Findings from the first analysis of ESHRE’s registry of COVID-19-affected ART pregnancies ‘offer reassurance’ that outcomes are similar to those found in spontaneous pregnancies.

A new proposal for measuring ‘success’ in IVF aims to meet a patient’s predetermined chance of success and expectations at the lowest possible risk, costs, time and treatment burden; clinical outcome is best measured as cumulative live birth rate per intention to treat.

A new study suggests that mothers at risk of premature birth may be identified far sooner in pregnancy than current tests allow by identifying specific bacteria and metabolites in their cervico-vaginal fluid.

Ten years after its last edition, WHO launches it sixth manual with detailed step-by-step procedures and methods for the laboratory examination and processing of semen, a reference document ‘intended to maintain and sustain the quality of analysis and the comparability of results’.

A September ESHRE Campus workshop organised by the SIGs Fertility Preservation and Stem Cells featured current and emerging approaches for fertility preservation, including oocyte in vitro maturation, cell therapy, reproductive tissue engineering and organ-on-chip approaches. Mina Popovic and Christiani Amorim from the SIG Stem Cells report from the two-day programme.

The first study to report on a ‘national landscape’ of elective fertility preservation – based on SART data in the USA - finds that most eggs ‘remain frozen’ despite a steady uptake in the number of cryopreservation cycles.

Bariatric surgery increases fertility rates but study conclusions recommend postponing pregnancy until weight loss has stabilised and vitamin status normalised. Regular monitoring of vitamin status and vitamin supplementation is thus also recommended.

A new registry study from Denmark covering 40 years of data shows that, while rates of fatherhood are increasing for men with cancer, the chances are much lower than for men in the general population – and particularly low when diagnosed in young boys and adolescents.

With studies continuing to find no detrimental reproductive or pregnancy effects of COVID-19 vaccination, agencies and investigators have stepped up their recommendations in its favour.

Girls affected by obesity during their mid-childhood and adolescence are found at risk of reduced fertility and greater likelihood of remaining childless. Prevention of obesity in school-age girls recommended as a measure to reduce the risk of infertility.