The pathogenesis of endometriosis is not clear; however, microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are involved in the pathogenesis. miRNAs are short noncoding RNAs involved in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by silencing the expression of target genes. The expression of miR-135a/b is associated with endometrial receptivity and implantation; the expression is also associated with the expression of certain genes, including homeobox protein Hox-A10 (HOXA-10). The present study investigated the expression of miR-135a/b in eutopic and ectopic endometrium tissues throughout the different phases of the menstrual cycle. Samples of ectopic endometriosis lesions and eutopic endometrium tissue from 23 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery were obtained and analyzed. miRNA was extracted and the expression levels of miR-135a/b were determined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays using U6 as a housekeeping control. The expression levels of miR-135a and miR-135b in endometriosis lesions were decreased compared with the levels in endometrium tissue. However, miR-135a/b expression levels were increased in the secretory phase compared with the proliferative phase in endometriosis lesions. The increased expression of miR-135a/b during the secretory phase compared with the proliferative phase suggested that these genes serve a determinant role in the homeostasis of reproductive tissue. Therefore, the expression of genes may affect endometrial functioning, impairing embryo implantation.Abbreviations: miRNA, microRNA; HOXA10, homeobox protein Hox-A10; RT-qPCR, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction; RNA, ribonucleic acid

Human embryo cryopreservation techniques allow storage of surplus embryos created during assisted reproduction procedures; however, the existence of these same surplus embryos has sparked further debate. What can be their fate once they are no longer desired by their parents, or if the parents are deceased? Thus, the level of interest in the cryopreservation of oocytes has increased, as has the necessity for further scientific study. This study had the objective of comparing embryo quality from 16 women who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection, where approximately half of the retrieved oocytes per cycle were inseminated fresh after collection, and the remainder cryopreserved for subsequent fertilization. Normal fertilization rates were not significantly different between the two oocyte-treatment groups. There was no significant difference in the frequency of good quality embryos (morphology grades I and II) on the second day of laboratory evaluation between embryos derived from the two oocyte-treatment groups. It is interesting to note that embryo transfer from fresh oocytes produced no pregnancies, which shows that even embryos derived from frozen oocytes that are fragmented or have a slower cleavage rate are viable embryos, capable of producing healthy babies.

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Partial results of this paper were presented as an oral communication during ESHRE virtual 36 th Annual Meeting.

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Bilateral ectopic pregnancy is a rare clinical condition with an estimated prevalence of 1/200 000 in spontaneous pregnancies. Studies have found that In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is related to ectopic pregnancy independently, but the incidence of tubal disease in the donor egg recipient population is thought to be significantly lower than in the standard IVF population. We report the case of a patient participating in the egg-sharing program, who was diagnosed with ovarian ectopic pregnancy, treated with surgery. After one week, she was diagnosed with tubal ectopic pregnancy in the contralateral tube. The clinician should be aware that the treatment of one ectopic pregnancy does not preclude the occurrence of a second ectopic pregnancy in the same patient and should pay attention to the intra-operatory inspection of both side fallopian tubes in any ectopic pregnancy case. Routine ultrasound after ectopic pregnancy treatment may be reasonable, especially in high risk patients.

Apresentamos um caso de gestação espontânea em uma paciente com útero septado completo e duplicação cervical. Paciente com 34 anos, branca, nuligesta, ciclos regulares, com suspeita de septo uterino em exame ecográfico. Ao exame, apresentava septo vaginal longitudinal até a região himenal e dois colos uterinos. Solicitada ecografia pélvica tridimensional que evidenciou duplicação cervical, septo uterino do istmo à cavidade endometrial e ausência de divisão do corpo uterino, compatível com útero septado completo e duplicação cervical verdadeira. Um mês após, relatou relação sexual desprotegida e atraso menstrual. Ao exame ecográfico foi visualizado saco gestacional único na cavidade uterina direita. Apresentou gestação sem intercorrências. A cesariana ocorreu com 37 semanas, com recém-nascido do sexo feminino saudável e puerpério normal. Esse caso ilustra uma gestação espontânea, sem intercorrências, em uma rara anomalia, cujo impacto reprodutivo ainda não está totalmente elucidado.