rates. This was a randomized prospective study carried out at a donor insemination clinic in Oxford, England. Fifty-six patients participated in the trial; 27 used home urinary ovulation detection for a total of 111 cycles and 29 had a total of 123 DI cycles managed by routine clinical methods. There was a significant reduction in the number of visits per cycle (P less than 0.001) if home kits for detection of ovulation were used. There was no significant difference in the monthly fecundity or cumulative conception rates. We conclude that the use of home urinary LH detection in donor insemination can reduce patient attendance at the clinic and optimize the use of medical resources without adversely affecting pregnancy rates.

Female↗

A controlled study of the psycho-social development of children conceived following insemination with donor semen.

Although donor insemination has been used to produce pregnancies for many years, there has been little information on how children conceived in this unusual manner develop psycho-socially. We have therefore carried out a controlled quantitative assessment comparing children who were conceived by donor insemination to adoptees and naturally conceived children who were matched for age and sex. We conclude that the psycho-social development of donor insemination children was no different from the two control groups.

Adoption↗

Plasma testosterone profiles, semen characteristics, and artificial insemination in yearling and adult captive Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos).

Testosterone profiles and semen characteristics were determined using yearling and adult captive wild-strain Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) drakes. Wild-strain Mallard hens were artificially inseminated by modifying a technique developed for domesticated poultry. In both adult and yearling drakes, there was a change in the concentration of circulating plasma testosterone during the reproductive season. Testosterone concentrations increased from basal levels in March, peaked in April, and decreased to basal levels in May. The decrease in testosterone concentration to basal level was 2 wk earlier in yearlings than in adults (P < 0.05). The decrease in testosterone concentration was associated with the onset of postnuptial molt. Semen volume (0.04 to 0.08 mL) and semen concentration (approximately 1.32 x 10(9) spermatozoa per milliliter) were not different between adult and yearling drakes (P > 0.05). Overall mean fertility for yearling and adult drakes obtained with artificial insemination was 70.4%. These results suggest that artificial insemination may be used successfully in the propagation of captive wild-strain Mallard ducks.

Aging↗

Fertility differences among male rabbits determined by heterospermic insemination of fluorochrome-labeled spermatozoa.

Spermatozoa from different bucks were stained with different fluorochromes, mixed, and inseminated heterospermically. By altering the interval between insemination and luteinizing hormone injection, spermatozoa were allowed to reside in the female tract approximately 5, 10, or 15 h prior to ovulation. The number of functional spermatozoa, from each male of a pair used, that was transported to the site of fertilization was estimated by counting total number of differently stained spermatozoa that surrounded or fertilized each oocyte. Spermatozoa from split ejaculates within a male competed against each other equally, indicating that the staining procedure did not affect fertilization or functional spermatozoal transport rates. Three pairs of males with high initial semen quality (greater than 80% motility) differed in fertility primarily due to functional spermatozoal transport. Spermatozoal survival in the female tract and capacitation time played a role in differences in male fertility when heterospermic insemination occurred at variable times relative to ovulation. Differences in fertilization not accounted for by spermatozoal transport ratio raised the possibility that rate of egg penetration due to acrosomal enzyme differences may be important in determining male fertility. Therefore, total acrosin, hyaluronidase, and arylsulfatase activity in spermatozoa from specific bucks used in fertilization experiments were determined. Although there were trends favoring high fertility when enzyme content was higher, the difference was significant only for arylsulfatase in one buck.

Animals↗

Distribution of mucus and sperm in bovine oviducts after artificial insemination: the physical environment of the oviductal sperm reservoir.

There is a sperm reservoir in the caudal oviduct of cattle and other mammals. We had observed trapping of sperm by mucus produced by explants of bovine oviductal epithelium in vitro; therefore, we used techniques designed for preserving mucus and luminal dimensions to determine whether mucus is associated with the reservoir in vivo. Heifers were synchronized by prostaglandin injections and inseminated during estrus. Oviducts on the side of ovulation were surgically removed either 8-10 h after insemination (preovulatory) or 50-55 h after insemination (postovulatory). Segments (1 cm) taken from the uterotubal junction (UTJ), caudal 3 cm of isthmus, and mid ampulla were snap frozen. Frozen sections were coated with collodion and postfixed in phosphate-buffered formaldehyde containing cetyl-pyridinium chloride. Sections were alternately stained with periodic acid-Schiff stain (PAS) or alcian blue/PAS. Most of the oviductal lumen was highly branched with passages that measured only a few microns across and were filled with mucus. In limited areas, the lumen opened to 100 microm across and was only lightly stained for mucus. Overall, the lumen was much narrower than in sections prepared by standard fixation and paraffin embedding. Sperm were found scattered throughout the lumen of the UTJ and isthmus, in both the narrow, deeply stained luminal areas and the wider, lightly stained areas. The numbers tapered off cranially, especially prior to ovulation. In conclusion, the combination of narrow passages and mucus would appear to impede sperm progress, contributing to the creation of a reservoir.

Alcian Blue↗

Pregnancy rate after timed artificial insemination in early post-partum dairy cows after Ovsynch or specific synchronization protocols.

The present study was designed to compare the reproductive performance of pre-synchronized post-partum dairy cows subjected, either to the Ovsynch protocol without screening for ovarian status (control group), or to a specific oestrous synchronization protocol applied according to their ovarian status, as determined by transrectal ultrasound (experimental group). The study was conducted on 428 lactating dairy cows. Cows in the Ovsynch group (n = 205) were synchronized and time inseminated after receiving the Ovsynch protocol treatment. Cows in the specific synchronization (Ssynch) group (n = 223) were weekly subjected to transrectal ultrasound exams for 4 weeks, or until AI or starting treatment, and divided into four subgroups according to their ovarian status: (i). corpus luteum (CL) subgroup (n = 130), cows with a CL; (ii). natural oestrus (NE) subgroup (n = 58), cows showing NE; (iii). anovulatory follicles (AF) subgroup (n = 26), cows considered to have AF; and (iv). ovarian cysts (OC) subgroup (n = 9), cows with OC. Cows in the Ssynch group were synchronized and time inseminated following a specific oestrous synchronization protocol, or inseminated at NE. Logistic regression analysis was carried out for the dependent variables ovulation and pregnancy rates to first and to second AI (second AI: first AI + return AI). Cows subjected to Ssynch were 2.1 times more likely to become pregnant at first and at second AI compared with those synchronized using the Ovsynch protocol (P < 0.0001). Our results show that the response of post-partum pre-synchronized cows to a specific oestrous synchronization protocol applied according to their ovarian status is more effective than the response to the Ovsynch protocol applied without taking into account the ovarian status of the animals.

Animals↗

Effect of insemination volume on uterine contractions and inflammatory response and on elimination of semen in the mare uterus-scintigraphic and ultrasonographic studies.

The effect of artificial insemination (AI) volume on uterine contractility and inflammation and on elimination of semen in the reproductive tract of mares was examined for 4 h after AI using two methods, scintigraphy and ultrasonography. The same doses were used in both methods: 2 and 100 ml of skim milk-extended frozen semen. In the scintigraphic study, the number of reproductively normal mares was four per group and in the ultrasonographic study five per group. For scintigraphy, the semen was radiolabelled with technetium-99m. The static scintigrams were acquired immediately before and 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 min after AI. The activities in the vagina and uterus were calculated and the values for sperm that had been discharged from the mare were obtained by subtracting the counts for the uterus and vagina from the total radioactivity. The dynamic scintigrams were taken continuously for the first 30 min after AI and in 5-min periods immediately after having acquired the static scintigrams. The uterine contractions were counted. In the ultrasonographic study, the mares were scanned before AI and at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 60, 120, 150, 180, and 240 min after AI, for at least 1 min each time. The examinations were videotaped and contractions counted per minute. More contractions were observed with the ultrasonographic method than with the scintigraphic method. No difference was present in the number of contractions between the groups, except in the ultrasonographic study at 4 h, when the mares inseminated with 100 ml showed more contractions than did the mares inseminated with 2 ml. The intraluminal fluid was sampled with a tampon and by uterine lavage 4 h after AI in the ultrasonographic study. The numbers of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and spermatozoa were counted, but the differences between the groups were not significant. Under our experimental conditions and with the number of mares examined, the volume of the AI dose had an insignificant effect on contractility - with the exception at 4 h - and inflammatory reaction and on semen elimination in the uterus.

Animals↗

Pregnancy rates in lactating Holstein-Friesian cows after artificial insemination with sexed sperm.

The effects of artificial insemination (AI) using sexed sperm on pregnancy rates have seldom been studied in lactating dairy cows on commercial dairy farms. We evaluated pregnancy results after AI of 306 lactating dairy cows, of which 157 were inseminated with 2x10(6) frozen/thawed sexed sperm and 149 with 15x10(6) frozen/thawed unsexed sperm. The average pregnancy and calving rates were 21.0% and 20% for the sexed-sperm AIs and 46% and 45% for the unseparated control-sperm AIs respectively (p<0.001). The proportion of female calves derived from sexed-sperm AI was 82% compared with 49% for control AI (p<0.01). The proportion of live and healthy calves in single births was 100% for sexed-sperm AI and 97% for control AI (p>0.05). Our results indicate that AI with low-dose sexed sperm under field conditions in commercial dairy herds without oestrus synchronization results in significantly reduced pregnancy rates compared with normal-dose AI. Improved insemination strategies combined with increased sperm doses are needed before the use of sexed sperm can be of any significant benefit for the dairy and beef industry.

Animals↗

Fertility results of artificial inseminations performed with liquid boar semen stored in X-cell vs BTS extender.

The objective of the present field study was to compare the fertility results for boar semen diluted in X-cell stored up to 4-5 days before artificial insemination (AI) with semen diluted in Beltsville thawing solution (BTS) used for AI following 2-3 days of storage (where the first day being the collection day). A total number of 2601 double inseminations in Norwegian herds were included in this two-trial study. All the boars used in the study were mature cross-bred Norwegian Landrace x Duroc (LD), which were routinely used for AI in Norway. The inseminated gilts and sows were Norwegian Landrace x Yorkshire (LY). The AI doses contained 2.5 billion spermatozoa, and consisted of a mixture of semen from three, occasionally four, boars (i.e. heterospermic semen). Fertility was measured in terms of the likelihood of farrowing and subsequent litter size. The fertility of the semen in both of the extenders was satisfactory and no significant differences were found either in semen stored 4-5 days in X-cell compared with 2-3 days in BTS or in semen stored 2-3 days in X-cell compared with 2-3 days in BTS. The storage capability findings for the long-term extender X-cell could significantly simplify the practical issues of semen production and the distribution of AI doses containing 2.5 billion spermatozoa. However, in pig production systems where all semen is used within 2-3 days, the short-term extender BTS is as good as the more expensive extender X-cell.

Animals↗

A study of endometrial morphology in women who failed to conceive in a donor insemination programme.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the morphology of endometrium in women who failed to conceive after nine or more cycles of donor insemination treatment. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Jessop Hospital for Women, Sheffield. SUBJECTS: Two groups: twenty-six infertile women and a control group of eight fertile women. INTERVENTION: Endometrial biopsy specimens were obtained in the mid-luteal phase, timed precisely by the luteinising hormone surge. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Morphological study of endometrial biopsy specimens by the use of traditional dating criteria and established morphometric techniques. RESULTS: Twelve biopsy specimens (42%) were found to be retarded. In addition, morphometric analysis revealed significant differences in the glandular component of the endometrium between the infertile and fertile groups. CONCLUSION: Endometrial defect leading to implantation failure may be an important underlying cause of failure to conceive after repeated attempts at donor insemination. The endometrium should be investigated in this group of women, and further attempts at donor insemination treatment should be offered only in conjunction with attempts to restore the normality of the endometrium.

Adult↗

Low dose recombinant FSH treatment may reduce multiple gestations caused by controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intrauterine insemination.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of multiple pregnancies in intrauterine insemination cycles stimulated with a minimal dose of recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rec-FSH). DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University Medical Center. POPULATION: A total of 1256 patients underwent 3219 consequent intrauterine insemination cycles with minimal ovarian stimulation. METHODS: Patients received 50 or 75 IU of rec-FSH from day four to day seven. The dose was adjusted according to oestradiol (E(2)) levels in order to achieve a maximum of two follicles on the day of hCG administration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Peak E(2) levels, the number of follicles >15 mm and pregnancy rates were calculated. The predictive value of E(2) levels for multiple gestations was also estimated. RESULTS: Of 3219 cycles, 334 resulted in pregnancies (10%). Of these, 238 (91%) were singletons, 28 (8%) twins and 1 (0.3%) was a triplet. The cumulative overall pregnancy rate was 43%. Patients over 40 years old had a significantly lower pregnancy rate per cycle and overall live birth rate (P < 0.05). Most pregnancies (83%) occurred during the first three cycles. Pregnancy rates per cycle varied from 8% for tubal factor to 14% for anovulation infertility. CONCLUSIONS: Minimal FSH stimulation in intrauterine insemination cycles may reduce the rates of twins and high order multiple pregnancies without affecting overall pregnancy rates.

Adult↗

Intrauterine insemination with husband's sperm: comparison of pregnancy rates in couples with cervical factor, male factor, immunological factor and idiopathic infertility.

Intrauterine insemination with husband's sperm (IUI) is offered to couples with infertility due to various causes although there is no general agreement on which of these causes should be so treated. In this report 77 couples were diagnosed as having either cervical factor, male factor, immunological factor or unexplained infertility. Insemination was performed 24-32 hours after a rapid rise in the serum LH level. Two of 16 pregnancies which resulted miscarried, 1 was ectopic and the remainder were full term. Eleven occurred in the cervical factor group, 3 in the immunological factor and only 1 in each of the male factor and unexplained infertility groups. The differences in the number of pregnancies between the cervical factor and male and unexplained infertility groups are significant but not between the groups with cervical and immunological factors. The majority of pregnancies (81%) were achieved in the first 4 cycles. Patients with the cervical factor as the cause of their subfertility are likely to benefit from the IUI with their husband's sperm. The small number of patients with the immunological factor in this study does not allow for a conclusion. In our experience the male factor and unexplained infertility patients are unlikely to benefit from intrauterine insemination with husband's sperm.

Female↗

Immunological role for seminal plasma in insemination and pregnancy.

Insemination confronts the female with paternally derived alloantigens and represents an immunological challenge preceding fertilization and implantation. Current evidence suggests a role for seminal plasma in regulating maternal immunity for insemination and pregnancy. In vitro seminal plasma has been shown to suppress T- and B-cell proliferation, neutrophil and macrophage phagocytic activity, as well as killer cell activity. Seminal plasma interacts with complement components C1 and C3 and contains factors that specifically bind the Fc region of IgG. These in vitro findings suggest possible seminal plasma-suppressive effects on female alloimmune responses after insemination. Seminal plasma also contains allotypic TLX antigens that could prime mothers prior to fertilization. Such priming effects for pregnancy acceptance are supported by improved implantation rates in controlled clinical trials using timed vaginal exposure to semen during in vitro fertilization or gamete intrafallopian transfer treatment cycles.

Female↗

Litter characteristics of gilts artificially inseminated with transforming growth factor-beta.

PROBLEM: Semen is a rich source of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and it has been proposed that this molecule promotes embryonic survival by modifying immune responses to promote tolerance toward paternal antigens and by inducing release of cytokines that promote embryonic development. The role of TGF-beta was tested using pigs by evaluating whether its addition to washed sperm improves conceptus survival and fetal growth. METHODS OF STUDY: At estrus, gilts were artificially inseminated twice at 12-hr intervals with 100 mL of either washed semen resuspended in a commercial semen extender supplemented with 2 mg/mL of gelatin or washed semen in the same extender containing 65 ng/mL of TGF-beta1. Three boars were used as semen donors. At day 80 (+/-4 days) of gestation, gilts were sacrificed and reproductive tracts harvested. RESULTS: Treatment had no effect (P > 0.10) on total or live fetuses per litter, implantation rate, fetal survival or percentage of corpora lutea resulting in live fetuses at day 80. Insemination with TGF-beta1 also did not affect total or average fetal weight or total placental weight. There was a tendency (P = 0.09) for average placental weight of live fetuses to be lower for pregnancies established in gilts treated with TGF-beta1. Also, placental efficiency (mass of fetus/mass of placenta) was greater (P < 0.05) for pregnancies established in gilts treated with TGF-beta1. The high fertility in control gilts (80% implantation rate and 11.5 live fetuses per litter) is indicative that soluble seminal factors are not necessary for the establishment of pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Within the ranges tested, concentration of TGF-beta in the fluid phase of the inseminate is not an important determinant of conceptus survival or fetal and placental growth to day 80 of gestation in the pig.

Animals↗

Failure of an intramuscular injection of an analogue of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone 11 to 13 days after insemination to increase pregnancy rates in dairy cattle.

At 11 to 13 d after insemination, 1028 dairy cows on 19 farms were given an intramuscular injection of 10 micrograms of the GnRH analogue buserelin. Their reproductive performance was compared to 1022 control cows receiving a placebo. The GnRH analogue-treated cows had fewer short interoestrous intervals compared to the control cows, but there were no significant differences in pregnancy rates to either the insemination preceding or following treatment, in calving to conception interval, or to percent pregnant by the end of mating. There were no differences between treatments in herds of high, average or low pregnancy rate, in 2-year-old cows or cows greater than 2-years-old and in cows calved 40 d or less, or greater than 40 d. The use of 10 micrograms of the GnRH analogue, buserelin, 11 to 13 d after insemination, cannot be recommended as a method of improving reproductive performance in dairy herds.

Animals↗

Evaluation of single and double artificial insemination regimes as methods of shortening calving intervals in dairy cows treated with dinoprost.

Conception rates in 535 commercial lactating Friesian dairy cows on two farms were compared between treated animals after two injections of dinoprost at an 11-day interval, and untreated contemporary controls bred by conventional artificial insemination. The conception rate for a single insemination 75 to 80 hours after the second dinoprost injection was 46 per cent, for two inseminations 72 and 96 hours after the second injection was 47 per cent, and for untreated controls was 50 per cent. The differences are not statistically significant. Both dinoprost treated groups had a mean calving interval of 366 days compared with 378 for controls. The time advantage of 12 days in calving interval was principally due to the shorter calving-to-first-service interval of treated cows. This 10-day advantage in calving-to-first-service was increased to a 12-day advantage in calving-to-conception in treated cows, and applied also to cows which failed to conceive to the induced oestrus. The accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis was confirmed by calving data; pregnancy diagnosis by rectal palpation was 94 per cent and by milk progesterone assay 81 per cent accurate, overall. Oestrus occurred in 3.8 per cent of pregnant cows, on the basis of stockmen's observations. The relevance of the information to herd sterility control is discussed.

Animals↗

Semen parameters and conception rates after intraperitoneal insemination.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the reproductive outcome in infertile couples which underwent intraperitoneal insemination (IPI). METHODS: We analyzed a series of 216 couples who underwent IPI. Indications for treatment were unexplained infertility in 51 couples and male factor in 165. The 51 couples with unexplained infertility underwent a total of 71 cycles (20 couples underwent a second IPI cycle). The 165 couples with male factor underwent 243 cycles (165 first cycles and 78 second cycles). RESULTS: Out of the 314 cycles performed, a total of 41 clinical pregnancies were observed, with a corresponding conception rate of 13.1%. The values of conception rates for unexplained and male factor infertility were 21.1 (based on 15 pregnancies) and 10.7% (based on 26 pregnancies), respectively. Out of the 41 pregnant women, 26 gave birth to a child, thus the overall livebirth rate was 8.3% (12.7 and 7.0%, respectively, for unexplained infertility and male factor diagnostic subgroups). Considering the couples with unexplained infertility, the conception rates were 9.0, 30.8 and 20.0% for strata of < 5, 5-10 and > or = 10 millions of inseminated spermatozoa. The corresponding values were 6.8, 12.5 and 18.5%, respectively, in couples with male factor infertility (chi(2)1 trend p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this series provides quantitative estimates of pregnancy rates after IPI in Italian couples with unexplained infertility or male infertility and suggested that the number of motile sperm inseminated is a determinant of pregnancy with this technique.

Female↗

Semen cryopreservation and artificial insemination for Hodgkin's disease.

Seventy-nine men with Hodgkin's disease were treated with chemotherapy protocols at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and had pretreatment semen analysis performed at the area semen bank. The patients were evaluated to determine: the quality of pretreatment semen, the effect of treatment on spermatogenesis, and the success rate of artificial insemination after semen cryopreservation. Pretreatment sperm concentration, fresh motility, fresh progression, postthaw motility and postthaw progression were all significantly decreased in men with Hodgkin's disease compared with normal controls. Posttreatment semen analysis in 44 men showed azoospermia in 80%, sperm concentration, less than or equal to 10 X 10(6)/mL in 11%, and sperm concentration greater than 10 X 10(6)/mL in 9%. Eleven couples attempted artificial insemination using cryopreserved semen, thus far resulting in three pregnancies. Semen cryopreservation and artificial insemination offer a partial solution to posttreatment azoospermia in this population, but further methods are needed to minimize gonadal toxicity without compromising therapy for Hodgkin's disease.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗