tionnaire asked basic information about dietary habits, nutritional and studies have suggested that performing acupuncture
puncture immediately prior to
calcium supplements. For the purpose of this study, it is estimated that most
milk products contain approximately 250-300 mg/serving of elemental
calcium; supplements contain about 500 - 600 mg.
Results: A total of 180 women answered the questionnaire. Most had a
college degree (86.3%) and 65 (36.1%) had post-graduate degrees.
No
calcium
Calcium Milk suppl. or
No. of suppl. ⱕ product ⱕ milk
patients Mean age once/day once/day product
No meds 99 (55%) 56.2 years 74 (74.7%) 47 (47.5%) 17 (17.2%)
Estrogen ⫾ 60 (33.3%) 56.9 41 (68.3%) 26 (43.3%) 6 (10%)
progesterone
Other* 21 (11.7%) 65.8 10 (47.6%) 7 (33.3%) 0
Total 180 56.9 125 (69.4%) 80 (44.4%) 23 (12.8%)
* Other: Bisphosphonates, raloxifene, calcitonin and combinations
In this small survey it is evident that at least 50% of women in their mid
⫺50’s are consuming less than 1000 – 1500 mg/day of calcium. Women
who are on medications for osteoporosis are older and have higher calcium
intake as well as improved lifestyle changes such as daily exercise (data not
shown).
Conclusion: Treatment for osteoporosis should begin with prevention. In
this small survey, it is evident that highly educated women in perimeno-
pause and menopause do NOT receive enough of the recommended amount
of calcium (1000-1500 mg/day). The trend in this study indicates that
calcium intake improves only after bone loss is significant enough to
necessitate medications specifically designed for osteoporosis. As health
care providers we need to do a better job of educating women in early
menopause about this and other important factors (e.g. Vitamin D, exercise)
pertaining to bone health.
P-33
A Matched Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Acupuncture
for Improving Pregnancy Rates Following In Vitro Fertilization-
Embryo Transfer. Weiping Wang, M.D., Jerome H. Check, M.D., Ph.D.,
Joanne Liss, M.T., Jung K. Choe, M.D. UMDNJ, Robert Wood Johnson
Medical School at Camden, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center,
Dept. OB/GYN, Div. Repro. Endo. & Infertility, Camden, New Jersey.
Background and Significance: There have been some studies suggesting
that acupuncture performed on the day of embryo transfer (ET) may
increase the pregnancy rate (PR) following ET.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if acupuncture
started on day 5 of the cycle and performed twice a week until two weeks
after oocyte retrieval could improve PRs.
Materials and Methods: Sterile stainless steel needles (0.25x0.25mm)
were inserted about 5 to 10mm and left in for 30 minutes depending on the
region of the body. Before ET the following locations were used: CX6
(neiquan), GB8 (shuaigu), GB9 (tianchong), ST36 (zusanli) SP10 (xuehai),
SP8 (diji), LIV3 (taichong), zigong, S29 (guilai), R4 (quanyuan), R6 (gihai).
After ET the needles were inserted at the following points: ST36 (zusanli),
SP10 (xuehai), SP9 (yinlingquan), LIV3 (taichong), BL23 (shenshu), BL20
(pishu), BL15 (xinshu). All treatments were performed by the same well-
trained acupuncturist and all patients were treated in the same way. Some
women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)-ET were offered the option of
acupuncture. Once this option was selected the woman was matched to the
next patient having IVF-ET having the same age, some number of previous
IVF cycles with failure to achieve successful pregnancy, and some type of
transfer (fresh or frozen).
Results: There were 32 matched pairs evaluated. The mean age for those
receiving acupuncture was 37.9 vs. 36.7 for the controls. Ultrasound evi-
dence of pregnancy was found in 13 women receiving acupuncture (40.6%)
vs. 17 (53.1%) in the controls (p⫽NS, chi-square analysis). Ongoing (viable
past the first trimester) or delivered pregnancies were found in 12 receiving
acupuncture (37.5%) vs. 14 (43.7%) in controls (p⫽NS). The median
number of failed previous IVF cycles was 3.
Conclusions: Acupuncture performed in the manner described did not
seem to improve pregnancy outcome following IVF-ET. Some previous
S24 PCRS Abstracts
ET improves outcome. This was not done in this study. Possibly acupunc-
ture performed in a somewhat different manner or on a different group of
patients may still prove as an effective adjunctive therapy for women having
IVF-ET.
P-34
The Use of Recombinant Human Serum Albumin (rHSA ) for Mouse
IVF and Embryo Culture: Effect of Diluent and Protein Stabilizers.
P. Quinn,a D.C. Carter,b P. Ye,b B. Behrc. aSage In-vitro Fertilization, Inc,
San Clemente, CA. bNew Century Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Huntsville, AL.
c
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University, Stanford,
CA.
Background: The use of rHSA in ART media has many advantages. All
ART studies of rHSA in animal models have reported equivalency to
regular blood derived HSA. As yet, the effect of rHSA on mouse IVF has
not been studied.
Objective: To assess ART media containing rHSA using mouse IVF and
embryo culture.
Materials and Methods: Mouse IVF and embryo culture were performed
using standard procedures. Stock rHSA was at 50-25 mg/mL in PBS or
HEPES-HTF diluent, with or without the stabilizers sodium caprylate and
acetyltryptophan. Mouse zygotes were cultured in Quinn’s Advantage
Cleavage Medium (Sage) containing 0 to 5 mg/mL Ultrapure or Culture
Grade rHSA. Mouse IVF was conducted with rHSA at a concentration of 15
or 5 mg/mL in Quinn’s Advantage Fertilization Medium. All oocytes were
cultured for four days after coincubation with spermatozoa. Data were
analyzed by chi-square.
Results: Between 88-100% of zygotes developed to fully expanded
blastocysts (FEBs) in all rHSA concentrations. After IVF, division of
oocytes to 2-cells was taken as an indication that fertilization had occurred
and 94% of the zygotes developed into FEBs. Fertilization was significantly
reduced to 0-64% (control ⱖ 90%) when ⱖ 10% (v/v) PBS was added to
Fertilization Medium when the stock rHSA was diluted. Fertilization was
totally inhibited when ⱖ 20% PBS was used, even when blood derived HSA
or BSA was used as the protein supplement. Increasing sperm concentration
from 2 to 8 x 106/mL did not significantly alleviate this inhibition. When
HEPES-HTF was used as the diluent, the fertilization rate in the absence of
the stabilizers was similar to control values and significantly higher than
when stabilizers were present.
Conclusions: These data confirm previous reports that rHSA in PBS with
the protein stabilizers sodium caprylate and acetyltryptophan does not
inhibit the development of mouse zygotes in vitro. For the first time it is
reported that PBS and the protein stabilizers inhibit mouse IVF. However,
this configuration does not appear to influence performance in human ART.
rHSA in HEPES-HTF with stabilizers has given equivalent human ART
results to blood derived HSA (Behr et al., this meeting).
P-35
Cryopreservation of Mouse Oocytes Using Sodium-Depleted Media:
Comparison of HEPES-HTF and PBS-Based Formulations. P. Quinn
Sage In-vitro Fertilization, Inc, San Clemente, CA.
Background: Mammalian oocyte cryopreservation has gained consider-
able attention recently (Boldt, Human Reprod, 18:1250, 2003). Commercial
products for cryopreservation of human oocytes by the traditional slow-
cooling procedure are now available. To date, PBS-based sodium-depleted
medium has been used to cryopreserve both mouse and human oocytes
(Boldt, 2003; Stachecki et al, Biol Reprod, 59:395, 1998). Physiologically,
HEPES-HTF-based medium would be preferred.
Objective: Media based on HEPES-HTF and PBS were compared for
their effectiveness to cryopreserve mouse oocytes.
Materials and Methods: A 2x2 factorial experiment based on a modified
HEPES-HTF and a PBS-based medium, with or without sodium-depleted
formulations was performed. Freshly collected oocytes from superovulated
females were pooled, divided into four equal groups (29-38/group) and
cryopreserved in 0.5 mL straws using a standard slow-cooling procedure.
Nine to 147 (av. 61) days later, the oocytes were thawed, inseminated in
vitro and resulting embryos cultured to the blastocyst stage. The experiment
Vol. 83, Suppl 2, May 2005