The role of seminal plasma for improved outcomes during in vitro fertilization treatment: review of the literature and meta-analysis
Abstract
Background There is a growing body of evidence surrounding the role played by seminal plasma in human implantation. Seminal fluid contains several proteins that interact with cervical and uterine epithelial cells inducing active immune tolerance. We sought to answer the study question: Does exposure to seminal plasma improve pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing IVF? Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched for via MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, National Research Register, ISI conference proceedings, ISRCTN register and Meta-register, from 1966 to December 2013. Search terms included: 'seminal plasma', 'seminal fluid', 'sexual intercourse', 'IVF', 'ICSI', 'ART', 'pregnancy rate', 'implantation', 'embryo transfer' and 'live birth'. This analysis included all RCTs comparing the outcome of IVF treatments in patients exposed to seminal plasma near the time of oocyte pickup (OPU) or embryo transfer (ET) with that of placebo controls or controls with no exposure to seminal plasma. The main intervention was exposure to seminal plasma around the time of OPU or embryo transfer during an IVF cycle. The main outcomes were clinical pregnancy and live birth/ongoing pregnancy rates. Data were collected by two independent authors and statistically pooled via meta-analysis following intention to treat and per protocol principles using RevMan (v5.2.10). I(2) statistic, forest plots and chi-squared heterogeneity tests were used. Results In total 2204 patients were inc…
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In advanced non-small cell lung cancer, Vδ1 γδ T cells and Vδ1-Vδ2- γδ T cells are the main subpopulations of γδ T cells in the lung, and higher levels of intratumoral Vδ1 γδ T cells is a poor prognosis factor.
“In advanced non-small cell lung cancer, Vδ1 γδ T cells and Vδ1-Vδ2-γδ T cells are the main subpopulations of γδ T cells in the lung, and higher levels of intratumoral Vδ1 γδ T cells is a poor prognosis factor (45).”
From Comparing Mouse and Human Tissue-Resident γδ T Cells (2022) · cites this paper as [45]
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Leyendecker, G., Kunz, G., Wildt, L., Beil, D., & Deininger, H. (1996) · Human Reproduction · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a019435 · Cited by 307 · cited 3× · see citing works
“The female immune response is further stimulated by seminal plasma via the drainage of seminal antigen through the lymphatic system (Leyendecker et al., 1996; Johansson et al., 2004).”
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Comparing Mouse and Human Tissue-Resident γδ T Cells
Qu, G., Wang, S., Zhou, Z., Jiang, D., Liao, A., & Luo, J. (2022) · Frontiers in Immunology · doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.891687 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
- Authors
- Crawford, G., Ray, A., Gudi, A., Shah, A., & Homburg, R.
- Affiliations
- Homerton University Hospital (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Homburg, Roy
- Venue
- Human Reproduction Update
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2014-10-03
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 275-284
- ISSN
- 1355-4786 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2369
- OpenAlex
- W2006169380
- Cited by
- 124
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 4
- FWCI
- 1.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Human Reproduction Update (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Assisted Reproductive Technology and Twin Pregnancy
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Biology and Fertility
- Keywords
- seminal plasma, in vitro fertilization, clinical pregnancy rate, live birth rate, embryo transfer, immune tolerance, cervical epithelium, uterine epithelium, assisted reproduction
- MeSH terms
- Embryo Transfer, Female, Fertilization in Vitro, Humans, Immune Tolerance, Embryo Implantation, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, Semen, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Pregnancy Rate
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