Lubna Pal

OBJECTIVES: To examine associations of pituitary-ovarian hormone levels with cognition before and after different formulations of hormone therapy (HT) or placebo independent of treatment group. METHODS: Recently menopausal, healthy women w…

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated as a contributing factor to a spectrum of reproductive health burden, including difficulty conceiving, pathogenesis of gynaecological disorders such as uterine fibroids and endomet…

INTRODUCTION: Infertility is a common complication of endometriosis. While in vitro fertilisation-embryo transfer (IVF) successfully treats endometriosis-associated infertility, there is some evidence that pregnancy rates may be diminished …

ObjectiveTo evaluate if knowledge and awareness of concepts and concerns pertaining to reproductive health and fertility vary by race/ethnicity among reproductive-aged women in the United States.MethodsA 2013 cross-sectional web-based surve…

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalent understanding of and management approaches to chronic endometritis among obstetricians/gynecologists. METHODS: In a cross-sectional observational study, 262 members of national and international professi…

PROBLEM: It is unknown whether maternal cytokine production differs between twin and singleton gestations in the implantation phase. A difference in maternal serum cytokine concentrations in twins would imply a dose-response to the invading…

The Pre-IVF Treatment with a GnRH Antagonist in Women with Endometriosis (PREGnant) Trial (clinicaltrials.gov no. NCT04173169) was designed to test the hypothesis that 60-day pre-treatment with an oral GnRH antagonist in women with document…

The process of implantation, trophoblast invasion and placentation demand continuous adaptation and modifications between the trophoblast (embryonic) and the decidua (maternal). Within the decidua, the maternal immune system undergoes conti…

PROBLEM: Embryo implantation and placentation require a careful immunological balance. Cytokines such as IL-10 and TNFα have been implicated as markers of dysregulation, but have only been studied at a single time point or after a pregnancy…

Decidual macrophages are in close contact with trophoblast cells during placenta development, and an appropriate crosstalk between these cellular compartments is crucial for the establishment and maintenance of a healthy pregnancy. During d…

Changes in pituitary-ovarian hormones across the menopausal transition have multiple physiological consequences. However, little is known about how the major types of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) affect pituitary-ovarian hormonal rel…

PURPOSE: To determine if blood type in infertile women relates to the likelihood for live birth (LB) following IVF, and to the etiology for infertility. METHODS: Retrospective study of patients undergoing IVF at two academic centers in the…

A fraction of cells residing in the uterine endometrium exhibit functional pluripotent potential, allowing them to be classified as adult stem cells. While the physiological relevance of this cell population is mostly conjectural at this ju…

OBJECTIVE: To develop a risk-factor score that may provide additional guidance to women and their physicians regarding elective bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at the time of hysterectomy.METHODS: From a case-control study conducted from 19…

PURPOSE: A symbiotic relationship between ovarian granulosa cells (GC) and the developing oocyte is critical. Genetic modulations in GC's can lead to reproductive insufficiency, highlighting the role of GC's in reproductive competence. Util…

The steroid hormone vitamin D is historically recognized for its relevance to bone health and calcium homeostasis. Recent years have witnessed a shift in focus to non-skeletal benefits of vitamin D; in this latter context, an accruing body …

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if a diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is associated with a differential gene profile of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) in infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). DESIGN: Prospective Co…

PURPOSE: Relationships between follicular fluid levels of IL-6 with ovarian response and clinical pregnancy were evaluated in IVF-ET cycles. METHODS: Follicular fluid was collected from ovarian follicles ≥ 14 mm, pooled for each patient, a…

BACKGROUND: In-vitro fertilization (IVF) with blastocyst as opposed to cleavage stage embryos has been advocated to improve success rates. Limited information exists on which to predict which patients undergoing blastocyst embryo transfer (…

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether 25OH-D levels in the follicular fluid (FF) of infertile women undergoing IVF demonstrate a relationship with IVF cycle parameters and outcome, hypothesizing that levels of 25OH-D in body fluids are reflective…

OBJECTIVE: To determine if attempts to maximize oocyte yield during ovarian stimulation translates into improved outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Academic tertiary care IVF center. PAT…