Annual multiple birth rate fell to 2.9% in 2019, with an elective single embryo transfer rate of almost 92%. The results, when seen alongside a continuing increase in LBR in fresh and frozen cycles, were described as ‘unprecedented’.

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.

New guideline presents evidence on assisted reproduction in cases of six prevalent viruses - Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV), HIV, Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV I/II), Zika and HPV – with recommendations on virus transmission and prevention, and on factors affecting reproductive outcomes in couples with or without fertility problems.

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.

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.