• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2024

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the impact of previous delivery mode on pregnancy outcomes in patients with secondary infertility after frozen-thawed embryo transfer. Methods: This prospective observational study included 140 patients experiencing secondary infertility. Of these, 70 patients had a previous cesarean delivery (CD), while the remaining 70 patients had a previous normal vaginal delivery (NVD). The primary outcome was the implantation rate. The secondary outcomes included rates of clinical pregnancy, chemical pregnancy, miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy. Results: The comparison of all fertility outcomes between the two groups revealed no statistically significant differences. The implantation rate was 40.4% in the CD group and 41.7% in the NVD group (p=0.842). The clinical pregnancy rate was 50% in the CD group and 49.3% in the NVD group (p=0.932), while the chemical pregnancy rate was 14.6% in the CD group and 19% in the NVD group (p=0.591). The miscarriage rates in the CD and NVD groups were 20% and 17.6%, respectively (p=0.803). One case of tubal ectopic pregnancy occurred in the NVD group (1.4%). Conclusion: The mode of prior delivery did not significantly impact pregnancy outcomes following frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.565-573
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• 1998

Iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women has been of great concern because of its negative effects on the outcomes of pregnancy. Much of evidence has shown that there are associations between pregnancy outcomes and maternal iron status. Maternal iron status might affect pregnancy outcomes through the iron status of the cord blood. In this study, we divided 91 subjects into two groups : the anemic and the normal groups. The groups were classified according to their hemoglobin(Hb) and hematocrit(Hct) values of the maternal blood in the third trimester of the pregnancies. We determined the parameters for the iron status of the cord blood and then analyzed the correlations between these parameters and the pregnancy outcomes. Mothers in the anemic group had a significantly higher parity number and a lower dietary score as well as a shorter duration of iron supplements consumed compared to those in the normal group. Maternal Hb values in the third trimester had positive correlations with the infant's head and chest circumferences, and the Hct values related positively to the infant's chest circumferences. On the other hand, Hb concentrations of the cord blood had positive correlations with the infant's height and head and chest circumferences. The Hct values of the cord blood had positive correlations with gestational periods and the cord lengths. These results suggest that the maternal iron status might influence fetal development through the iron status of the cord blood.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2021

Background: There are no guidelines for the optimal incubation time or temperature to improve pregnancy outcomes in testicular sperm extraction-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (TESE-ICSI) cycles. We aimed to evaluate whether a 24-hour in vitro culture of testicular spermatozoa affects pregnancy outcomes in TESE-ICSI cycles. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 83 TESE-ICSI cycles using testicular spermatozoa in 46 couples with male partners suffering from nonobstructive or obstructive azoospermia. Sperm retrieval was performed either on the oocyte retrieval (OR) day (65 cycles in 33 couples; group A) or on the day before OR (18 cycles in 13 couples; group B) followed by in vitro culture for 24 hours. The clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes, including the number of retrieved oocytes, fertilization rates, embryo transfer rates, implantation and clinical pregnancy rates, were compared between the two groups. Results: There were no differences in terms of clinical characteristics except for the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) in males. Group B had higher LH levels than group A (4.56±1.24 IU/L vs. 3.67±1.07 IU/L, p= 0.017). Group B showed higher fertilization rate (72.4%±32.1% vs. 59.2%±21.7%, p=0.045), implantation rate (35.0%±34.1% vs. 14.0%±21.5%, p=0.010), pregnancy rate per cycle (80% vs. 39%, p=0.033), and clinical pregnancy rate per cycle (80% vs. 37.5%, p=0.024) than those of group A. Conclusion: Testicular sperm retrieval performed on the day before OR followed by in vitro culture can potentially improve pregnancy outcomes.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1057-1065
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• 1998

Anthropometric and body compositional changes and the outcomes of the pregnancies of 90 healthy Korean women were investigated in a longitudinal study. Their weight increased from 51.3$\pm$5.9kg to 65.1$\pm$7.8kg during their pregnancies. The total weight gain was 13.8$\pm$4.5kg, and therefore, weekly weight gain was 340$\pm$110g during the entire period of the pregnancy. The weight gain was composed of approximately 50-60% fat mass and 40-50% fat-free mass. Skinfold thicknesses, both of triceps and subscapular, increased during the pregnancies. The fat mass calculated from skinfold thickness and that measured with bioelectrical impedance analysis went on increasing during the pregnancies. Although there was a considerable difference with respect to the fat mass observed using the three methods, fat mass gain was 5.0-6.1kg and fat-free mass gain was 4.0-5.3kg from the first trimester to the third trimester of pregnancies. There were significant correlations between maternal anthropometric parameters and indices of pregnancy outcomes. Especially, the infant's birth weight was associated with maternal pre-pregnancy weight and weight gains during the pregnancies. The infant's birth length was related to the maternal weight observed at term(p<0.05) and weight gain during the entire pregnancies (p<0.05) . Neither increase of fat mass nor fat-free mass affected the outcomes of pregnancy. These results show that maternal weight gain during pregnancy is led by increments of approximately above 50% fat mass. The fat mass increase seems to be larger in central areas than in subcutaneous areas. Maternal weight gain during pregnancy, especially during late pregnancy, is a factor affecting the birth weight and length of infant. On the basis of the body compositional changes, it can be predicted that the additional energy requirement for pregnancy in Korean women is more than 200-230 MJ (64,500-76,250kca1). (Korean J Nutrition 31(6) : 1057-1065, 1998)

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.80-84
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• 2021

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate pregnancy, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes in women with small (<4 cm) unilateral endometriomas. Methods: This retrospective study included 177 patients: 91 patients with small endometriomas and 86 controls with unexplained or tubal factor infertility who were treated at the Süleymaniye Gynecology and Maternity Training and Research Hospital Infertility Unit between January 2010 and July 2015. The groups were matched with regards to demographic characteristics such as age, body mass index, and infertility duration. All of the women in this study conceived via intracytoplasmic sperm injection. We compared pregnancy, obstetric, and neonatal outcomes between these groups. Results: Women with endometriomas had a higher biochemical pregnancy rate, but lower clinical pregnancy and live birth rates than women with unexplained and tubal factor infertility (p<0.05 for all). However no significant differences were found in terms of obstetric and neonatal complications between the two groups (p>0.05 for all). Conclusion: In this study, we found that women with endometriomas less than 4 cm were more prone to early pregnancy complications. We also showed that this group did not have any increased risks of late pregnancy, obstetric, and neonatal complications.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.483-490
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• 2004

Elevated maternal plasma homocysteine concentrations have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including birth defects, low birth weight, preeclampsia, spontaneous abortion, placental abruption, and other maternal or fetal complications. The purpose of this study was to assess the maternal plasma homocysteine level during pregnancy and to investigate the relationship between the plasma homocysteine concentrations and pregnancy outcomes. Venous blood samples were drawn from 82 pregnant women who were grouped with gestational age, 1st trimester (n = 26), 2nd trimester (n = 27) and 3rd trimester (n = 29). The concentration of plasma homocysteine was analyzed by HPLC, and pregnancy outcomes including gestational length, maternal weight gain, infant birth weight, and Apgar score were collected with the medical records of the pregnant women. The levels of plasma homocysteine of the pregnant women at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester were 5.7 $$\pm$ 3.7\mu㏖/L,\;5.6 \pm4.1\mu㏖/L\; and\; 7.0\pm 4.5\mu㏖/L$, respectively, which had not showed any significant difference. The result of this study showed that in case of the pregnant women at the 1st trimester, the maternal plasma homocysteine level of the pregnant women whose gestational length was less than 38 weeks was significantly high (p < 0.01) compared to that of the pregnants whose gestational length was more than 38 weeks. And also, the level of homocysteine of the pregnant women at the 2nd trimester was significantly low when the maternal weight gain was high (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that maternal plasma homocysteine level at early stage of gestation will be a predicter of gestational length and maternal weight gain.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 2011

Objective: To investigate adverse pregnancy outcomes in non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared with obese-PCOS and control groups. Methods: Women with PCOS who underwent assisted reproductive technology (ART) from August, 2003 to December, 2007, were considered. A total of 336 women with PCOS were included in the study group and 1,003 infertile women who had tubal factor as an indication for ART were collected as controls. They were divided into four groups: a non-obese PCOS group, obese-PCOS group, non-obese tubal factor group, and obese tubal factor group, with obesity defined by a body mass index over 25 kg/$m^2$, and reviewed focusing on the basal characteristics, ART outcomes, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Results: There was no difference among the groups' the clinical pregnancy rate or live birth rate. Regarding adverse pregnancy outcomes, the miscarriage rate, multiple pregnancy rate, and prevalence of preterm delivery and pregnancy induced hypertension were not different among the four groups. The incidence of small for gestational age infant was higher in the PCOS groups than the tubal factor groups ($p$ <0.02). On the other hand, the morbidity of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was not high in the non-obese PCOS group but was in the obese groups. And in the obese PCOS group, the newborns were heavier than in the other groups ($p$ <0.02). Conclusion: Non-obese PCOS presents many differences compared with obese PCOS, not only in the IVF-parameters but also in the morbidity of adverse pregnancy outcomes, especially in GDM and fetal macrosomia.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.134-140
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• 2009

Adequate nutrient intake during pregnancy is important to fetal and maternal health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting birth weight and gestational age and to provide basic data to promote more favorable pregnancy outcomes. Data were collected from 234 pregnant women at two hospitals in Seoul. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements and health related habits were obtained using a questionnaire at the hospital visit during the second trimester. Dietary intakes were estimated by 24 hour recall at the hospital visit during the second trimester. Data on pregnancy outcomes, including birth weights and gestational ages, were obtained from hospital records after delivery. Birth weights were divided into a low birth weight group (birth weight<3.1 kg), a normal birth weight group (3.1-3.6 kg) and a high birth weight group (>3.6 kg). Gestational ages were divided into tertiles according to the gestational age of the subjects: group 1 (<38.53 weeks), group 2 (38.53-40.00 weeks) and group 3 (>40.00 weeks). The number of family members was significantly lower in the low birth weight group than in the normal birth weight group (p<0.05). In the low birth weight group, pregnancy weight was significantly lower than in the high birth weight group (p<0.05) Health related habits were not significantly different among any of the groups. Intakes of fiber, phosphorous, iron, vitamin $B_6$ and folic acid were significantly higher in the high birth weight group than the low birth weight group (p<0.05). Gestational age was not significantly affected by nutrient intakes, but birth weight was affected by nutrient intake in the results of this study. Therefore, the adequacy of nutrient intake is important for the improvement of pregnancy outcomes.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.389-396
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• 2003

Maternal nutritional status has been shown to influence pregnancy outcomes. And the elevated maternal plasma homocysteine concentrations have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We investigated the effects of maternal serum levels of B vitamins and homocysteine, and the C677T MTHFR (5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) polymorphism on pregnancy outcomes. In 177 pregnant women of 24-28 wks of gestation, the MTHFR gene mutation, serum B vitamins and homocysteine concentrations were measured, and their pregnancy outcomes were investigated from medical records. The birth length, and 1- and 5-min Apgar scores of neonates in the T/T mothers were 45.4 $\pm$ 9.3 cm, 7.6 $\pm$ 3.2 and 8.5 $\pm$ 3.8, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the C/T (48.6 $\pm$ 3.3 cm, 9.0 $\pm$ 0.2, 10.0 $\pm$ 0.2) or the C/C mothers (49.4 $\pm$ 1.9 cm, 9.0 $\pm$ 0.2, 10.0 $\pm$ 0.0). The birth weight, birth length and the gestational age of neonates at delivery from hyperhomocysteinemic mothers whose homocysteine levels higher than 15 $\mu$ mol were 2.5 $\pm$ 1.3 kg, 43.9 $\pm$ 9.0 cm, 35.4 $\pm$ 6.3 wk, respectively, which were significant lower than those from normohomocysteinemic mothers (3.1 $\pm$ 0.6 kg, 48.8 $\pm$ 3.6 cm, 38.5 $\pm$ 2.5 wk). The birth weight and birth length of neonates in mothers whose PLP levels were below the median were significantly lower than those from mothers with the PLP levels above the median. The 1- and 5-min Apgar scores of neonates were lower in mothers with the T/T MTHFR genotype than those with the C/T or C/C only when the serum PLP levels were below the median. The 1-, 5 min Apgar scores and birth length of neonates were lower in mothers with the T/T MTHFR genotype than those with the C/T or C/C only when the serum FMN levels were below the median. In conclusion, maternal B vitamin status, homocysteine and the C677T MTHFR genotype seem to have played an important role on pregnancy outcomes.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1263-1269
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• 1998

The maintenance of adequate folate levels in the umbilical cord blood is esential for supplying tissue requirements of fetal growth. However, there is data on folate levels in the cord blood of Korean infant. The present investigation was undertaken to determine folate levels in cord blood and aassess relationships between folate levels and pregnancy outcomes. Dietary and supplementary folate intake was obtained from thirty subjects who were in the third trimester fo pregancy . The umbilical cord blood was drawn at delivery and pregnancy outcomes for the subjects were collected from their medical records. Erythrocyte and plasma folate levels in the cord blood were analyzed. The subjects were divided into two groups ; high folate (HF, $\geq$654ng/ml) and low folate (LF, <654ng/ml) groups according to erythrocyte folate levels in cord blood. Dietary folate intake and the amount of supplemental folates were not significantly different between the two experimental groups. However, infant birth weight (3540$\pm$295g) and placental weight(910$\pm$85g) for the HF group were significantly higher(p=0.0041 and p=0.109, respectively) than those for the LF group, which were 3127 $\pm$419g and 823$\pm$80g , respectively. Although it was not significant, the gestational weight gain for the HF group was 2.8kg higher than that for the LF group. Thus, the erythrocyte folate level in the cord blood was significantly related to infant birth weight and placental weight. These results confirm that a high erythrocyte folate level in the umbilical cord blood promotes both fetal and placental growth and improves gestational weight gain as well.