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Zika virus infection during pregnancy can have devastating effects on the foetus leading to congenital Zika syndrome. It is relevant therefore for couples living in countries with endemic Zika virus to understand the strategies they can utilise to reduce the chance of infection. In addition, couples planning pregnancy, or who are already pregnant, travelling to countries with Zika virus need to be informed of the potential risk and implications for future reproductive planning.

Background: Oocyte Cryopreservation has become an important part of infertility treatment for various reasons such as fertility preservation in women going for oncological treatment; in oocyte donation cycles; in eliminating several religious, ethical, and legal concerns of embryo freezing and in women who wish to delay childbirth. The newer ”vitrification” technique for freezing has further improved the success rates for actual conception than the earlier method of slow freezing. A successful oocyte freezing program can help in establishment of oocyte banks, which would help to provide compatible oocytes immediately, thus would eliminate the several problems of fresh donor cycles.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, total 60 oocyte donation cycles were included (38 were fresh and 22 were vitrified oocytes cycle, respectively). After a thorough screening, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for donors was performed using flexible antagonist protocol. All mature oocytes were allocated into “vitrified oocytes” and “fresh oocytes” groups. Vitrification technique using Cryotop method was used for oocyte freezing. Both clinical and laboratory outcomes of vitrified and fresh oocytes in donor cycles were compared.

Results: A total of 600 oocytes (226 “vitrified oocytes” and 374 fresh oocytes), were studied. After warming 218 oocytes survived resulting in survival rate of 96.4%. Fertilization rate and embryo formation rate was 86.2% and 93.6%, respectively. Results of frozen-thawed oocyte donor cycles were compared with fresh donation cycles. For fresh oocyte group, fertilization rate and embryo formation rate was 83.4% and 92.6%, respectively. On comparing clinical outcomes, clinical pregnancy rate was 60.5% in fresh group and 63.6% in vitrified group.

Conclusions: Both clinical and laboratory results obtained in the study suggest that oocyte cryopreservation can be performed with reproducible success, thus vitrification technique can be provided as a useful tool for achieving highly successful outcomes in an oocyte donor program.

Background: Anecdotally, infertility concerns among serving female Australian Defense Force (ADF) members and veterans are perceived to be prevalent, but precise data are lacking. This is the first of two papers that identify reproductive, pregnancy, and infant outcomes in an exclusively Australian military cohort. This initial paper aims to describe maternal and paternal occupation and fertility characteristics of a group of ADF members who deployed to the Middle East during the period 2001–2010.

Methods: Utilizing the Middle East Area of Operations Census Study data set, a descriptive analysis was performed on the demographic and clinical variables of the cohort, where data were reported. Descriptive statistics (means, frequencies, percentiles) were used to describe the population. Sociodemographic data and clinical data, including maternal/paternal outcomes, were reported.

Results: The self-reported infertility rate was 9%, which was significantly lower than the reported infertility rate in the comparative Australian (non-military) population. All other outcomes were comparable to the Australian population and within normal limits.

Conclusions: This survey presents a generally reassuring picture of reproductive health for men and women serving in the ADF with regard to the risk of infertility, pregnancy loss, and perinatal outcomes, although the basis for fertility concerns requires further investigation.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) brought forth an unprecedented suspension of fertility treatment worldwide as part of a reallocation of hospital staff and resources to avoid a collapse in the healthcare system. As a nonessential service, postponement of fertility treatment due to the pandemic has impacted the mental health of infertile patients, which comprise $10\%-15\%$ of the Malaysian population.

Objective: To establish the patient’s perspective on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their fertility treatment and to ascertain their psychological status.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study performed in a single academic center in Malaysia. This study was approved by the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) medical research ethics committee (MEC ID NO: 2021714-10376). Patients and partners who were planned for fertility treatment were approached and asked to answer an anonymous electronic survey between July 16, 2021 and December 17, 2021. All patients requiring fertility treatment were included.

Results: One hundred and sixty-five patients were included, and $66.1\%$ of patients did not agree with the Ministry of Health Malaysia’s recommendation to postpone fertility treatment; $97.6\%$ would want to continue with treatment; $75.8\%$ of patients are concerned about advancing age and $11.5\%$ are concerned about reducing ovarian reserve if their treatment was postponed or suspended. From univariate analysis, mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe levels of psychological disorders were found in our patients. According to multivariate logistic regression, mild stress was significant among 20–30 years old with $p=0.001$ (OR $1.3^7$, $95\%$ CI $2.2^6-8.0^7$). Patients from this age group also suffer from a significant moderate level of stress with $p=0.001$ (OR $2.7^7$, $95\%$ CI $4.9^6-1.4^8$). Other variables, when analyzed using multivariate analysis, had no significant findings.

Conclusion: Stress related to COVID-19 and concerns about its effect on the fertility rate were found to be significant psychological distress among patients undergoing fertility treatment. Therefore, fertility centers should routinely monitor the mental health of patients and offer them psychological counseling.

In ancient times, Cambodia was home to one of the largest city complexes on earth, Angkor. At its apogee in the 12th century, the whole city of Angkor expanded over $>170$ hectares and had a population of 1–2 million people, which was only equaled by that of Ancient Rome. Angkor subsequently declined but remained occupied until the 18th century, at the beginning of the French protectorate.

In modern times, Cambodia became embedded in the global conflict against the occupying Japanese troops during World War II. This was followed by a lasting war that engulfed the whole Southeast Asia area, but the toll paid by the population remained limited. In the second half of the 20th century, Cambodia suddenly became the site of an acute drama, one of the worst that the world has known since the Holocaust. The Khmer Rouge regime led to the collapse of the whole country’s social system and triggered a brutal rise in mortality—direct and induced—and gender imbalance. Together with increased mortality, which eradicated approximately a third of the country’s population, there was a profound drop in fertility.

The nearly total collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime after Cambodia was freed in 1979 was followed by an important rise in fertility leading to a rebound effect or “baby boom” during the 80s. Today, as in 1960 before the Khmer Rouge drama, global fertility rates in Cambodia are similar to those of its neighbor, Vietnam. Total fertility rates, which neared six children per woman in Vietnam and Cambodia in 1960, have, however, dropped in both countries and stand just at population replacement level.

Objective: To investigate possible differences in levels of ovarian reserve between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) asymptomatic carriers and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients, by measuring the levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH).

Methods: We enrolled 69 premenopausal women divided in 2 groups: a) patients with APS, either primary (PAPS) or secondary (SAPS), according to the Sydney classification criteria; b) asymptomatic aPL carriers. Aged-matched premenopausal healthy donors (HDs) were also recruited. Complete aPL testing was performed and AMH levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: Among the 69 patients included in the study, 22 were diagnosed with PAPS, 13 with SAPS, and 14 patients were asymptomatic aPL carriers. No differences in AMH levels were observed among the three groups [mean AMH: PAPS 3.09 ng/ml ± 1.9 (range 1.02 − 7.1); SAPS 3.1 ng/ml ± 2.2 (range 1.1 − 7.6); aPL carriers 2.2 ng/ml ± 5.4 (range 1 − 6.3)] and between patients/aPL carriers and HDs [mean AMH 2.82 ng/ml ± 2.9 (range 1 − 6.9)]. Any correlation between the global APS score (GAPSS) and AMH levels failed to be found (rho = 0.31; p = 0.073).

Conclusion: With the limitations of the current study, as observed in women with APS, we confirm that ovarian reserve, assessed with AMH levels, is not reduced in premenopausal women with isolated aPL positivity. Moreover, when granulating the aPL profile in terms of risk assessment, using the GAPSS, no impact on fertility was observed.