Hyperbaric Oxygen Helps with Infertility for both women and men!
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Studies show hyperbaric oxygen improves:
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Endometrial oxygenation and vascularization
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Better egg quality
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Better response to ovarian stimulation
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Better embryo quality
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Higher pregnancy rate
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Reduced inflammation
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Safe detoxification for preconception health
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Increased spermatogenesis
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Better motility
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Elimination of the reactive oxygen species and avoiding infection due to hyperoxia
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Less DNA fragmentation
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Highlights of study: http://obstetrics.imedpub.com/hyperbaric-oxygenation-therapy-in-infertility-patients.php?aid=8389&fbclid=IwAR1wamBY71GIhUQPvzo9WbwNlKSZ8x1--8JbW3DcglxmJaF_R9XfmZQhoyc
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Implantation will usually only take place if a good blastocyst exist and if the endometrium has reached a certain stage of receptivity with the adequate oxygenation, vascularization, endometrial grow with development and expression of different gens and molecular factors -causing optimal endometrial receptivity.
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Folliculometry in the cycles when hyperbaric oxygen therapy was applied indicated an excellent response of endometrial tissue (thickness of endometrium at the time of ovulation was better and triple line endometrium).
Study shows desirable quality of endometrium was significantly better in the cycle when HBO therapy had been applied but also noticed prolongation of the effects in the next month as well.
The power doppler and 3DPD of the uterine arteries indicated that the uterine blood vessel resistance was slightly higher than expected, but that was expected reaction of the major blood vessels on hyperbaric therapy.
Mapping of subendometrial blood vessels in the cycles covered and followed by hyperbaric oxygen therapy showed the intensive capillary network of endometrium especially after 4-6 weeks after HBO therapy.
The oxygen used under higher pressure, may have an extraordinary significance for better outcome of pregnancy implantation by improving endometrial receptivity. If endometrial receptivity is conditioned by adequate growth, vascularization and oxygenation, then hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the treatment of choice.
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Male Factor:
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Significant increase in motor activity was registered as well as increased spermatogenesis after two months after therapy. The biggest increased in vigilance of spermatozoids was found in the samples during in vitro preparation with good quality sperm preparation mediums. The obtained results suggest that the acute exposure of the sperm samples to HBO has favorable impact to functional capacity of spermatozoids in view of their better motility. Prolongation and postpone effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy were verified by control spermogram-semen analysis after 70 to 90 days after therapy with the results of the good induction of the spermatogenesis, thanks to hyperbaric oxygen and elimination of the reactive oxygen species and avoiding infection due to hyperoxia. There are also good effects on the DNA integrity with less DNA fragmentation in hyperoxya condition.
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Another study on male factor infertility: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26859943?fbclid=IwAR1Kh-zdilZyMvJcBs5dbRdwwCsgN_bDbffxqQGUYI5VLFZvZJ5UAAKBMTM
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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy & IVF
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Hyperbaric oxygen and ovarian follicular stimulation for in vitro fertilization: a pilot study:
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Angiogenesis and blood flow have been shown to be important in human ovarian follicular development.
Several studies have demonstrated increasing perifollicular blood flow during follicular development for IVF cycles. Interestingly, oocytes retrieved from follicles that have ultrasound evidence of good blood flow tend to have improved embryonic development in vitro. Recent studies have also demonstrated the importance of oxygen in oocyte meiosis. In humans, reduced oxygen content in ovarian follicular fluid has been associated with an increased occurrence of abnormalities in the organization of chromosomes on the metaphase spindle. This could lead to segregation disorders and mosaicisms in the early embryo. Thus, sufficient oxygen supply appears to be necessary to allow for normal egg maturation and alignment of chromosomes during meiosis. We hypothesize that part of the reduced oocyte recruitment, reduced pregnancy rates with IVF, and increased chromosomal abnormalities found in oocytes of women as they age may be due to impaired follicular angiogenesis and oxygenation. Furthermore we hypothesize that this can be reversed by hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) during follicular stimulation for IVF.
To begin to test this hypothesis, we conducted this pilot study to determine the safety, tolerability, and effects of HBO when used during ovarian stimulation for IVF. Study approval was obtained from the University of Iowa Human Subjects Committee. We chose to study patients with a relatively poor prognosis for pregnancy through IVF. We included infertile women aged 40 years or older and women aged 35–39 years who had at least one previous IVF cycle canceled because of a poor stimulation. Women were excluded for medical contraindications to HBO therapy. All patients entering the study had the same microdoseflare protocol for ovulation induction after 1 month of birth control pills to help time the cycle. On the 3rd day after stopping birth control pills, leuprolide acetate injections (40 g twice per day) were started and continued until hCG was administered. After 2 days of leuprolide alone, injections of recombinant FSH were begun at a dose of 5 ampules (total of 375 IU/d) for 3 days. After 3 days of FSH alone, a split protocol of gonadotropin injections consisting of FSH and hMG was begun. Follicular development was monitored by ultrasound measurements and by serum estradiol levels. Cycles were canceled for a serum E2 of 75 pg/mL on stimulation day 6, or for two or fewer maturing follicles sized 12 mm in mean diameter on stimulation day 8. Human chorionic gonadotropin was administered when there were at least two follicles sized 18 mm in mean diameter and the serum E2 was 500 pg/ mL. Up to four cleavage-stage embryos or two blastocyst embryos were transferred after 3 or 5 days in culture, respectively. Pregnancy tests were obtained 2 weeks after oocyte retrieval, and pregnancies were confirmed by ultrasound. For purposes of comparison, cycle outcomes from women who were eligible for this study but declined HBO therapy were recorded (concurrent controls). We also recorded outcomes from historical controls, who were women meeting study entrance criteria in our program in the 6 years before the start of this study. Protocols and pregnancy rates for poor responders have been stable over the past 6 years in our program. These women had either a microdose-flare stimulation protocol or a standard luteal phase leuprolide down-regulated cycle with gonadotropin injections starting on cycle day 3, depending on the physician’s preference.
to read more on the study click here
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