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Pregnancy with oocytes characterized by narrow perivitelline space and heterogeneous zona pellucida: is intracytoplasmic sperm injection necessary?

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Purpose

This retrospective study analyzed fertilization protocols and pregnancy outcomes for oocytes with with narrow perivitelline space and heterogeneous zona pellucid (NPVS/HZP).

Methods

In 63 in-vitro fertilization cycles filled with NPVS/HZP oocytes (abnormal oocytes group) and 521 cycles with normal oocytes (normal oocytes group), major clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded and compared in different fertilization cycles (conventional IVF cycles, rescue ICSI cycles, and traditional ICSI cycles).

Results

NPVS/HZP oocytes meant lower MIIoocytes rates in both IVF and ICSI cycles compared with normal oocytes (p < 0.05). The 2PN rates for abnormal oocytes were significantly lower than those for normal oocytes in both conventional IVF cycles (58.8 % VS 71.3 %, P < 0.05) and rescue ICSI cycles (58.0 % VS 78.0 %, P = 0.0000). The high-quality embryo rates in normal oocytes groups were significantly higher than those in abnormal oocytes groups in different fertilization cycles (52.2 % VS 35.0 %, P < 0.01; 42.9 % VS 23.9 %, P < 0.001; 50.6 % VS 31.0 %, P = 0.0000, respectively). No clinical pregnancy was obtained from abnormal oocytes in 11 conventional IVF cycles. The clinical pregnancy rates in rescue ICSI and traditional ICSI cycles were comparatively lower in abnormal oocytes groups, but there was no significant difference as compared with normal oocytes groups (35.0 % VS 48.1 % and 26.7 % VS 50.7 %, P > 0.05, respectively).

Conclusions

Retrieval of oocytes characterized by NPVS/PZP from cycle to cycle was one of the reasons for obscure infertility. ICSI may be the right way to avoid fertilization failure and get pregnancy in women with NPVS/HZP oocytes.

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Acknowledgments

We thank our colleagues in our reproductive center for all of their work toward the study and data collection. We also thank Doctor Huai L. Feng (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine) for review of this manuscript.

Funding

This study supported by National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2011CB944502; 2012CB944700); Independent Innovation Foundation of Shandong University, IIFSDU (2012TS131); Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2013HQ053)

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China

    Mei Li, Shui-Ying Ma, Hui-Jun Yang, Ke-Liang Wu, Wan-Xia Zhong, Guan-Ling Yu & Zi-Jiang Chen

  2. National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Jinan, People’s Republic of China

    Mei Li, Shui-Ying Ma, Hui-Jun Yang, Ke-Liang Wu, Wan-Xia Zhong, Guan-Ling Yu & Zi-Jiang Chen

  3. The Key Laboratory for Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Jinan, People’s Republic of China

    Mei Li, Shui-Ying Ma, Hui-Jun Yang, Ke-Liang Wu, Wan-Xia Zhong, Guan-Ling Yu & Zi-Jiang Chen

  4. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan, People’s Republic of China

    Mei Li, Shui-Ying Ma, Hui-Jun Yang, Ke-Liang Wu, Wan-Xia Zhong, Guan-Ling Yu & Zi-Jiang Chen

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  1. Mei Li
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Correspondence to Zi-Jiang Chen.

Additional information

Capsule There is usually no relationship between the oocytes morphology and fertilization protocol during ART treatment. Oocytes with narrow perivitelline space (PVS) and heterogeneous zona pellucida (ZP) in previous assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment cycle usually resulted in repeated in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure. Study on cycle outcome for these abnormal oocytes may provide useful information for further treatment and research.

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Li, M., Ma, SY., Yang, HJ. et al. Pregnancy with oocytes characterized by narrow perivitelline space and heterogeneous zona pellucida: is intracytoplasmic sperm injection necessary?. J Assist Reprod Genet 31, 285–294 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-013-0169-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-013-0169-9

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