Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on January 29, 2004
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Human Reproduction, Vol. 19, No. 3, 586-589,
March 2004
© 2004 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Case Report: Pregnancy outcome following ICSI of oocytes with abnormal cytoplasm and zona pellucida
1 Institute for the Study of Fertility and 2 IVF Unit, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Institute for the Study of Fertility, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizman Street, Tel Aviv 64239, Israel. e-mail: paz{at}tasmc.health.gov.il
A couple with unexplained infertilility was referred for routine IVF and ICSI treatment. Ovulation was induced by the GnRH analogue protocol combined with HMG and HCG. Preparation of denuded oocytes revealed a major disorder of the zona pellucida and abnormal oocytes. During preparation of ova for ICSI, 15 retrieved oocytes were denuded, 14 of which underwent ICSI treatment. Four of the oocytes collapsed and the remaining 10 appeared to have irregular, fragile zona pellucida. Nevertheless, following ICSI, seven low-quality embryos developed, three of which were transferred into the uterus. Two implantations were achieved, but only one embryo resulted in an uneventful pregnancy and delivery by Caesarean section of a normal female neonate with an Apgar score of 10. It is hypothesized that infertility was due to the abnormal oocyte structure and abnormal zona pellucida, which prevented natural conception. This condition was successfully resolved by the ICSI procedure.
Key words: ICSI/oocyte/sperm/unexplained infertility/zona pellucida