Drakakis P

The hallmark feature of empty follicle syndrome (EFS) is failure to retrieve oocytes from apparently mature follicles despite adequate ovarian stimulation and appropriate ovulation triggering. Although considered uncommon, with a reported p…

Background: Miscarriage is defined as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before fetal viability and includes all pregnancy losses occurring from conception until 24 weeks of gestation. Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is traditionally define…

The potentially fatal condition known as ectopic pregnancy (EP) occurs when an embryo implants outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. It accounts for approximately 1-2% of all pregnancies and remains a leading cause of matern…

The study of the microbiome has rapidly progressed over the past few decades, capturing the interest of both scientists and the general public. Nevertheless, there is still no widely agreed-upon definition for the term "microbiome" despite …

Background/Objectives: Cumulus cells have been proposed to be indicators of oocyte quality. In this study, oocyte cumulus cells were analyzed for SERPINE gene expression. High SERPINE gene expression in cumulus cells is associated with redu…

The human gut microbiome is integral to maintaining systemic physiological balance, with accumulating evidence emphasizing its critical role in reproductive health. This review investigates the bidirectional interactions between the gut mic…

BACKGROUND: Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is the leading cause of hospitalization during early pregnancy, affecting approximately 0.3-3% of pregnancies. It represents the most severe end of the nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) spectrum …

Concern over COVID-19's long-term influence on women's reproductive health is growing, with emerging research suggesting potential links to ovarian dysfunction, menstrual irregularities, fertility challenges, and adverse pregnancy outcomes.…

Poor ovarian response (POR) remains a significant challenge in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART), as the quantity and quality of oocytes retrieved directly influence embryo implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth …

BACKGROUND: This case-control study investigates whether miR-27a rs895819 A>G polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in Caucasian Greek women. METHODS: This study included 93 women with at least…

The increasing use of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) globally, such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF), has highlighted the pressing need to determine the modifiable factors affecting the …

Background: Infertility affects 8-12% of couples globally, with causes including hormonal and structural abnormalities. Letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, is commonly used for ovulation induction, but its role in various assisted reproducti…

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are xenobiotic chemicals that disrupt hormone signaling and homeostasis within the human body. Accumulative evidence proposes that EDs could affect systemic hormone balance and local microbi…

Globally, endometriosis affects almost 10% of reproductive-aged women, leading to chronic pain and discomfort. Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) seem to play a pivotal role as a causal factor. The current manuscript aims to explain pote…

The purpose of this prospective case-control study is to investigate the correlation of the miR-143 gene rs353292 polymorphism in Caucasian women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) compared to a matched control group with at least one live…

Background: Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Beyond medical treatment, surgical intervention is also a viable consideration. However, current guidelines do not clearly indicate whether…

BACKGROUND: Indocyanine green (ICG) is an injectable fluorochrome that has recently gained popularity as a means of assisting intraoperative visualization during laparoscopic and robotic surgery. Many systematic reviews and meta-analyses ha…

Background/Objectives: Infertility constitutes a significant challenge for couples around the world. Ovarian dysfunction, a major cause of infertility, can manifest with anovulatory cycles, elevated follicle-stimulating hormone levels, and …

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Embryo implantation is a highly complex process that requires the precise regulation of numerous molecules to be orchestrated successfully. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression a…

Cellular metabolism, apoptosis, fertilization, and proliferation of granulosa cells belong to a battery of processes where microRNAs can be detected and associated with infertility. The aim of the present review is to focus on mammalian ooc…

Bisphenols, particularly bisphenol A (BPA), are among the most thoroughly investigated endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). BPA was the first synthetic estrogen to be identified, exerting its estrogenic effects through interaction with hu…

BACKGROUND: Glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1 belongs to a family of detoxification enzymes and deficiency in enzyme activity is due to a homozygous deletion of the GSTM1 gene. Several studies reveal a possible correlation between female i…

BACKGROUND: ZEB1 plays a role in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and acts as a repressor of E-cadherin, TGF-β, and Wnt/β-catenin. Since ZEB1 protein is expressed in estrogen-responsive tissues, and expression of the gene in the normal …