ASRM Today Podcast

"PCOS is actually the most common endocrine disorder among reproductive age women. In 2010, according to the WHO it estimated 116 million women worldwide have PCOS." - Jennifer Knudtson, M.D.

It has been 30 years since the National Institutes of Health issued criteria on polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS and we talk about the most recent updated guidelines today with Dr. Jennifer Knudtson, M.D.

Dr. Jennifer Knudtson is an Associate Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at University of Texas Health, San Antonio. She is a CREST scholar and a member of the ASRM Patient Education Committee, representing the Society for the Study of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (SREI).

ASRM Practice Committee documents mentioned in this episode:

• Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome (2018)
• Role of metformin for ovulation induction in infertile patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a guideline (2017)
• Use of exogenous gonadotropins for ovulation induction in anovulatory women: a committee opinion (2020)

All ASRM Practice Committee documents can be viewed at ASRM.org

If you'd like to learn more about the types of practice documents and the methodology of their creation, visit this page on ASRM.org

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

"It does seem to hold true that ICSI is beneficial when you fertilize eggs that have been previously cryopreserved because there are some changes that occur in the zona pellucida and the structure of the egg itself." - Denis Vaughan, M.D.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI is a micromanipulation procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg to attempt fertilization, used with male infertility or couples with prior IVF failure. There is a new updated document from ASRM on ICSI for non-male factor and we talk about it today on the podcast.

View the document: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for non–male factor indications: a committee opinion

All ASRM Practice Committee documents can be viewed at ASRM.org

If you'd like to know more about the types of practice documents and the methodology of their creation, visit this page on ASRM.org

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

"We know now that this is not going to be a short-term event but something that's going to last for a while. So we obviously want to base our decisions on the best quality data that comes out and there are new studies literally every day being published." - Jodie Dionne-Odom, M.D.

COVID-19 cases continue to surge. ASRM has issued a new update of the Patient Management and Clinical Recommendations During The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic statement and ASRM Today discusses it today with Dr. Jodie Dionne-Odom a member of the ASRM COVID-19 Task Force. Jodie Dionne-Odom, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Division of Infectious Diseases, Chief of Women's Health at the 1917 HIV Clinic, and the Associate Director of Global Health for the Center for Women's Reproductive Health. She is a physician-scientist with expertise in HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STI), and perinatal hepatitis B infection.

To read the ASRM Patient Management and Clinical Recommendations During The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic statement as well as the current update, visit https://www.asrm.org/Patient-Mgmt-COVID-19

To view all of ASRM's COVID-19 resources, please visit https://www.asrm.org/covid-19/

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

"So the question is, why do we need to dilute the submissions by sending some of them to another journal? But in reality over the past few years the acceptance rate at Fertility and Sterility has dropped so much that there's really lots and lots of very good science that has to go elsewhere." - Richard J. Paulson, M.D., M.S.

It has been seventy years since the publication of the first issue of the medical journal Fertility and Sterility and the publishing landscape continues to evolve towards more open access journals. Our guest on the show today is Dr. Rick Paulson, and we sat down to talk about the new open access journal F&S Reports.

Visit F&S Reports at https://www.fertstertreports.org/

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

"So the stakes are very high when you store cryopreserved embryos, eggs, sperm, testicular tissue, ovarian tissue, but even higher stakes when you cryopreserve and store tissue from cancer patients." --Sangita Jindal, Ph.D.

In 2018, there were a number of notable failures of cryostorage which caused concern for patients and program safety for IVF in the United States. ASRM Today invited Dr. Sangita Jindal to speak about the ASRM Practice Committee Opinion titled, "Cryostorage of reproductive tissues in the IVF laboratory".

Dr. Sangita Jindal is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ob/Gyn and Women's Health, and Laboratory Director of Montefiore's Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Health. Dr. Jindal received her Ph.D in reproductive physiology at the University of Toronto. In addition to her clinical expertise in all aspects of in vitro fertilization, andrology and infertility-related chemistry, Dr. Jindal supervises translational research on alterations in gene expression associated with ovarian aging in women.

This Practice Committee Opinion will be available on August 5, 2020. To view this and all ASRM's Practice Committee documents, visit ASRM.org

If you'd like to know more about the types of practice documents and the methodology of their creation, visit this page on ASRM.org

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

"One of the biggest challenges that PGT (preimplantation genetic testing) has presented to the field of IVF is this phenomenon of mosaic results - these results that neither clearly normal nor clearly abnormal but somewhere in between." - Emily Mounts, MS, CGC

Mosaicism is very challenging topic and there are many unknowns that clinicians deal with regularly. ASRM Today speaks with Emily Mounts who is the Director of Genomic Services and a genetic counselor with ORM Fertility in Oregon, about the recent ASRM Practice Committee Opinion on "Clinical management of mosaic results from preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) of blastocysts".

Emily Mounts is a board-certified genetic counselor at ORM Fertility. She has been practicing in prenatal and reproductive genetics for over 20 years and is the Immediate Past Chair of the ASRM Genetic Counseling Professional Group. She is one of the primary authors of the forthcoming ASRM Committee Opinion publication, Clinical management of mosaic results from preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) of blastocysts.

This Practice Committee Opinion will be available on August 5, 2020. To view this and all ASRM's Practice Committee documents, visit ASRM.org

If you'd like to know more about the types of practice documents and the methodology of their creation, visit this page on ASRM.org

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

In our latest episode, we have a special guest, Jill Fisher, the director of the genetic counseling program at Kean University. Join us as we explore the misconceptions surrounding genetic counseling.

Jill sheds light on the vital role of genetic counselors as decision-makers, policy influencers, and champions of patient-centered care. With the increasing prevalence of genetic testing, genetic counselors play a crucial role in mitigating clinic risk and providing comprehensive counseling to patients. Their expertise spans various areas, including male and female infertility, carrier screening, donor gamete programs, pre-implantation genetic testing, and non-invasive prenatal screening.

In our conversation, Jill reveals some common misunderstandings about genetic counseling and addresses the misconception that certain diseases are exclusive to specific ethnicities. While some disorders may be more prevalent in certain populations, they can still occur in others.

Additionally, Jill emphasizes the limitations of genetic testing. A negative result doesn't guarantee a healthy child, as there is always residual risk.

Join us as we uncover the truth behind genetic counseling!

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

In this thought-provoking episode, we dive into the fascinating world of surrogacy contracts with our guest, Susan Crockin. Susan is a leader in the field, serving as the head of the Crockin Law and Policy group, and as a senior scholar and adjunct professor at the esteemed O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University Law Center.

Join us as Susan sheds light on the pivotal questions surrounding surrogacy contracts and reproductive medicine. Where does the conversation about surrogacy contracts begin? What are the various types of surrogacy? Discover the crucial role of doctors in the screening process and their responsibilities when it comes to legal agreements.

Delve deeper into the intricacies of surrogacy contracts as Susan explains how they function and what vital components they contain. Uncover the unique aspects of a surrogate pregnancy that set it apart from other forms of reproduction.

Join us as we navigate the legal landscape to better understand the multifaceted aspects of reproductive medicine.

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

Join us as we dive into the ACMG updated guidelines on genetic testing with Aishwarya Arjunan, the clinical product specialist for carrier screening at Myriad Women's Health. Based in San Francisco, Aishwarya shares her expertise on the latest advancements in genetic testing, focusing on cystic fibrosis screening for gestational carriers. Learn about the differences between testing and screening, the importance of comprehensive screening regardless of ethnicity, and how these updates provide more equitable care for all populations. Don't miss this informative conversation that sheds light on the evolving field of genetic testing and its impact on family planning.

Deignan, J.L., Astbury, C., Cutting, G.R. et al. CFTR variant testing: a technical standard of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). Genet Med (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41436-020-0822-5

You can learn more about the updated guidelines of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics at their website: https://www.acmg.net/

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.

Join us in this powerful episode as we sit down with Andrew, a member of the transgender community, who shares their journey of undergoing fertility treatment to build a family. Andrew's story is a testament to resilience, love, and the incredible possibilities that arise when medical professionals truly understand and support their patients. Discover the challenges Andrew faced, the unexpected turns their life took, and the transformative experience of finding a fertility clinic that embraced their unique needs. Tune in to gain insights into the importance of inclusive healthcare and the profound impact it can have on individuals and families.

To hear a physician's view on this subject, please download the June 11, 2020 episode - Transgender Care: A Physician's View with Paula Amato

To hear another patient's view on this subject, please download the June 12, 2020 episode - Transgender Care: A Patient's View with Trystan Reese

The ASRM Today podcast is supported in part by the ASRM Corporate Member Council.