Hadar Amir

University of California, San Diego | UCSD · Department of Reproductive Medicine

(1) Background: Obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASI) may complicate vaginal deliveries. The aim of the present study was to explore the incidence and clinical characteristics of OASI among Asian women living in a Western country compared to local Caucasian women. (2) Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 380 women diagnosed with OASI, follow...

Background : the application of fertility preservation, initially intended for oncological patients prior to gonadotoxic treatment, has extended in recent years to transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals undergoing therapy for gender compatibility. Objectives : to examine semen quality and survival in transgender women pursuing semen cryo...

Background: Transgender men are a marginalized population with unique health care needs. However, their usage of health services is low because of considerable discrimination. A major factor in their avoidance is patient-provider interactions. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 102 transgender men who anonymously completed a 55-item qu...

Objective: To analyze whether cleavage stage at compaction, and not only kinetics, can serve as a reliable predictor for clinical outcome. Methods: A retrospective cohort study including 1194 embryos, classified by compaction initiation stage (Group 1: compaction at <8 cells, Group 2: at 8 cells, Group 3: >8 cells). Of this, 815 embryos were eva...

Background: Obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) might be associated with long-term urinary and anorectal morbidities. The aim of the study was to investigate the risk factors and clinical implications of OASIS associated with vacuum-assisted deliveries versus normal vaginal deliveries. Methods: A series of 413 consecutive OASIS cases were...

Study question What are the effects of testosterone treatment on fertilization rates and preimplantation embryo development among transgender men who underwent fertility preservation? Summary answer Testosterone exposure among transgender men has no adverse impacts on fertilization rates and preimplantation embryo development and quality. What is...

Research question : What are the effects of testosterone treatment on oocyte fertilization and preimplantation embryo development among transgender men who underwent fertility preservation? Design : A retrospective study was undertaken in a university-affiliated tertiary hospital between 04/2016-11/2021. The source of embryos was divided into thre...

Objective: To compare assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes and preimplantation embryo development between underweight and normal-weight women. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 26 underweight women (body mass index [BMI] < 18.50 kg/m2) and 104 normal-weight women (BMI >20 and <24.9 kg/m2) who underwent a total of 204 i...

Introduction Analyses of miscarriage products indicate that the majority of aneuploidies in early developing embryos derive from errors occurring during maternal meiosis and the paternal contribution is less than 10%. Our aim was to assess the aneuploidy (mainly monosmies) frequencies at the earliest stages of embryo development, 3 days following f...

Research question What are the fertility preservation (FP) rates of transgender women and transgender men, and which factors affect their decision making? Design This prospective study included 97 transgender women and 91 transgender men referred to the Gender Clinic of our medical center's Endocrinology Institute and to the Gan Meir Community Hea...

We conducted a study to assess the efficacy and outcome results of Manchester operation for women with symptomatic elongation of uterine cervix between 2010 and 2020. Forty-five women were enrolled. Mean age was 54.2 ± 10.5 years, 57.5% were premenopausal. Mean follow up was 4.53 years. Most patients were pleased from the surgery: 29 (76.3%) very p...

STUDY QUESTION Is the functional ovarian reserve in transgender men affected by testosterone therapy? SUMMARY ANSWER Serum anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) levels slightly decrease during testosterone treatment but remain within the normal range, suggesting preserved follicular ovarian reserve. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Few small studies have investigate...

Study question What are the semen quality and cryopreservation outcomes among adolescent transgender females at the time of fertility preservation (FP) before initiating gender-affirming hormone (GAH) treatment? Summary answer Semen quality is strongly reduced among adolescent transgender females before hormone therapy and their stored sperm sampl...

Ultraviolet (UV) light affects endocrinological and behavioral aspects of sexuality via an unknown mechanism. Here we discover that ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure enhances the levels of sex-steroid hormones and sexual behavior, which are mediated by the skin. In female mice, UVB exposure increases hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis hormone levels, r...

Purpose To compare assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes and preimplantation embryo development between underweight and normal weight women. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 26 underweight women (body mass index [BMI] < 18.50 kg/m²) and 104 normal weight women (BMI > 20 and < 24.9 kg/m²) who underwent a total of 204 in vi...

The purpose of this research is to study the efficacy of GnRH-a versus r-hCG triggering in patients who go through fertility preservation cycles. This retrospective cohort study was performed in a tertiary university–affiliated medical center. It includes 191 patients undergoing fertility preservation cycles between May 2013 and September 2018, in...

Objectives: To present a flexible protocol of vaginal pessaries for older women with significant pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Design: A prospective cohort study of 140 consecutive older women (aged ≥65 years) with significant POP treated with individually fitted vaginal pessaries. After initial insertion, each patient was invited for a first eva...

Objectives: To investigate the possible associations of muscle and visceral fat mass with the prognosis of patients hospitalized with acute pancreatitis. Methods: Body composition analysis (Sliceomatic, TomoVision, Montreal, Canada) was performed on CT images at the L3 level in patients admitted with acute pancreatitis during 2008-2014. Regressi...

Isolating human MEK/ERK signaling-independent pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) with naive pluripotency characteristics while maintaining differentiation competence and (epi)genetic integrity remains challenging. Here, we engineer reporter systems that allow the screening for defined conditions that induce molecular and functional features of human nai...

The present study aimed to determine the semen quality and cryopreservation outcomes among adolescent transgender females at the time of fertility preservation (FP) before initiating gender-affirming hormone (GAH) treatment. This retrospective cohort study included 26 adolescent transgender females who underwent FP in our Fertility Institute betwee...

The disposition decision is a frequently unresolved issue for many IVF users with surplus frozen embryos (SFEs), and this study draws attention to their experiences and moral work, locating it in the Jewish-Israeli context that legally enables the donation of SFEs to research but prohibits donation to other infertile people. To explore the (mis)und...

PurposeTo compare assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes among transgender men with those of fertile cisgender women.Methods This retrospective cohort study included 12 transgender men, six with no testosterone exposure and six after testosterone treatment, and 12 cisgender women (oocyte donors) who underwent ART in our institution between...

PurposeTo compare fertility preservation (FP) outcomes among adolescent transgender males with those of cisgender females.Methods This retrospective cohort study included nine adolescent transgender males and 39 adolescent cisgender females who underwent FP between January 2017–April 2019 and September 2013–April 2019, respectively. The transgender...

Different conditions have been devised to isolate MEK/ERK signalling independent human naïve pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) that are distinct from conventional primed PSCs and better correspond to pre-implantation developmental stages. While the naïve conditions described thus far endow human PSCs with different extents of naivety features, isolatin...

Research question What is the fertility preservation (FP) rate among transgender women who received professional fertility counseling compared to transgender men? Design This retrospective cohort study included 56 transgender women and 56 transgender men referred to comprehensive fertility counseling at the Gender Clinic of the medical center's Fe...

Objective To assess the effect of a sharp increase in estrogen levels on overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms among women undergoing ovulation induction. Methods 100 consecutive women (mean age 36.9±5.2 years) who underwent IVF treatments, were prospectively enrolled. Three validated questionnaires on urinary urgency (USIQ), urinary incontinence (MES...

Objective—To describe patient characteristics at presentation, management, and fertility preservation rates among a cohort of Israeli children and adolescents with gender dysphoria (GD). Methods—We performed a retrospective chart review of 106 consecutive children and adolescents with GD (<18 years) referred to and followed at the multidisciplinary...

The researchers’ aim was to assess provider gender preference among women attending the urogynecology clinic. Two hundred women with pelvic floor disorders completed a detailed questionnaire regarding possible gender preferences in choosing their urogynecologist. One-third of women preferred a female doctor while two-thirds had no preference. We fo...

Objective: To investigate the developmental potential of oocytes and embryos derived from extremely small follicles (<10 mm) in comparison to those originated in larger follicles. Study design: A prospective study, undertaken in a university affiliated single center tertiary hospital. The study included 98 patients undergoing infertility treatme...

Background: Although successful pregnancies carried by transgender men have been reported, long-term effects of testosterone therapy on fertility remain unknown. Aims: To study markers of ovarian reserve during testosterone therapy. Methods: Prospective open-label study of transgender men prior and during treatment with testosterone. Sampling was c...

Purpose The purpose of the study was to compare the morphokinetic parameters of embryos carrying balanced chromosomal translocations with those carrying unbalanced chromosomal translocations using time-lapse microscopy. Methods The study group included 270 embryos that underwent biopsies on day 3 for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for chr...

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect over time of bariatric surgery on female pelvic floor symptoms. Methods: In total, 160 consecutive adult women were requested to complete four anonymous questionnaires [International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ), Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (BFLUTS), Pe...

Patients' preferences in choosing obstetricians/gynecologists are widely investigated, but studies among traditional populations are lacking. Bedouins comprise a traditional Arab Muslim society in the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia), The Levant (Syria, Jordan and Israel) and North Africa (Egypt). Most of the Bedouins in Israel populate several vil...

Study question: What is the optimal timing for blastomere biopsy during the 8-cell stage, at which embryos will have the best implantation potential? Summary answer: Fast-cleaving embryos that are biopsied during the last quarter (Q4) of the 8-cell stage and are less affected by the biopsy procedure, and their implantation potential is better th...

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) may pose risks to pregnancy outcome owing to the invasiveness of the biopsy procedure. This study compares outcome of singleton and twin clinical pregnancies conceived after fresh embryo transfers of PGD (n = 89) and matched intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) pregnancies (n = 166). The study was carried...

Objectives: To assess the effect of weight loss on urinary incontinence (UI), pelvic organ prolapse, colorectal-anal complaints and sexual dysfunction among obese women undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: 160 consecutive women who underwent bariatric surgery were prospectively enrolled. Four validated questionnaires (ICIQ-UI, BFLUTS-SF, PFDI-...

Background The high number of IVF procedures performed in Israel has had an unforeseen consequence: accumulation of large amounts of surplus frozen embryos. After five years that the frozen embryos are kept for free, patients need to make an embryo disposition decision. One option is donation for research. The donation rate in Israel is very low. O...

Background Patient preferences regarding the gender of their physicians is a highly sensitive issue, which can be particularly salient in intimate medical situations. Previously published studies found that women tend to prefer female physicians, especially in the case of obstetricians and gynecologists. Data regarding other intimate specialties, s...

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to explore the effect of blastomere biopsy for preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) on the embryos’ dynamics, further cleavage, development, and implantation. Methods The study group included 366 embryos from all PGD treatments (September 2012 to June 2014) cultured in the EmbryoScope™ time-lapse monitoring sy...

Genomic aberrations have been identified in many hPSC cultures. Commonly observed duplications in portions of chromosomes 12p and 17q have been associated with increases in genetic instability and resistance to apoptosis, respectively. However, the phenotypic consequences related to sporadic mutations have not been evaluated to date. Here, we repor...

There are several studies on patients’ preference for same-gender physicians, especially female preference for same-gender gynecologists. Data regarding the preferences of urology patients, of whom the majority are males, are scarce. The objective of this study is to assess provider gender preference among urology patients. One hundred and nineteen...

Objective: Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is required in order to screen and diagnose embryos of patients at risk of having a genetically affected offspring. A biopsy to diagnose the genetic profile of the embryo may be performed either before or after cryopreservation. The aim of this study was to determine which biopsy timing yields hi...

Aim: To investigate the effect of bariatric surgery on male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and sexual function. Methods: Fifty-five consecutive obese men who underwent a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy were prospectively enrolled. Two validated questionnaires, the International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) and the International Index of E...

Consideration and better understanding of patients' needs on the part of the healthcare system might help increase the number of people seeking necessary medical care. Many studies have been conducted on patients' preferences in choosing their health care provider, but the majority of them were conducted in modern western societies, establishing a...

To investigate whether cabergoline (Cb2), a dopamine agonist, reduces ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in high-risk women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART), and to analyze whether cabergoline affects the outcome of ART. Forty infertile women at risk of developing OHSS were enrolled in the trial. The inclusion criteria were a...

The self-renewal and differentiation capacities of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) make them a promising source of material for cell transplantation therapy, drug development, and studies of cellular differentiation and development. However, the large numbers of cells necessary for many of these applications require extensive expansion of hPSC...

AimThe aim of this study was to explore lesbians' preferences when choosing obstetricians/gynecologists.Material and Methods This cross-sectional study included 100 lesbian and 100 heterosexual women. A 40-item questionnaire assessed the correlation between a patient's sexual identity and her specific preferences for obstetricians/gynecologists.Res...

Given the association between mutational load and cancer, the observation that genetic aberrations are frequently found in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is of concern. Prior studies in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have shown that deletions and regions of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) tend to arise during reprogramming and ear...

Given the association between mutational load and cancer, the observation that genetic aberrations are frequently found in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is of concern. Prior studies in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have shown that deletions and regions of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) tend to arise during reprogramming and ear...

It is widely accepted that diet changes are a powerful means to prevent cancer. The possible involvement of transcriptional activity in the anticancer activity of carotenoids will be the focus of this review. Carotenoids function as potent antioxidants, and this is clearly a major mechanism of their action. In addition carotenoids action involves i...

There is extensive evidence that high intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk of many types of cancers. Thus, it is widely accepted that diet changes are a powerful means to prevent cancer. Although there is a growing interest in the role of the tomato carotenoid lycopene in cancer prevention and treatment, we hypothesize...

Recent studies have shown that high insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) blood level is a risk factor in breast and prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to determine whether the mitogenic activity of IGF-I in mammary cancer cells can be reduced by the dietary carotenoid lycopene. The anticancer activity of lycopene, the major tomato carotenoi...

Lycopene, the major tomato carotenoid, has been found to inhibit proliferation of several types of cancer cells, including those of breast, lung, and endometrium. By extending the work to the HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cell line, we aimed to evaluate some mechanistic aspects of this effect. Particularly, the possibility was examined that the anti...

The remarkable association between diets rich in fruits and vegetables and the reduced risk of several malignancies has led to a consideration of the role of carotenoids in this context. Lycopene is one of the major carotenoids in Western diets and accounts for about 50% of carotenoids in human serum. The interest in the anticancer action of this p...

Numerous epidemiological studies have demonstrated that consumption of large quantities of vegetables and fruits reduces the risk of human cancer. The anti-cancer properties of the major tomato carotenoid, lycopene, have recently been reported. In previous studies we have found that lycopene inhibits proliferation of a variety of human cancer cells...