The chromosomal normality of unfertilized oocytes from patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Abstract

The present study was designed to compare the cycle characteristics of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and the chromosomal normality of oocytes in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) with those of patients with tubal factor infertility. In all, 28 cycles of 24 PCOS patients and 55 cycles of 31 patients with tubal factor infertility (control) were investigated. Although a significantly greater number of oocytes were retrieved from PCOS patients (mean +/- SD: 15.6 +/- 6.4 versus 9.0 +/- 4.0, PCOS versus control group, P < 0.05), the percentage of fertilized oocytes was significantly lower in the PCOS group compared with controls (40.1 versus 73.8%, P < 0.01). The pregnancy rate per embryo transfer did not differ between the two groups. Cytogenetic analysis was performed on 74 oocytes from PCOS patients and 73 oocytes from control patients. In the PCOS group, 10 of the 74 oocytes (13.5%) demonstrated aneuploidy, four (5.4%) oocytes were diploid and six (8.1%) oocytes were metaphase II with a prematurely condensed sperm chromosome (PCC). In the tubal infertility group, nine of the 73 (12.3%) oocytes showed aneuploidy, four (5.5%) oocytes were diploid and five (6.8%) oocytes were found to have PCC. There was no significant difference in the aneuploidy, diploidy and PCC rates between the two groups. These results suggest that the reduced fertilization observed in PCOS is not attributable to chromosomal aberrations or immaturity of oocytes recruited from patients with PCOS.

Vacuolated oocytes: fertilization and embryonic arrest following intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection in a patient exhibiting persistent oocyte macro vacuolization—Case report

“…Some have suggested a decreased fertilization rate in PCOS patients but this reduced rate does not appear to be attributable to cytogenetic immaturity or chromosomal aberrations [9]. In addition there is little evidence in the literature that PCOS results in lower than normal pregnancy or live birth rates [10].…”

The impact of obesity on egg quality

“…Fertilization rates in women with PCOS are also reported to be lower [49,50]. Despite the above studies; studies have found no difference in aneuploidy rates between PCOS and control oocytes [49] and pregnancy rates do not always differ [49,50].…”

Pregnancy Outcomes in Infertile Women with Polycystic Ovaries following Intracellular Sperm Injection

“…The utilization of low doses of gonadotropin plus the recovery of great numbers of MII oocytes might have reduced the impact of high incidence of degeneratedand immature oocytesrateson pregnancy outcomes in PCOS and PCOM patients. Moreover, the lack of association between PCOS and embryonic aneuploidy [36], and the similar chromosomal normality of unfertilized oocytes from patients with or without PCSO [37], might have also contributed to the high pregnancy outcomes in PCSO or PCOM patients observed in this study.…”