Alpha is proud to partner and collaborate with Reproductive BioMedicine Online (RBMO) - a leading journal in clinical embryology and assisted reproduction. Paid Alpha membership provides free access to RBMO as the official journal of our society!
This page showcases selected papers from current volumes and other highlights from the journal.
RBMO Volume 49 Hot Topics
Periconceptional maternal and paternal alcohol consumption and embryonic and foetal development: The Rotterdam periconception cohort
Melissa van der Windt, Elmar Tobi, Ibtissam Chidi, Sam Schoenmakers, Lenie van Rossem, Régine Steegers-Theunissen, Melek Rousian
RBMO Editors’ comments: The adverse effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are well recognized, but this study extends this to reveal an impact of moderate maternal alcohol consumption in the periconception period on fetal growth. Paternal consumption is also identified to have an impact. These findings emphasize the need for both parents to avoid alcohol before as well as after conception for healthier embryonic and fetal development.
Effort in manual operation of reproductive health cryostorage facilities
Alicia Broussard, Bill Venier, Abeer Salhia Rafati, Angeline Beltsos, Joseph Lee, Jessica Bailey, Denny Sakkas, Michael G. Collins
RBMO Editors’ comments: Time and motion studies are sorely missing in embryology. This study highlights the time-consuming and fatiguing nature of many everyday tasks performed by embryologists: can these tasks be simplified or even removed by automation and technology?
IVF and obstetric outcomes among women of advanced maternal age (≥45 years) using donor eggs
Ta-Sheng Chen, Pao-Lin Kuo, Tsung Yu, Meng-Hsing Wu
RBMO Editors’ comments: Data from a Taiwanese national registry show >50% CLBR in women aged 45 and over, using donor eggs, of whom about 20% were over 50. A key to optimising obstetric outcomes was single embryo transfer, with non-significant changes in outcomes over the age range. The authors advocate for personalised care, though data on that are not presented in this registry analysis.
Ongoing pregnancy rates in single euploid frozen embryo transfers remain unaffected by female age: a retrospective study
Barbara Lawrenz, Erkan Kalafat, Baris Ata, Raquel Del Gallego, Laura Melado, Asina Bayram, Ibrahim Elkhatib, Human Fatemi
RBMO Editors’ comments: Female age is the key factor in predicting fertility treatment success, potentially masking the effect of other factors. In this analysis of just under 2000 euploid FETs, the effect of female age is no longer evident, indicating that it is driven by embryo ploidy rather than other oocyte/embryo factors. The analysis then reveals an impact of standard assessment of embryo quality, BMI, and HRT vs natural cycle replacement.
RBMO Insights
Monthly newsletter from RBMO, with Talking Points article features, journal updates, highlights, community news, event previews and more…
RBMO Digest
Quarterly collection of journal highlights selected by
Chief Editors Nick Macklon and Juan García-Velasco
Sustainability in the IVF Lab: an interview with Alpha Scientists and International IVF Initiative
Mina Alikani, Giles Palmer, Jacques Cohen, and Francesca Farlie from Alpha Scientists and the International IVF Initiative, lead authors and the organizing team behind recent paper ‘Sustainability in the IVF laboratory: recommendations of an expert panel’, sat down with RBMO for an interview to discuss the genesis of the project, the issues they are tackling and their recommendations for the future of green IVF.