Research Highlights
Scientific Firsts
The Monash IVF Group has been achieving outstanding Scientific Firsts since 1958, including the world’s first IVF pregnancy in 1973.
| 2021 | Monash Group launched the first at-home genetic carrier screening test connected with a fertility service |
| 2021 | Monash Group Fertility Specialist became the first Australian elected as President of the World Endometriosis Society |
| 2019 | Monash Group delivered Australia’s first baby born using PIEZO microinjection technology |
| 2014 | Monash Group achieved Australia’s first PGS pregnancy from ‘Next Generation’ sequencing |
| 2013 | Monash Group achieved Australia’s first pregnancy from frozen ovarian tissue re-implantation |
| 2010 | Monash Group Fertility Specialist became the first Australian elected as President of the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS) from 2010 – 2013 |
| 1999 | Monash Group achieved Australia’s first birth from a frozen egg |
| 1996 | Monash Group achieved Australia’s first successful open testicular biopsy to treat severe male infertility Monash Group achieved Australia’s first birth of an embryo biopsy baby using Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) |
| 1995 | Monash Group achieved Australia’s first blastocyst baby after in-vitro maturation of human primary eggs |
| 1993 | Monash Group achieved Australia’s first single sperm microinjection pregnancies |
| 1992 | Monash Group achieved world’s first microinjection intrafallopian transfer pregnancy |
| 1989 | Monash Group achieved world’s first birth following intra-fallopian insemination of spermatozoa from a male with obstructive azoospermia |
| 1988 | Monash Group achieved Australia’s first IVF surrogate birth (one of the first in the world) |
| 1987 | Monash Group developed the world’s first sperm microinjection technology; paving the way for the development of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment |
| 1985 | Monash Group achieved world’s first pregnancy and birth from a sperm retrieval operation (for a blocked sperm duct) |
| 1984 | Monash Group achieved world’s first birth from donated eggs |
| 1983 | Monash Group achieved world’s first frozen embryo birth |
| 1981 | Monash Group achieved 15 pregnancies using stimulated cycles in IVF (representing the 4th to 12th births in the world) |
| 1980 | Monash Group was the first group in the world to use stimulated cycles with clomiphene citrate |
| 1980 | Monash Group delivered AUSTRALIA’S FIRST IVF BIRTH |
| 1973 | Monash Group co-joint team achieved WORLD’S FIRST IVF PREGNANCY |
| 1958 | Monash Group commenced an ovulation stimulation program in Australia |
Peer-reviewed Publications
Promoting national and international research collaborations with clinicians and scientists, ensures the continuous output of high-quality publications which have been expertly assessed on concept, methodology and findings.
2025
Getting eggs 'out of the basket': facilitating decisions about surplus frozen eggs.
Fuscaldo G, Johnston M, Zander-Fox D, Mills C. Reprod Biomed Online. 2025 Feb 12;51(1):104865.
doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2025.104865. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40446647.
Noninvasive prenatal testing: an overview.
Poulton A, Hui L. Aust Prescr. 2025 Apr;48(2):47-53.
doi: 10.18773/austprescr.2025.019. PMID: 40343140; PMCID: PMC12055489.
Simplified First-Trimester Fetal Cardiac Screening Protocol for Low-Risk Pregnancies: Enhancing Efficiency and Accuracy.
Pincham V, McLennan A, Forsey J, Mogra R. Australas J Ultrasound Med. 2025 Apr 14;28(2):e70000. doi: 10.1002/ajum.70000. PMID: 40236880; PMCID: PMC11995031.
Placental Cysts and Atypical Sonolucencies at 11-13 Weeks' Gestation: Sonographic Features and Clinical Significance.
Sepulveda W, Stern J, von Bischhoffshausen S, Tonni G, Meagher S. J Clin Ultrasound. 2025 Apr 11. doi: 10.1002/jcu.23984. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40213910.
School-age outcomes among IVF and ICSI-conceived children: a causal inference analysis using linked population-wide data.
Kennedy AL, Hiscock RJ, Vollenhoven BJ, Stern CJ, Gurrin LC, Osianlis T, Kink A, Walker SP, Cheong JLY, Quach JL, Wilkinson D, McBain J, Green MP, Atkinson JA, Agresta F, Baohm SP, Tong S, Hastie R, Lindquist AC. BMC Med. 2025 Apr 1;23(1):194. doi: 10.1186/s12916-025-03963-w. PMID: 40170012; PMCID: PMC11963277.
A role for the gynaecologist to address the impact of sexual assault. Alwis D, Vollenhoven B, Lydall-Smith S, Maywood K, Mol BW. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2025 May;309:158-160.
doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2025.03.053. Epub 2025 Mar 25. PMID: 40147405.
IVF success rates in individuals accessing preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic conditions (PGT-M): a single centre retrospective cohort study of 572 IVF cycles.
Poulton A, Menezes M, Hardy T, Lewis S, Hui L. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2025 Mar 11.
doi: 10.1007/s10815-025-03416-6. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40067642.
Foetal Megacystis: A Practical Guide.
El-Achi V, Deshpande A, Scott F, Smet ME. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2025 Feb 24:1-15. doi: 10.1159/000543816. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39993385.
Strategies to Detect Chromosomal Anomalies Not Identified by NIPT.
Scott F, Han MP, Gomes de Melo Tavares Ferreira AE, Elhindi J, McLennan AC. Prenat Diagn. 2025 Apr;45(4):464-472. doi: 10.1002/pd.6755. Epub 2025 Feb 21. PMID: 39984291; PMCID: PMC11987785.
Pregnancy outcomes following ovarian tissue cryopreservation: an Australian cohort study. Finkelstein T, Rolnik DL, Agresta F, Rozen G, Stern K, Vollenhoven B, Catt S, Horta F. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Feb 7:S0002-9378(25)00086-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2025.02.007. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39923876.
Advances in Prenatal Cell-Free DNA Screening for Dominant Monogenic Conditions: A Review of Current Progress and Future Directions in Clinical Implementation.
Liao J, Xu N, Gao H, Hardy T, Levy B, Mehta L, Choy KW, Huang H, Zhang J. Prenat Diagn. 2025 Apr;45(4):445-452. doi: 10.1002/pd.6752. Epub 2025 Jan 25. PMID: 39865331.
Prenatal diagnosis following preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic conditions: a single centre record linkage study.
Poulton A, Menezes M, Hardy T, Lewis S, Hui L. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2025 Jan;42(1):275-284. doi: 10.1007/s10815-024-03346-9. Epub 2025 Jan 24. PMID: 39853687; PMCID: PMC11805740.
Combined first-trimester screening for preterm small-for- gestational-age infants: Australian multicenter clinical feasibility study. Selvaratnam RJ, Rolnik DL, Setterfield M, Wallace EM, Hyett JA, Da Silva Costa F, McLennan AC. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Feb;65(2):183-190. doi: 10.1002/uog.29174. Epub 2025 Jan 18. PMID: 39825855.
2024
The Role of Nutrient Supplements in Female Infertility: An Umbrella Review and Hierarchical Evidence Synthesis.
Pandey C, Maunder A, Liu J, Vaddiparthi V, Costello MF, Bahri-Khomami M, Mousa A, Ee C. Nutrients. 2024 Dec 27;17(1):57. doi: 10.3390/nu17010057. PMID: 39796491; PMCID: PMC11722770.
How Useful is Nuchal Translucency in Detecting Chromosomal Abnormalities Missed by Genome-Wide NIPT and What Measurement Threshold Should Be Used?
Han MP, Ferreira AEGMT, Elhindi J, McLennan AC, Scott F. Prenat Diagn. 2025 Feb;45(2):147-154. doi: 10.1002/pd.6742. Epub 2025 Jan 3. PMID: 39754320; PMCID: PMC11790515.
Receptive window might be shorter in patients with endometriosis and lesions cyclically prepare for implantation.
Samarajeewa N, Heng S, Li Y, Scelwyn M, Rombauts LJ, Nie G. F S Sci. 2024 Dec 4:S2666-335X(24)00079-X. doi: 10.1016/j.xfss.2024.11.002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39643002.
Nationwide, Couple-Based Genetic Carrier Screening.
Kirk EP, Delatycki MB, Archibald AD, Tutty E, Caruana J, Halliday JL, Lewis S, McClaren BJ, Newson AJ, Dive L, Best S, Long JC, Braithwaite J, Downes MJ, Scuffham PA, Massie J, Barlow-Stewart K, Kulkarni A, Ruscigno A, Kanga-Parabia A, Rodrigues B, Bennetts BH, Ebzery C, Hunt C, Cliffe CC, Lee C, Azmanov D, King EA, Madelli EO, Zhang F, Ho G, Danos I, Liebelt J, Fletcher J, Kennedy J, Beilby J, Emery JD, McGaughran J, Marum JE, Scarff K, Fisk K, Harrison K, Boggs K, Giameos L, Fitzgerald L, Thomas L, Burnett L, Freeman L, Harris M, Berbic M, Davis MR, Cifuentes Ochoa M, Wallis M, Wall M, Chow MTM, Ferrie MM, Pachter N, Quayum N, Lang N, Kasi Pandy P, Casella R, Allcock RJN, Ong R, Edwards S, Sundercombe S, Jelenich S, Righetti S, Lunke S, Kaur S, Stock-Myer S, Eggers S, Walker SP, Theodorou T, Catchpool T, Clinch T, Roscioli T, Hardy T, Zhu Y, Fehlberg Z, Boughtwood TF, Laing NG; Mackenzie's Mission Investigators. N Engl J Med. 2024 Nov 21;391(20):1877-1889. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2314768. PMID: 39565987.
Characterization of Chemical Exposome in A Paired Human Preconception Pilot Study.
Marchiandi J, Dagnino S, Zander-Fox D, Green MP, Clarke BO. Environ Sci Technol. 2024 Nov 19;58(46):20352-20365. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.4c04356. Epub 2024 Nov 7. PMID: 39508786.
Validation of Fetal Medicine Foundation charts for fetal growth in twins: nationwide Danish cohort study.
Kristensen SE, Wright A, Wright D, Gadsbøll K, Ekelund CK, Sandager P, Jørgensen FS, Hoseth E, Sperling L, Zingenberg HJ, Sundberg K, McLennan A, Nicolaides KH, Petersen OB. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2024 Dec;64(6):730-738. doi: 10.1002/uog.29125. Epub 2024 Oct 27. PMID: 39462797; PMCID: PMC11609905.
Clinical outcomes following preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic conditions: a systematic review of observational studies.
Poulton A, Menezes M, Hardy T, Lewis S, Hui L. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Feb;232(2):150-163. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2024.09.114. Epub 2024 Oct 2. PMID: 39362513.
Predicting the Difficult Neonatal Airway in Fetuses with Micrognathia, Oropharyngeal or Neck Mass Lesions: Two-Center Experience with Fetal MRI.
Goergen S, Christie J, Jackson T, Smet ME, Robertson S, Malhotra A, Kroushev A, Lovell M. Prenat Diagn. 2024 Dec;44(13):1593-1602. doi: 10.1002/pd.6651. Epub 2024 Sep 24. PMID: 39317943; PMCID: PMC11628208.
Recommendations from the 2024 Australian evidence-based guideline for unexplained infertility: ADAPTE process from the ESHRE evidence-based guideline on unexplained infertility.
Costello MF, Norman RJ, Rombauts L, Farquhar CM, Bedson L, Kong M, Boothroyd CV, Kerner R, Garad RM, Loos T, Flanagan M, Mol BW, Mousa A, Romualdi D, Ata B, Bosch E, Dos Santos-Ribeiro S, Gersak K, Homburg R, Le Clef N, Mincheva M, Piltonen T, Somers S, Sunkara SK, Verhoeve H, Teede HJ; Australian NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Reproductive Life UI Guideline Network and the ESHRE guideline group for unexplained infertility. Med J Aust. 2024 Oct 21;221(8):438-446. doi: 10.5694/mja2.52437. Epub 2024 Sep 15. PMID: 39277816.
Summary of the 2023 international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome: an Australian perspective.
Teede HJ, Mousa A, Tay CT, Costello MF, Brennan L, Norman RJ, Pena AS, Boyle JA, Joham A, Berry L, Moran L. Med J Aust. 2024 Oct 7;221(7):389-395. doi: 10.5694/mja2.52432. Epub 2024 Sep 2. PMID: 39223729.
Uterine fibroids and non-informative cell-free DNA screening results.
Rolnik DL, Raymond Y, Lee T, Ramkrishna J, da Silva Costa F, Menezes M, Meagher S. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2024 Oct;64(4):463-469. doi: 10.1002/uog.29098. Epub 2024 Aug 23. PMID: 39177335.
Effect of a novel copper chloride gel on endometrial growth and function in healthy volunteers. Tremellen K, Alfer J, Cotán D, Pérez-Sánchez M, Harvey AJ, Gardner DK. Reprod Biomed Online. 2024 Oct;49(4):104107. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2024.104107. Epub 2024 May 9. PMID: 39067212.
De novo variants in the RNU4-2 snRNA cause a frequent neurodevelopmental syndrome.
Chen Y, Dawes R, Kim HC, Ljungdahl A, Stenton SL, Walker S, Lord J, Lemire G, Martin-Geary AC, Ganesh VS, Ma J, Ellingford JM, Delage E, D'Souza EN, Dong S, Adams DR, Allan K, Bakshi M, Baldwin EE, Berger SI, Bernstein JA, Bhatnagar I, Blair E, Brown NJ, Burrage LC, Chapman K, Coman DJ, Compton AG, Cunningham CA, D'Souza P, Danecek P, Délot EC, Dias KR, Elias ER, Elmslie F, Evans CA, Ewans L, Ezell K, Fraser JL, Gallacher L, Genetti CA, Goriely A, Grant CL, Haack T, Higgs JE, Hinch AG, Hurles ME, Kuechler A, Lachlan KL, Lalani SR, Lecoquierre F, Leitão E, Fevre AL, Leventer RJ, Liebelt JE, Lindsay S, Lockhart PJ, Ma AS, Macnamara EF, Mansour S, Maurer TM, Mendez HR, Metcalfe K, Montgomery SB, Moosajee M, Nassogne MC, Neumann S, O'Donoghue M, O'Leary M, Palmer EE, Pattani N, Phillips J, Pitsava G, Pysar R, Rehm HL, Reuter CM, Revencu N, Riess A, Rius R, Rodan L, Roscioli T, Rosenfeld JA, Sachdev R, Shaw-Smith CJ, Simons C, Sisodiya SM, Snell P, St Clair L, Stark Z, Stewart HS, Tan TY, Tan NB, Temple SEL, Thorburn DR, Tifft CJ, Uebergang E, VanNoy GE, Vasudevan P, Vilain E, Viskochil DH, Wedd L, Wheeler MT, White SM, Wojcik M, Wolfe LA, Wolfenson Z, Wright CF, Xiao C, Zocche D, Rubenstein JL, Markenscoff-Papadimitriou E, Fica SM, Baralle D, Depienne C, MacArthur DG, Howson JMM, Sanders SJ, O'Donnell-Luria A, Whiffin N. Nature. 2024 Aug;632(8026):832-840. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07773-7. Epub 2024 Jul 11. PMID: 38991538; PMCID: PMC11338827.
Interstitial pregnancy: A retrospective case series of surgically managed patients over a ten-year period.
Van M, Smet ME, Cash S, Noori N. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2025 Feb;65(1):91-100. doi: 10.1111/ajo.13850. Epub 2024 Jun 14. PMID: 38874312.
Cardiovascular disease hospitalizations among women who undergo fertility treatment.
Tomic D, Rombauts L, Da Silva Costa F, Rolnik DL, Haregu T, Carrington M, Magliano DJ, Yiallourou SR. Reprod Biomed Online. 2024 Jul;49(1):103812. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2024.103812. Epub 2024 Jan 8. PMID: 38663042.
Extending the new era of genomic testing into pregnancy management: A proposed model for Australian prenatal services.
Rogers A, De Jong L, Waters W, Rawlings LH, Simons K, Gao S, Soubrier J, Kenyon R, Lin M, King R, Lawrence DM, Muller P, Leblanc S, McGregor L, Sallevelt SCEH, Liebelt J, Hardy TSE, Fletcher JM, Scott HS, Kulkarni A, Barnett CP, Kassahn KS. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2024 Oct;64(5):467-474. doi: 10.1111/ajo.13814. Epub 2024 Apr 5. PMID: 38577897; PMCID: PMC11660018.
Reply of the Authors: Improved fertilization, degeneration, and embryo quality rates with PIEZO-intracytoplasmic sperm injection compared with conventional intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a sibling oocyte split multicenter trial.
Zander-Fox D. Fertil Steril. 2024 Jul;122(1):188. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2024.03.021. Epub 2024 Mar 29. PMID: 38554766.
Health needs, treatment decisions and experience of traditional complementary and integrative medicine use by women with diminished ovarian reserve: A cross-sectional survey.
Maunder A, Arentz S, Armour M, Costello MF, Ee C. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2024 Aug;64(4):390-398. doi: 10.1111/ajo.13805. Epub 2024 Mar 21. PMID: 38514899.