In 1954 the polyvalent laboratory Eylau in Paris was created.Thirty years later the Department of Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Unit was created under the impulse of doctor Jean Cohen, ‘father’ of the second IVF baby born in France.
Today, our laboratory has become the number one in France and in Europe, performing more than 4000 cycles of IVF and/or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) per year, which represents for this specialty 8% of the total public and private activity in France. We also perform more than 5000 IUI (intra uterine insemination) per year (10% of the French activity).
More than 350 gynecologists work in partnership with our units.
Each year more than 5000 couples are treated in our laboratory and 1600 babies are born. The health of the newborns is followed up to the age of 5, through the continuous exchange of questionnaires with the family.
In total, 5 biologists, 27 technicians and 4 secretaries are in charge of this activity in two IVF units: Clinique de la Muette in Paris, and Clinique Cherest in Neuilly.
We have developed a strong partnership with universities, by teaching new techniques and working on shared projects with public centers, among others the one directed by professor René Frydman, ‘father’ of the first IVF baby born in France.
The main interest of our research realized in close collaboration with other well-known international centers, concerns:
• Female infertility (exploring the ovarian status with new development of tests such as Inhibin B and Anti-müllerian hormone)
• Male infertility: sperm selection (IMSI, intra morphologically sperm-selected injection, since 2003), DNA fragmentation, sperm decondensation, new informatics program for sperm parameters.
A number of studies concerning the assisted reproductive techniques have been published in international journals with a strong impact factor (such as Human Reproduction, Fertility Sterility, RBM Online) or specialized scientific journals in French. Some of these studies have also been presented in international congresses by members of our scientific team.
Our last study on paternal ageing and outcome of intrauterine insemination (20 000 cycles involving more than 12 000 couples) was selected as the best scientific paper during the last European congress ESHRE in Barcelona, July 2008. This recognition arouse a strong interest in the mass media, as witnessed by the large number of interviews from leading newspapers, BBC, AFP and Reuters.
References
1. Cohen-Bacrie P, Belloc S, Ménézo YJ, Benkhalifa M. Correlation between DNA damages and sperm parameters: a prospective study involving 1633 patients. Fertil Steril. 2008 (in press)
2. Belloc S, Cohen-Bacrie P, Benkhalifa M, Cohen-Bacrie M, De Mouzon J, Hazout A, Ménézo YJ. Effect of maternal and paternal age on pregnancy and miscarriage rates after intrauterine insemination. Reprod Biomed Online. 2008 (in press)
3. Frydman N, Prisant N, Hesters L, Frydman R, Tachdjian G, Cohen-Bacrie P, Fanchin R. Adequate ovarian follicular status does not prevent the decrease in pregnancy rates associated with high sperm DNA fragmentation. Fertil Steril. 2008 Jan;89(1):92-7.
4. Ménézo YJ, Hazout A, Panteix G, Robert F, Rollet J, Cohen-Bacrie P, Chapuis F, Clément P, Benkhalifa M. Antioxidants to reduce sperm DNA fragmentation: an unexpected adverse effect. Reprod Biomed Online. 2007 Apr;14(4):418-21.
5. Hazout A, Dumont-Hassan M, Junca AM., Cohen-Bacrie P, Tesarik J. High-magnification ICSI overcomes paternal effect to conventional ICSI. Reproductive BioMedicine Online 2006 Jan;12(1):19-25.