Comprehensive chromosome screening and follow-up assessment of large numbers of cells provided a unique insight into the cytogenetics of human blastocysts. Meiotic and post-zygotic errors leading to mosaicism were common. However, most mosaic blastocysts contained no normal cells. Hence, CGH or aCGH TE analysis is an accurate aneuploidy detection tool and may assist in identifying viable euploid embryos with higher implantation potential.

This complete investigation has identified significant differences between referral groups concerning the origin of aneuploidy in their embryos.

AOA with calcium ionophore treatment after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) results in a statistically significant improvement in fertilization, cleavage, blastulation, and implantation rates, as well as overall pregnancy and live-birth rates. The conclusion of this systematic review, demonstrating a strong effect of calcium ionophore use, is reassuring and promising, particularly for couples for whom ICSI alone yields poor fertilization rates.

Given the age-related decline in ovarian reserve and oocyte quality, it is unsurprising the global trend of deferring motherhood has resulted in increased levels of involuntary childlessness. The development of oocyte vitrification, with pregnancy and livebirth rates now comparable to using fresh oocytes, has provided an opportunity to cryopreserve oocytes electively for future use, empowering women with the capacity to delay their childbearing years. While it enhances reproductive autonomy, age-related obstetric complications, economic implications and the risk of unsuccessful future treatment make this a controversial therapeutic option. However, some women have no reasonable alternative, such as single women approaching their late thirties, in whom egg freezing, although not a guarantee against involuntary childlessness, offers hope by extending the window of opportunity to find a partner. Given the upward trend in women electively cryopreserving their eggs, it would appear that a new ice age, from a fertility perspective, is upon us.

This is a retrospective study aiming to assess telomere length in human embryos 4 days post fertilization and to determine whether it is correlated to chromosomal ploidy, embryo developmental rate and patient age. Embryos were donated from patients undergoing treatment in the assisted conception unit. Seven couples took part, generating 35 embryos consisting of 1130 cells. Quantitative fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) measured the telomere length of every cell using a pan-telomeric probe. Conventional FISH on six chromosomes was used to assess aneuploidy in the same cells. Maternal and paternal age, referral reason, embryo developmental rate and type of chromosomal error were taken into account. Chromosomally abnormal cells were associated with shorter telomeres than normal cells for embryos that were developmentally slow. Cells produced by women of advanced maternal age and those with a history of repeated miscarriage tended to have substantially shorter telomeres. There was no significant difference in telomere length with respect to the rate of embryo development 5 days post fertilization. Telomeres play an important role in cell division and shorter telomeres may affect embryonic ploidy. Reduced telomere length was associated with aneuploid cells and embryos from women of advanced maternal age.